[Thatguy331]

I was changing my spark plugs on my '02 a few days ago and on the port side of the bike, the spark plug boot (21130) came off the wire from the ignition coil (21121)... Is that intended? I assumed they were 1 piece molded cables...

I put the boot back on as best I could and the bike started up fine (no giant knocking or anything) but I'm noticing a when I start up the bike when its a little cold out there's much more smoke (not real smoke but the warm exhaust on a 40 degree morning kind) coming from my port muffler than my starboard.

Thanks in advance for any help you guys can give!

 

[knightslugger]

Yes, it's supposed to be that way.  there's a screw in the boot that you swist into the wires of the .... um wire to complete the connection.  fire some di-electric grease into both sides and put it back together.

And please say left or right... Port... Starboard... i'm not a pirate (of anyone's Navy)

 

[MrSciTrek]

My son's a Marine & my daughter rowed crew... so I had to learn port & starboard.

The word PORT and LEFT are both 4 letters.
For night lighting the Port side is red (like the wine?)
the starboard side is green.

Maybe we oughta do that w/ our bikes?

Nahhhhhhhhhhhhh.

 

[Guest]

I work in the marine industry. Port - Starboard... I love it! Now gotta go and splice the main brace.

 

[MrSciTrek]

Port.... or starboard.... this is port.... no, Starboard. NO, wait...

 

[knightslugger]

left is port... left..... port

FINE WITH ME!!! we should have left port a hour ago....

 

[Thatguy331]

lol, sorry, when using left and right sometimes people get confused if you're talking about the side when sitting on the bike or when looking at the bike from the front... so I use ye ol' nautical terms!

 

[fog]

All of the Naval Jargon aside, it's a good Idea to renew those connections by cutting off 1/4" of the wire and screwing in the connector to achieve a better connection. And often replace the wire with copper wire. While your in there take a moment to clean the insides of the black plastic cap. These things have a nasty habit of accumulating crud that can conduct the precariously weak spark to ground instead of fireing the plugs.
Do this as often as washing the bike.

FOG