RT 1330 Spark plug changeout. Part 1

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Here's a few photos and tips about the &%%$#^^ job of changing the spark plugs on the RT 1330. I was well into the process before I thought to take any photos. Sorry.

I had questions about the tightening torque so I went to the NGK web site. I found there that the design lifetime of the OEM plugs is 100,000 miles! They may fire more often in a 1330 than a Honda car engine, but still I don't see why BRP recommends changing them out at 28,000 miles. I don't expect to ever change mine again!!

First, consider removing the frunk. I can't say that it makes the job easier or not, other than it does get the air intake hose out of the way. I'd suggest you start the process and if it looks like removing the frunk will make it easier, then do it. I took the frunk off because I was changing the spark plugs and installing LED fog lights at the same time.

Remove the mirrors, middle side panels, and the acoustic panels. I had the headlight trim off also but I don't think you have to remove it to change the plugs. I replaced my LED headlights at the same time as the other work.

Disconnect the air intake hose from the first air box and remove the air cleaner.

Remove hose and cleaner.jpg

Remove the screws that hold both air cleaner boxes in place.

Remove the support bar. There's one screw at each end. Turning it 90° will make it a bit easier to work loose from the air box tabs.

Support bar.jpg

Remove the ring that holds the central air intake adapter to the air cleaner box. You have to reach through the air cleaner hole. On reinstall make sure the arrow points down. I used silicone spray to get the ring to turn and lock.

Central air intake adapter ring.jpg

Now comes the toughy! The air cleaner box has to be pulled out and it is a TIGHT fit. Be careful, pull hard, and it'll come. It goes back in easier. Go figure!

I don't have a pic but the central air intake adapter (hose) is connected to the second air box with a plastic hose clamp. Cut it to remove the adapter.

Now go to the right side. You have to get the conglomeration of harnesses and cable out of the way. The harness connector block will slip loose off the frame. Cut cable ties as necessary. I disconnected several connectors to move the harnesses out of the way more.

Harnesses and cable.jpg

Remove the clamp and hose shown here. The hose comes out with the manifold intake adapter hose.

recirc hose.jpg

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Now remove the intake manifold adapter. Loosen the metal hose clamp and cut the plastic one. I replaced the plastic hose clamps with metal 4" hose clamps.

Air Intake manifold adapter.jpg

Now you can pull the secondary air box out. It comes out pretty easy. What you'll see then is the top of the engine!

Top of the engine.jpg

I used a short flat blade screwdriver to disconnect the harness connectors from the ignition coils. The screwdriver lifts the lock tab and pushes the connector back. A lot easier than bare hands! Be careful to not drop the screwdriver! I did! It took me a 1/2 hour to recover it from on the bottom belly pan!

Removing coil connector.jpg

Make sure the top of the engine is clean! You don't want to take a chance on dropping crud into the cylinder! Remove the ignition coils. There are rubber seals at the top of the coils. One or two may stay stuck in the valve cover so make sure you get them back onto the coils. Anyway, don't lose any of them! Don't lose the screws. You may never find them again!

To remove the plugs I used a 3/8" drive spark plug socket and 2 3" extensions.

Socket & extensions.jpg

As you can see the plugs are down deep! After getting them loose I took the ratchet off and pulled the plug and tool up a bit and took off the upper extension. The headroom is limited so you aren't going to be able to use a longer extension.

Socket in the well.jpg

When you install the new plugs be sure to use thermal grease on them. Then tighten them to something close to 15 newton-meters of torque. The service manual states 13.5 +/- 1.5 N-m. 15 was easy to see on my torque wrench. The manual refers to the torque as "Retaining Screw Torque". On the NGK web site I found the torque listed at around 10 N-m so I determined retaining screw meant the spark plug thread. Just another glitch in translating from French to English.

Everything goes back together in reverse order of taking it apart!

After you have the harnesses all connected and the air boxes back in you can start the engine. Be ready to be SHOCKED. With all the panels off the 1330 clatters as loudly as a diesel truck engine. I wondered if something was broken, but it wasn't!

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

If I was doing that job, I would consider leaving all the air boxes off permanently and adding a slip on cone style air cleaner to the intake. This would improve air flow, improve cooling, and make it much easier to change the plugs next time. I have been wanting to try it, but as you know, removing the existing air box is NOT easy! Does it look like it would be possible to do this mod?

Probably, but you'd have to jerry rig an intake hose. The recirc from the valve cover goes into the intake manifold adapter hose. BRP refers to the boxes as silencers. There may be a good reason why they do. You might get a lot more air flow noise coming up from under the tupperware with these filters.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

make it much easier to change the plugs next time.

There may not need to be a next time! Read my edit in the first post.

[PMK]

If I was doing that job, I would consider leaving all the air boxes off permanently and adding a slip on cone style air cleaner to the intake. This would improve air flow, improve cooling, and make it much easier to change the plugs next time. I have been wanting to try it, but as you know, removing the existing air box is NOT easy! Does it look like it would be possible to do this mod?

If you shop wisely it can be fit in there. I did the research about it back in 2014. Never did the mod and went about it a different way. You will do best to retain the still airbox for increased performance vs installing the filter onto the throttle body directly. The greatest downside, and why I held off is the engine will be consuming heated air, which will be less than optimum.

The oem setup is a cold air intake and has a huge filter. The cross section of the intake ducts is not bad, and the more restrictive part is the duct running forward. However, that duct is prior to the filter so less influence as it changes shape. The ducts and airbox after the air filter are pretty well optimised in shape and probably volume.

It is not difficult to see if your modded airfilter can help. As a test, remove the flexible elbow at the first airbox.

