Anyone here ever used NGK D7EA plugs instead of the Bosch X5DC in an older K100?

Yeah, I do. No worries, good stuff. Make sure you get the little bobbins with them as the original spark plug caps needs them.

I am using them too, and don't have any problems.
Bosh stopped producing the X5DC...

I didn't know Bosch stopped making them. The local BMW dealer has plenty in stock. Mine didn't come with the little bobbins on top, but the auto parts shop had a bag full of them. Only paid $2.70 ea. (beats $12 ea. for the Bosch) but had to order 10 at a time. Guess I'll have enough for two and half seasons' riding! Any idea on what to gap them? Info I found online (from NGK) says .020".

My Haynes manual says 0.6 - 0.7 mm (0.024 - 0.028 inch) and that's what I set my gap to.
Don't forget to put a small dab of anti-seize on the threads before installing them.

I've been using NGK plugs for my RS for over a year...no problems at all.

Neil

hi,

oops... I have been using them for last year, no problems but I did not know one is supposed to change gap - is that a sure thing?

could my high fuel consumption come from this?

Roy

I usually check the gap...but have never needed to adjust it. I'm just cautious I guess.

I don't think this would affect your fuel consumption. New plugs would benefit your fuel economy, so you would have to look at the other stuff (air filter, overall state of tune, riding conditions, style of riding, how much stuff the bike is hauling around) to see if you can get better miles/kilometers per gallon/litre.

Neil.

otto59 wrote:I didn't know Bosch stopped making them. The local BMW dealer has plenty in stock. Mine didn't come with the little bobbins on top, but the auto parts shop had a bag full of them. Only paid $2.70 ea. (beats $12 ea. for the Bosch) but had to order 10 at a time. Guess I'll have enough for two and half seasons' riding! Any idea on what to gap them? Info I found online (from NGK) says .020".

Anyone know the technical name for these "bobbins"? Trying to find them off of some internet sites and can't seem to find them. Is it called a resistor cap? And where might I find them? Just any ol' auto store?

According to Wikipedia, it's called the terminal.
This is not a resistor, but just a screw on part to accommodate the BMW caps.

is that what I'm looking for? Click here to see the Spark Plug Terminals

Yes this is it.
Thanks for the link. I will order some too.

Update: The cost for 10 terminals is $3.50
The shipping cost to Canada varies between $23 and $70.
UPS is also charging broker's fees (not included in the shipping cost) which varies between $30 and $50.

The total would be at least $60 and could go as high as $123.
For this cost, they should be gold plated!

I will visit a scrap yard and see if I can collect some old one.

Why not get them to pop them at your risk in the standard mail envelope? If it gets lost who cares it is only $3.50 and they are small enough to go straight through without a problem.
Regards,
K-BIKE

The company doesn't offer this option.
These fees include shipping and HANDLING...
How much do you pay for handling.

I do buy a lot in the US, but due to very high cost, I refuse to have UPS or Fedex as a carrier.

Here is a letter that I sent to Fedex after recieving a $40 bill to cover brokerage fees. I guess I am on their sh***t list, but I refused to pay the bill. They must feel that they didn't have a case because they never took me to court (Good old american way!)

Be careful with these carrier companies!

Here is a copy of my letter. It may help others finding them self in the same situation.

In February, I purchased used goods from The United States. The seller requested a quote from Fedex, and charged me the shipping fees indicated in your quote. I paid this amount in full before he sent the goods.

I just received an invoice from Fedex Trade Networks for the amount of $39.25 covering the brokerage and disbursement fee.

Fedex knew exactly the value, the origin and destination of the shipment at the time they collected the parcel and billed the seller. If any extra brokerage fees had to be added to the cost of the shipping, they should have been included on the shipping quote, or at least disclosed. This is a hidden fee, and I consider that the full cost of shipping has been PREPAID as indicated on Fedex invoice.

I never requested the services of Fedex Trade Networks and as such I am not bound by any contract with your company. I also never gave you any authorization to act on my behalf. My only obligation is to pay the Canadian duties to the Canadian government. I am including a cheque for the amount of $43.00 to cover them - Otherwise, the Canadian government would have taken the necessary steps to recover the taxes on its own.

You may want to try to recover your cost with the shipper, but since you never mentioned anything to him at the time he contracted Fedex service, he may be reluctant to pay it. This is an unethical practice which will in the long term result in a lack of trust in your company.

How would you react if my wife, who will post this letter, charged you a $40.00 fee for driving to the post office? It seems to be similar to the way that you practice business.

Sincerely

YOU BEAUTY!
That is the way to deal to those grasping swine!
If more of us did that they would drop their predatory practices
Regards,
K-BIKE

Crazy Frog wrote:Yes this is it.
Thanks for the link. I will order some too.

Update: The cost for 10 terminals is $3.50
The shipping cost to Canada varies between $23 and $70.
UPS is also charging broker's fees (not included in the shipping cost) which varies between $30 and $50.

The total would be at least $60 and could go as high as $123.
For this cost, they should be gold plated!

I will visit a scrap yard and see if I can collect some old one.

That is insane! In my case I stopped buying from the US because they charge ridiculous prices for shipping. I think that the US business tent to use Fedex or UPS for all of their shipping and these people charge a premium if it has to cross a border.

It is a whole lot cheaper if they use the standard US Postal services, but I think that businesses prefer to use the courier service ... simpler for them, I guess. After all, customer pays for it!!!

It seems that it has been well covered otto59...I have them in all my "K's" well satisfied with the results.
Ajays

Ajays,

we had the reps come to see us [ "Americar" ] when they were new to the UK - might even have been the MD that called!

At the time [ 1972/3?] we were experiencing problems with the plugs in our Methanol [ Blown Injected ] Comp Altered Drag car. The problems were caused by needing a plug with a wider than normal heat range. We had to warm up on one grade of plug and then switch over [ all 8! ] prior to making a run. The guy from NGK GUARANTEED that his plug would do the trick and he gave us a few boxes to try out. They were just fantastic and did exactly what we wanted. So we ended up being one of the first stockists in Southend on Sea - and I've used them ever since in ALL my vehicles.

NGK have been copper core since 1958! I have been selling and using them since the early '80s. If a vehicle I own has another brand fitted I cross reference them and use NGK from then on when I do the next scheduled service.
I've only ever had one fail on my personal vehicles. It was on a high pass near Crested Butte in the Colorado Rockies back about '97. I rode my Airhead Boxer about 50 miles on one cylinder (gently) back to the campsite and diagnosed and swapped it for a good one I'd left there with my gear. I've always carried a coupla spares with me on rides since then but have never had to use them. Good ol' Murphy!

Since I were a young lad they've been called "nipples" - terminals sounds fair.

If you pm me with your address I'll send you some in an ordinary envelope marked "gift". Can't imagine the mail would be more than £5 - but I'll check.

Alternatively, buy a set of RAM Power Leads and get 4 free !

Hey Beachy,
Put the internet address here where we can order these leads, or give simple instructions how to order /pay for/ your wares.
BTW, have you seen this?