fouled plugs question

[thumperjsa]

Want to get some advice. I think I already know the answer but I want to check with you fellas first.

Went out on a ride in town today. Most speeds around 45 MPH plus stop lights in between. About 1/2 way through the ride I notice it missing a bit between 2500 and 3500 RPM. At idle it is OK and when I did get it to higher speeds and RPMS, I did not notice it missing so much. I was on the road and checking my inline fuel filters. One seemed a little kinked so I pulled over and had enough tools to adjust. Problem seemed to go away, but not completely.

Got it home and let it cool down a bit. Pulled the plugs and one was dark tan with a little black (slight fouling). The other 3 were dark and sooty.

I don't believe it is the float heights because I checked those and adjusted them about 6 months ago and all was running fine. I brought it to a mechanic who I believe felt it was running a little lean and adjusted the jet needle to I believe the more rich setting. I konw this because I was there when he was doing it. I just can't recall if he set it for more lean or more rich.

The main and idle pilot jet are the right size for 79 carbs. Event though it is an 80 bike, it does have pre-80 carb.

I don't have a color tune and was not planning on getting one. Mainly because I would not use it but maybe once or twice.

Here is my thought. Should I start by checking the setting on the needle and if it was put to rich, put it back in the middle? Those things are a pain to adjust because of the circlip and needing the right pliers to get to them.

Assuming that the float hieghts are still OK, and verify/adjust the needle, if it is still rich, then get a color tune and adjust?

How much is a color tune and is it difficult to use? Based on my experience, I am mechanically inclined. I am always concerned though of screwing something up because I don't do this type of work often.

[DiverRay]

If it just started after the Mech. worked on it, I would check the needles. If he didn't put them up one notch, then I would think about the floats. I know you just did them, but they could be sticking.
The other option is some dirt in the system. The filters should stop all of it, but if the fuel lines are old, they may be part of the problem.
The needle is the "mid range" running, and if the problem is in the mid range, that is where I would start.

[thumperjsa]

3k or so is mid-range and since that is where I am getting the miss, that may be it.
I know the mech moved the needle, I just can't remember which way.

I replaced all the fuel lines a few months ago when I put on the inline filters.

If one or two plugs are getting fouled, I would suspect floats. But since 3 of the 4 are badly fouled and once is only slightly, I am thinking the needle jet.

I may attempt to take it apart in the next week or so to check the needle placement. From what I saw, if you don't have really thin and long snap ring pliers, it is a pain to change the setting. Unless someone knows of a better way to do this.

[Ken Talbot]

Sounds to me like a perfect excuse to buy another specialty tool. It will probably cost less than a half hour of the mechanics's time.....

[pathfinder]

I bought a set of four snap ring pliers from Harbor freight for ?$7.99? last Saturday to adjust my needles. I took a slide in with me to make sure they fit. Took it apart in the store and bought them on the spot. They worked very well & sure couldn't complain about the price. I haven't tried yet but one of them, with a little grinding up by the hinge spot should work for the front master cylinder.

[pggg]

Thump, ditch and burn the inline filters - those symptoms are just more proof that they're more trouble than anything else. I knew I was right all the time That mechanic obviously didn't know what the hell he was doing, adjusting the needles and making it run rich. Tell him to leave the bloody needles alone. How did know it was running lean? Lean where? At idle? Ridiculous. Demand your money back.

[thumperjsa]

I looked at the snap ring pliers at Harbor Freight when looking at what would fit for the needle jets, but I did not see one that woud fit. Need to look again I guess.

The inline fuel filters seems to work well. One advantage is I can look down when the engine is running and I know fuel is flowing. I ran the filters down and around like suggested. I have not had a fuel flow problem since I went to them.

I guess mechanic was an idiot when it came to bikes that are not Harleys. Maybe that is why they break down so often. hmmm.

Anyway, he shut down his business a few months back so I can't get my money back. The more I see and hear of horror stories of bike mechanics, the more I want to do everything myself. Why pay someone to screw up my bike when I can do that myself for free.

Where is a good place to get a color tune tool?

[thumperjsa]

Got to the carbs today. Stopped by HF and picked up the 4 piece snap ring plier set for $7.

Pulled apart the first carb and it was set one position below middle. According to the manual, this is a richer position than normal. All the others were the same way so I set them all back to the middle.

While I had the carb bank off and the covers, I took my dremel tool and buffing wheels to the loose parts including the caps and metal braces as well as the screws. They went from a nice red/brown color to a nice aluminum color. After that I put some metal polish on them. Came out pretty nice.

By the way, is there an easier way to get the carb bank on and off then by going by the manual. Dropping the lower part of the air filter unit, loosening the air filter bolts and moving the unit rearward, then removing the 3 lines and loosening the clamps and it still seemed very difficult to get the carb bank out.

Tomorrow I plan on messing with the fuel lines a bit to clean it up under the tank so I get better flow with the inline filters.

Then if I did not screw up anything in the process, it should fire right up and play nice for me. Perhaps I will also increase the mileage as well since it won't be running so rich.

[fxrer]

Removing carbs

Yes, there IS an easier way. On the left column, go to Tech Tips > Maintenance> Carburetors> Carb Removal, and follow that technique regarding loosening the four air box screws TWO TURNS ONLY!!!

That allows you to drop the air box below the carb bank, making it MUCH easier to remove and reinstall.

[thumperjsa]

found the tip. It made it a slight bit easier to get back on but not by much.

I pre-sunced the carbs before I put them on. I had to adjust the idle once I got it all together because it wanted to idel at about 4500. Lifted the tank and turned the knob down to 1000 rpm. Any lower and it wants to conk out.

To it out for a short run and it seems to run better. I did not get it going hot enough to check the plugs again. I will do that tomorrow. Doc has a carb sync tool he has offered to me to use to finish syncing the carbs. I thing the bread tie sync seems to have it pretty close based on how it is idling and running.

I will give another update after I check this all out.