[youngers]

There may not need to be a next time! Read my edit in the first post.

when you swing by my place too change my plugs and wires , I will have a clean carpet and cool drinks ready !
----- o.k. just kidding guy , great deal though glad you did photos , the next person will have something to rely on and follow if a problem might arise ! ( going to wash and polish the hard plastic parts , and wipe down the wiring while it is torn apart ? )

[agedbikeman]

Thanks for the info, was very helpful. Got primary box out left side, secondary box just pushed out enough to get to the 3rd plug.
What a waste of time, bike done 38km plugs would have done another 38km.
If NGK talk about 100km for their plugs wht do BRP less than halve it?
often thought about different filter, getting rid of secondary box, keeping primary and bridging the gap with flexible duct tube. If only the boxes were 10mm thinner no one would have any complaints about them. They just simly don't need to be that big.
Thanks again.
Alex

[agedbikeman]

These filters would be no use at all, you would end up with no swear words, all the skin still intact on your knuckles, and more time to ride your bike, and be very happy Not what BRP intended.

[UtahPete]

Thanks for the info, was very helpful. Got primary box out left side, secondary box just pushed out enough to get to the 3rd plug.
What a waste of time, bike done 38km plugs would have done another 38km.
If NGK talk about 100km for their plugs wht do BRP less than halve it?
often thought about different filter, getting rid of secondary box, keeping primary and bridging the gap with flexible duct tube. If only the boxes were 10mm thinner no one would have any complaints about them. They just simly don't need to be that big.
Thanks again.
Alex

Good question. What would be the harm in leaving the original spark plugs in for another 28k? Anybody know the answer?

[UtahPete]

Bumping

[PMK]

Good question. What would be the harm in leaving the original spark plugs in for another 28k? Anybody know the answer?

The most common reason to limit miles towards 30,000 is the resistors can begin to fail. My Toyota Tacoma, I run ND iridium plugs. Visually they appear fine.

With COP setups like the Tacoma, the Spyder, and even our Ford van, the manufacturers get concerned that as the plugs resistance goes up, the coil can be ruined or misfires to the spark plug boss area can happen.

That is how I understand it. The van has certainly trashed coils, and the rubber boots have had arc holes worn into them. The Tacoma and Spyder get changed as recommended or earlier. The NIppon Denso spark plugs I installed in the Spyder and in the Tacoma are not expensive. Just did the routine stuff when accomplishing other tasks.

[UtahPete]

The most common reason to limit miles towards 30,000 is the resistors can begin to fail. My Toyota Tacoma, I run ND iridium plugs. Visually they appear fine.

With COP setups like the Tacoma, the Spyder, and even our Ford van, the manufacturers get concerned that as the plugs resistance goes up, the coil can be ruined or misfires to the spark plug boss area can happen.

That is how I understand it. The van has certainly trashed coils, and the rubber boots have had arc holes worn into them. The Tacoma and Spyder get changed as recommended or earlier. The NIppon Denso spark plugs I installed in the Spyder and in the Tacoma are not expensive. Just did the routine stuff when accomplishing other tasks.

Thank you.

[AbNormy]

In the middle of replacing mine while I had the frunk off and these are great instructions but I wondered if anyone has found any replacement foam that doesn't disintegrate when touched. You can tell if anyone has ever been in there by the condition of it. And it sure goes everywhere. Tempted to scrape it off and throw it away.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

In the middle of replacing mine while I had the frunk off and these are great instructions but I wondered if anyone has found any replacement foam that doesn't disintegrate when touched. You can tell if anyone has ever been in there by the condition of it. And it sure goes everywhere. Tempted to scrape it off and throw it away.

What foam are you referring to?

[AbNormy]

Having a hard time getting the resonator airbox back in, didn't take any pics does the rubber boot on the left side go around or behind the steering column? Any pointers?

[AbNormy]

having a heck of a time getting the air cleaner box back in! any pointers?

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

having a heck of a time getting the air cleaner box back in! any pointers?

As I mention in my first post above it went back easier than it came out! I don't remember what all I went through to do it but there must one orientation that helps it to slip right into place. I remember something about some difficulty getting a tube back in place, but I don't remember the details anymore. Did you take that crossbar out?

[AbNormy]

yes. just can't recall if it sits in front of the steering column or goes behind it. sure it'll eventually slip right in just havent found that yet. working 2 jobs doesnt help either

[irvin48]

anyone know what dealer flat rate is on plug change? in other words --hours charged.

[bcer960]

Thank-you for these articles and pics. I did my and a friends plugs this past weekend using your instructions and although there are some minor differences between your 2014 and our 2016 and 2017 machines, I doubt I could have done this without you.

Much appreciated.

Ray,

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Thank-you for these articles and pics. I did my and a friends plugs this past weekend using your instructions and although there are some minor differences between your 2014 and our 2016 and 2017 machines, I doubt I could have done this without you.

Much appreciated.

Ray,

Glad it helped you!

[Jane1330]

Did this job last year...good time to give er a GOOD cleaning. FULL service plus cleaning n reassembly was a 3 day investment. Alcohol made the task less painful...

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Good question. What would be the harm in leaving the original spark plugs in for another 28k? Anybody know the answer?

I'll let everyone know ....I'm about to do mine at 80,626 mi .....Mike

[pauly1]

These were taken out of my 2015 F3-S at about 35K miles. In my opinion, they needed changing.

[Knizar]

These were taken out of my 2015 F3-S at about 35K miles. In my opinion, they needed changing.

Honestly, I think they don't look that bad!

I have 34K on my 2020RTL, I'm going to hold off until 50K unless I detect a misfire.

Maybe a mistake, but really do think that 50k miles should work.

.......Bill