Honda CH80 Elite - What spark plug?

[Noah Eldridge]

I have a 2001 Honda Elite 80 (CH80) from the United States. These have not been sold in Canada for awhile.

The scooter is due for a new spark plug (2,500 miles). My manual specifies an: NKG CR7HS

I can only find an: NKG CR7HSA (in Canada at least.)

But that seems fine, the NGK site indicates the CR7HSA is the correct plug for this scooter, however on US sites, I can find both plugs, with different SKU numbers, meaning they are both presently available, and different from each other somehow.

Is the CR7HSA okay? Would I be better off ordering a CR7HS from the US?

The NGK site also lists a CR7HIX as a 'premium' plug for this scooter. This is an Iridium plug. Is there any benefit to fitting an Iridium plug to this scooter.

In general, I understand Iridium plugs improve starting, reduce fouling, have fewer misfires, and will last longer. However, this is an electric start, 4 cycle, low-compression scooter. It isn't some car that goes 100,000 miles before it's first scheduled maintenance either. So any real benefit to the Iridium plug for a scooter?

Is there an even better plug for this scooter, Denso, Champion, etc...?

Ultimately, one plug every 2,500 miles makes the Iridium plug affordable. Maybe if I had a V12 car I might complain they're triple the price of a regular plug.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Regards,
/\/oah.

[SoCalMike]

Post by Noah Eldridge
I have a 2001 Honda Elite 80 (CH80) from the United States. These have
not been sold in Canada for awhile.
The scooter is due for a new spark plug (2,500 miles). My manual specifies an: NKG CR7HS
I can only find an: NKG CR7HS*_A_* (in Canada at least.)
But that seems fine, the NGK site indicates the CR7HSA is the correct
plug for this scooter, however on US sites, I can find both plugs, with
different SKU numbers, meaning they are both presently available, and
different from each other somehow.
Is the CR7HSA okay? Would I be better off ordering a CR7HS from the US?

NGK: Traditional spark plug CR7HSA

10mm, 1/2" reach, 5/8" hex, gasket seat, resistor

NGK traditional plugs are constructed for longer life and optimum
performance. Corrugated ribs prevent flashover. NGK uses only the purest
alumina silicate in its ceramic insulator which give all NGK plugs
greater strength and better heat transfer. Copper cored and triple
sealed to further aid in heat removal and prevent interior leakage.

NGK: Traditional spark plug CR7HS

10mm, 1/2" reach, 5/8" hex, gasket seat, resistor

NGK traditional plugs are constructed for longer life and optimum
performance. Corrugated ribs prevent flashover. NGK uses only the purest
alumina silicate in its ceramic insulator which give all NGK plugs
greater strength and better heat transfer. Copper cored and triple
sealed to further aid in heat removal and prevent interior leakage.


same plug. decoding the numbers at the NGK site reveals the A only means
there is no gasket. not having an A also means no gasket.

Post by Noah Eldridge
The NGK site also lists a CR7HIX as a 'premium' plug for this scooter.
This is an Iridium plug. Is there any benefit to fitting an Iridium
plug to this scooter.

nah. itd probably be more worthwhile to use synthetic oil, since it only
uses a quart.

Post by Noah Eldridge
In general, I understand Iridium plugs improve starting, reduce fouling,
have fewer misfires, and will last longer. However, this is an electric
start, 4 cycle, low-compression scooter. It isn't some car that goes
100,000 miles before it's first scheduled maintenance either. So any
real benefit to the Iridium plug for a scooter?

nah

Post by Noah Eldridge
Is there an even better plug for this scooter, Denso, Champion, etc...?

either NGK, or denso. nothing else!

Post by Noah Eldridge
Ultimately, one plug every 2,500 miles makes the Iridium plug
affordable. Maybe if I had a V12 car I might complain they're triple
the price of a regular plug.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Regards,
/\/oah.

[Bike guy Joe]

Iridium plugs, or anything but the regular or maybe platinum plugs are
a waste of money.

I get Bosch platinums for .99- 1.99 so they are cheap.

Why would you need a new plug every 2500 miles? That's bad.

[Noah Eldridge]

Not sure I follow. Do you recommend the Iridium plug then?

The point of using rare metals for the tip of the plug is to resist melting.
The higher heat at the tip prevents fouling. Platinum had a higher melting
point, so you could make a thinner tip. Iridium is apparently better than
platinum, as it allows for an even finer tip.

