Plug read help & questions

[Rickrod3]

Hey Rick,

Nice looking bike you have. I second everyone else, NGK are my choice in plugs. Here is a great video on the proper way to read your plugs. It took me a few times of watching it to fully understand everything... I have nearly the same problem with my bike but not as bad, I have stock air box with K&N filter,a 4-1 Jardine exhaust, and 42.5 and 137.5 jetting. Its just flat on bottom end and stumbles at about 3000-3500 in 55 degF weather and below. No problems with stalling/idling though. For me, its worse on colder days and near 35 degrees F it leans out and will pop a little and doesnt want to idle. I have to run it with the enricher partially engaged on days like that, you can tell its just too lean on the low speed circuit. Once its into the 60's there is no more stumble and not as flat on low end. I plan on changing to 142.5 mains and giving them a try. If that dont clear things up I will try a 45 pilot too... Are you using your stock airbox and filter with those slash cut Mac's?

Yes stock air box.
Ordered the NGK plugs and 140 mains.
Should be here in a few days.
Will post results.

[petejw]

those plugs look really good for a bike that
sat for so long,
to me no 1 looks a little lean, the others
not to bad, id put the correct plugs back in,
i wouldnt rejet it at all, just play with your mixture
screws and give it a good sync.

[petejw]

and id also start with the stock plug gap.

[Rickrod3]

blue pipes

Just out of the engine my pipes are blue for about 3 inches.
Is that a reliable telltale that the bike is running lean?

[Guy_b_g]

Not with single wall pipes, they'll blue even if everything is set up right. 3" isn't all that much to be turning blue....

[dbeardslee]

I tend to agree with Guy, but just out of curiosity how dark is the bluing? In general blue indicates rich, gold pipes indicate lean, and the silver color are just right (sounds like some weird XS three bears tale). Problem is you can get a bike that will give you all three colors depending on how you have been riding it. Plugging around the neighborhood with the enricher out will blue them quick. Checking your plug condition after about 1k miles would be a better gauge. Personally I like to use a colortune plug to set my carbs and verify my jetting. Some people like colortune, and some people do not. I have had good luck with mine. JAT

[Rickrod3]

Like this

I tend to agree with Guy, but just out of curiosity how dark is the bluing? In general blue indicates rich, gold pipes indicate lean, and the silver color are just right (sounds like some weird XS three bears tale). Problem is you can get a bike that will give you all three colors depending on how you have been riding it. Plugging around the neighborhood with the enricher out will blue them quick. Checking your plug condition after about 1k miles would be a better gauge. Personally I like to use a colortune plug to set my carbs and verify my jetting. Some people like colortune, and some people do not. I have had good luck with mine. JAT

http://s910.photobucket.com/albums/ac303/rickrod3/First%20Ride/?action=view&current=DSCF2864-1.jpg

I was reading up on carb tune site you sent me and was going to go step by step. I was just wondering as to the bluing if I should go up a jet from the beginning.

[petejw]

hey rick,
dnt go changing jets for the sake of it,
those plugs look really good for an engine that
has sat for so long,

what were the settings on the mixture screws?

if its flat down low, you might be able to go up 1
size on the pilot jets, but id leave your main jets alone.

[Rickrod3]

3 and 1/4 turns out

hey rick,
dnt go changing jets for the sake of it,
those plugs look really good for an engine that
has sat for so long,

what were the settings on the mixture screws?

if its flat down low, you might be able to go up 1
size on the pilot jets, but id leave your main jets alone.

I've been reading some carb tuning info, some of the words they use to decribe situations can be a little confusing.

As I understand it if you hit the gas and the bike starts to stall then takes off that is an indication you are rich. The rings on my plugs were black. Electrode looked like white.
I guess the engine starts to flood or there is not enough air for combustion. I can see that.
I was thinking I was lean at 3K maybe I was rich so my floats were set at 23mm. I set them @ 24mm I'm setting the Idle @ 3 turns out and going to attempt to go through the tuning process Debeardsle set me earlier.
Going to pick up some proper plugs and give it a go.
So yes I'll leave the mains alone for now.

Thanks

[dbeardslee]

Soft and boggy on the bottom is a sign of a rich condition. If you have got the 78/79 carbs, 24mm is going to be way rich. Spec is 25.7mm plus or minus one mm. If you have got the later model carbs, 24mm should be OK.

[petejw]

i agree that soft and boggy is a rich condition,
and if its flat that its lean,
sounds like you might be slightly rich on the floats,
and lean on the pilot jet,
try the set up you want go with and see how it works for you.

heres a good link from the factory pro site
with regards to the pilot jet.

http://www.factorypro.com/tech_tuning_procedures/tuning_pilot%20jet,%20affect%20of%20size%20on%20idle%20and%20cruise.html

[Rickrod3]

Confession time

As I'm reading posts I find references made that the needle jets on 2&3 are different than 1&4.

I buggered up the needle jet on #1 and replaced it with Part #48-0660
from Mikes XS.
Don't know if I mixed up the others.
What is the intent of the different needle jets?

To update on my progress.
I changed the oil filter and plugs.
Have not got a chance to take it for a good ride.
Want to follow the CV tuning tips but to tell the truth I'm a little tentative on revving it past 6500 RPM.

Whats your feeling on revving them that high.
The other day I was in 4th revved it to 6500 and the bike was over 90MPH.
In my neck of the woods you get a ticket over 90 and you'll have some grief.
Not to mention the crap I'd get from my kids.
It is kinda fun tho.

[dbeardslee]

The part you referenced is an emulsion tube. It works with the slide needle, and IMHO it is not a good idea to mix them. Not all those emulsion tubes are the same, and if you get one that is metered differently than the other three you could get unpredictable results. The flow diagrams on this site might help you to understand what\'s going on inside the carb - http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/BS32SS_Carbs.pdf