cold pipes and fouled plug

[freak_leg]

So I've been working on getting my tune set. After a short ride and some idol time to get up to temp. pipe 1 and 2 were cold. I leaned the mixture out a little bit and went for a ride. The temps came up a bit but no where near pipes 3 and 4. I pulled plug number 1 and it was BLACK. it looks like a combo of oil and fuel. Smells a little like fuel too. Also I've got some oil building on on the outside of the muffler from the small gap between the muffler and the collector. Do I need to double check my valve clearances or am I looking at a re-ring project this year. not looking forward to tearing my head apart again but I really dont want to have to hone and re ring my motor.

[oldyam80sg]

This sounds like a coil issue more than anything else.How is the spark on the plugs?

[CatatonicBug]

small gap between the muffler and the collector.

Why is there a gap? It should be completely sealed, all the way back to the end of the muffler. Except, perhaps a tiny (1/16") moisture drain hole in the underside of the lowest spot. That gap would prevent the back-pressure that the engine needs to run correctly.

[freak_leg]

The coils are the next thing on my list of things to check as well. As for the gap its there because the last owner had a set of cheap exhaust clamps on so the collectors are a bit out of round. however the coil would not explain the oil in the exhaust.

[oldyam80sg]

If you are not getting spark and the plug is wet then it is not firing-

[Ken Talbot]

The common link between #1 and #2 is fuel supply, so there should be no need to worry about your coils right now. With those two cylinders cold, the fouled plug can be caused when the oil from the cylinder walls builds up because there is no fire to keep it burned off.

Check for a kinked or blocked fuel line, a disconnected or cracked vacuum line feeding the applicable petcock, a problem with the diaphragm or filter tower in that petcock. If the lines aren't kinked, check to see if fuel flows when the petcock is in prime position.