The 2,500 mile interval is just what's listed in the manual. Plugs are
cheap enough, I'll just blindly follow Honda's maintenance schedule on this
one.

Thanks,
/\/oah.

Post by Bike guy Joe
Iridium plugs, or anything but the regular or maybe platinum plugs are
a waste of money.
I get Bosch platinums for .99- 1.99 so they are cheap.
Why would you need a new plug every 2500 miles? That's bad.

[SoCalMike]

Post by Noah Eldridge
Not sure I follow. Do you recommend the Iridium plug then?
The point of using rare metals for the tip of the plug is to resist melting.
The higher heat at the tip prevents fouling. Platinum had a higher melting
point, so you could make a thinner tip. Iridium is apparently better than
platinum, as it allows for an even finer tip.
The 2,500 mile interval is just what's listed in the manual. Plugs are
cheap enough, I'll just blindly follow Honda's maintenance schedule on this
one.
Thanks,
/\/oah.

another thing i learned, as an 18 year old, with mine-

stick with the 10w40 oil. i thought "20w50 RACING oil" was cooler, so i
used it, but it was probably too thick. consequently, i only got 18,000
miles off the engine before the compression was shot.

the rest of the scooter was pretty beat up by then as well :)

[paul c]

Post by SoCalMike

Post by Noah Eldridge
Not sure I follow. Do you recommend the Iridium plug then?
The point of using rare metals for the tip of the plug is to resist
melting. The higher heat at the tip prevents fouling. Platinum had a
higher melting point, so you could make a thinner tip. Iridium is
apparently better than platinum, as it allows for an even finer tip.
The 2,500 mile interval is just what's listed in the manual. Plugs
are cheap enough, I'll just blindly follow Honda's maintenance
schedule on this one.
Thanks,
/\/oah.

another thing i learned, as an 18 year old, with mine-
stick with the 10w40 oil. i thought "20w50 RACING oil" was cooler, so i
used it, but it was probably too thick. consequently, i only got 18,000
miles off the engine before the compression was shot.
the rest of the scooter was pretty beat up by then as well :)

Porsche mechanic next door was just telling me that Mobil is dropping
certain viscousities and that Porsche are now, or about to start, using
50w0. yes that's right, ZERO. apparently the 'thinner' quality is
required by the latest close tolerance engines.

at least in Canada, he said that Mobil is going to be dropping the one i
get at the discount grocery store - 50-15W. i guess i'll have to pay
more for 15-5W at 'crappy' tire (actually, some of their house brands
are pretty good stuff). don't know if neighbour cares - he saves the
left-overs after service which the rich late-model Porsche owners don't
care about and puts it in his aging Mercedes.

p

p

[c***@webtv.net]

Some people used to make a little angled wooden rack and let what little
bit of oil that didn't drain out of the cans of oil when they was doing
an oil change for their car,they would let the little bit of oil in the
cans drain into a can sitting under the rack.Sort of like sitting a
bottle of mostly empty ketchup over another bottle of ketchup.

When I was in Vietnam,I saw some boards with a little grooved strip
nailed to the bottom of the boards.They would tack a fish to the boards
and slit the fish's belly and the fluid from the fish would drain down
and drip into a bottle.

A motor oil commercial I used to see on tv:
What kind of motor oil are you useing Earl? [motor oil is motor oil!]
cuhulin

[Noah Eldridge]

Thanks!

So it's the same plug. If both "A" or lack thereof means 'no gasket', then
what does 'gasket seat' mean?

Now that it's mine, I'll go full synthetic next change.

Thanks,
/\/oah.

Post by SoCalMike

Post by Noah Eldridge
I have a 2001 Honda Elite 80 (CH80) from the United States. These have
not been sold in Canada for awhile.
The scooter is due for a new spark plug (2,500 miles). My manual
specifies an: NKG CR7HS
I can only find an: NKG CR7HS*_A_* (in Canada at least.)
But that seems fine, the NGK site indicates the CR7HSA is the correct
plug for this scooter, however on US sites, I can find both plugs, with
different SKU numbers, meaning they are both presently available, and
different from each other somehow.
Is the CR7HSA okay? Would I be better off ordering a CR7HS from the US?

