Blue pipe...rich or lean??

[dntemp_ca]

My #2 pipe is blueing whereas the other three are clean. Does pipe blueing usually indicate a lean or a rich running condition?
She runs nice throughout the rpm range, carbs are synced. I don't have a colortune though.

[randy]

The blueing is an indication that the cylinder is running hot, so it is lean. Try adjusting the pilot screw out a bit.

Also, IIRC, FLITZ polish can take some of the blueing off.

Randy

[beechfront]

though this does not apply to your blueing....

last winter i went out driving on a cold, cold day - and all my pipes blued.

i bought a can of blu-job - and polished up two of them. it was a LOT of work. since then, the two that i had cleaned are still looking good.


ANYWAY - a guy once told me that blueing can be the result of extreme temperature changes - he said it happened on his bike when cold water would splash up on the pipes.

my 2 cents.

[scoobes]

have you changed no 3 down pipe?,you will find that after market pipes are only single skined,were as original yamaha pipes are double skined,so after market pipes always go blue as they cannot hold the heat,this might not help you but it is worth knowing.

[newmaac]

Along those lines, what about gold pipes? What should that be telling me?
TIA

[dntemp_ca]

'blu-job' !? Now that's catchy! Savvy marketing there. I still have the original Yammy pipes. I backed out the #2 mixture screw about 1 turn and #2 pipe isn't getting any bluer now. Hasn't affected performance....it's better if anything. I must make time to fiddle with the carbs some more. I sync them regularly with a carb stik, but I don't have a colortune kit yet. I think I'll try the ol' tune-it-by-ear technique and play with the mixture screws one by one until I find a sweet spot at idle on each. Until now, I had left them all at about 1 3/4 turns out after carb clean.

[tab1324]

# of turns

Couple of questions relating to this thread... My mixture screws are about 3 1/2 turns out and it runs good... I started at 1 1/2 but they were running extremely hot and backfiring (lean). Is it normal for these carbs to run good at 1 3/4 turns? I've seen a couple post with about the same number.

Also, should all the carb mixture screws be turned out the same #? or is it best to turn each one individually?

Tom B.

[dntemp_ca]

According to what I've read elsewhere on this site, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 turns out is generally a good starting point. Beyond that, each machine seems to have its own appetite. Many XSives then tune each carb with a tool called Colortune to get the best possible fire in the hole. Alternatively, some use a technique to tune carb mixtures individually by watching idle rpms while adjusting mixture screws.

[Robert Haller]

Originally posted by beechfront

last winter i went out driving on a cold, cold day - and all my pipes blued.

i bought a can of blu-job - and polished up two of them. it was a LOT of work. since then, the two that i had cleaned are still looking good.

ANYWAY - a guy once told me that blueing can be the result of extreme temperature changes - he said it happened on his bike when cold water would splash up on the pipes.

I had a similar experience. I put new pipes on in the spring and rode over 6 months/3000 miles with no discoloration at all. Then after a ride in the winter when the temp. was in the 30's. they discolored. (I wish I had known and I wouldn't have ridden) How long have your pipes stayed undiscolored?

[dntemp_ca]

My #2 pipe has always been a bit bluer than the others. This is the 4th summer I've had the bike. When I did my first carb clean and sync, I noted the mixture screws were all over the map regarding number of turns out, so I standardized at 1 3/4 and she runs real nice. But #2 pipe seemed to get more blue at that setting so I backed out #2 screw another full turn. I'm curious to try finer carb tuning or a colortune kit. I can't imagine much better performance, but these bikes are so strong I guess I won't know peak performance until I experience it.

[beechfront]

i polished the blue off of the two pipes last spring - and since have put about 6-7,000 miles on. i even did a lot of riding this winter, often in freezing temperatures - and the two still show no blue-ing.

i guess maybe the conditions have to be just right. the only thing i recall from the day that it happened, was that I let the bike warm up (choked) for a extended period of time.

[John]

Where did you find this Blu-job? At a bike shop/dealer? Or was it in a cataloge somewhere?

[randy]

John, they have it at Cycle-Recycle:

Cycle-Recycle

Randy

[young nip]

pipes

I agree with dntemp. Each bike seems to have its own charatar.When I chnged my pipes(dunstall) and air filter(k+n) , my bike went extremely lean. I started with the 1and 3/4 and just riding the bikeI increased the idle richness by a half turn till the back pressure popping stopped.Im as high as 2 and 3/4 turns.Ive tried to kepp the carbs all about the same turns. Seems to be working quite fine.Im no expert.Just searching this site. As for the mains ,I had to go up one size according to dennys formula for jetting.plugs were white at red lines.I get a some carbon rich on the low rpms but once I get over 4and 7 thou rpm the plugs are a nice clean and tanish grey. (I left the carb needles on the middle setting.)I had to pull the plugs a few times (chopped throttle)for this ,but I think Ive got it.Have I got it guys or should I go up one more size with the main jets.?? As for my pipes I strill have the original headers and always kept them clean.If the pipes are any indicater of to hot, I Havent had to touch(clean ) them yet this year.This bike of mine was always on the lean side before.
Steve

[young nip]

pipes colour

Hi guys,
I put a pile of miles on my bike the other day.A hard run (hoodlum style) The bike runs well. Afetr the run the pipes were taking on their silight blueish colour again. seemed almost blotchy.This is normal for this bike. I got wondering from reading this thread.Was wondering if going up another main size would ease this coluring cause they dont kick in till higher revs anyway.. The plugs are clean and slightly coloured as Ive mentioned .more grey than the tan Ive had in the past.Does greymean still a slight lean?Or is it the fuel.? other than a colour tune how do we make it the perfect plug colour?Im running a four into two exhaust and I cant tell which carb is running hotter or colder, which is doing more work.richer or leaner, because Im trying to keep all four about the same number of turns. Newer larger jets are cheap. Is this the route to go other than sync and also trying to do the idle tweeking with the idle screws. I think my bluing is more of a main jet lean problem. just thinking.
Steve