NGK: Traditional spark plug CR7HSA
10mm, 1/2" reach, 5/8" hex, gasket seat, resistor
NGK traditional plugs are constructed for longer life and optimum
performance. Corrugated ribs prevent flashover. NGK uses only the purest
alumina silicate in its ceramic insulator which give all NGK plugs greater
strength and better heat transfer. Copper cored and triple sealed to
further aid in heat removal and prevent interior leakage.
NGK: Traditional spark plug CR7HS
10mm, 1/2" reach, 5/8" hex, gasket seat, resistor
NGK traditional plugs are constructed for longer life and optimum
performance. Corrugated ribs prevent flashover. NGK uses only the purest
alumina silicate in its ceramic insulator which give all NGK plugs greater
strength and better heat transfer. Copper cored and triple sealed to
further aid in heat removal and prevent interior leakage.
same plug. decoding the numbers at the NGK site reveals the A only means
there is no gasket. not having an A also means no gasket.

Post by Noah Eldridge
The NGK site also lists a CR7HIX as a 'premium' plug for this scooter.
This is an Iridium plug. Is there any benefit to fitting an Iridium plug
to this scooter.

nah. itd probably be more worthwhile to use synthetic oil, since it only
uses a quart.

Post by Noah Eldridge
In general, I understand Iridium plugs improve starting, reduce fouling,
have fewer misfires, and will last longer. However, this is an electric
start, 4 cycle, low-compression scooter. It isn't some car that goes
100,000 miles before it's first scheduled maintenance either. So any
real benefit to the Iridium plug for a scooter?

nah

Post by Noah Eldridge
Is there an even better plug for this scooter, Denso, Champion, etc...?

either NGK, or denso. nothing else!

Post by Noah Eldridge
Ultimately, one plug every 2,500 miles makes the Iridium plug
affordable. Maybe if I had a V12 car I might complain they're triple the
price of a regular plug.
Thanks in advance for any advice.
Regards,
/\/oah.

[Dennis Lee Bieber]

On Tue, 11 Apr 2006 12:12:17 -0400, "Noah Eldridge"
<***@sympatico.ca> declaimed the following in alt.scooter:

<ack> a top poster...

Post by Noah Eldridge
Thanks!
So it's the same plug. If both "A" or lack thereof means 'no gasket', then
what does 'gasket seat' mean?

Post by Noah Eldridge
The scooter is due for a new spark plug (2,500 miles). My manual
specifies an: NKG CR7HS
I can only find an: NKG CR7HS*_A_* (in Canada at least.)
But that seems fine, the NGK site indicates the CR7HSA is the correct

If I interpret the PDF chart from the NGK US site...
http://www.ngksparkplugs.com/techinfo/spark_plugs/installation.asp?nav=31300&country=US
(the download is item #8)

C 10mm thread
R Resistor
7 heat range
H 12.7mm reach
S standard 2.5mm electrode

Nothing talks about gasket or lack thereof except for a terminating
F meaning "taper-seat" (which is the normal "no gasket" plug design).
"A" just has the definition of "special design".

I'd interpret "gasket seat" to mean the plug needs a gasket (and not
many know that those aren't really meant to be reused -- they compress
to fit on installation).

[c***@webtv.net]

You are right,spark plug gaskets are meant to be used only once.
You might consider applying some antiseize compound to the spark plug's
threads.
cuhulin

[Bike guy Joe]

I second that anti-seize statement.

I was saying don't waste your money buying an iridium plug, especially
if you are going to change it every 2500 miles. Platinum plugs will go
100,000 in an auto engine, so they should go at least 2500 miles in
your scoot. Plus you'll save a bunch of money.

[c***@webtv.net]

I know for sure Autolite Platinum AP64 spark plugs are the best for my
old 1978 Dodge van's 318 cubic inch engine.I wouldn't try them in a
Motor Scooter though.(or would I?,probally the wrong size and reach
anyway)
cuhulin

[SoCalMike]

Post by Bike guy Joe
I second that anti-seize statement.

and a torque wrench. or not. "snug" is definately good enough. too tight
will strip the Al threads in the head.

[SoCalMike]

Post by Noah Eldridge
Thanks!
So it's the same plug. If both "A" or lack thereof means 'no gasket', then
what does 'gasket seat' mean?

LOL... ive got NO idea. it just looks like they changed the numbering
system a bit over the years, and added the A.