need a couple "possible problems"

[81xsproject]

my number one plug is jet black and smells like fuel. All the others look good. I just set all the float heights not too long ago, dialed the idle mix way down to 1.25 out, and checked for spark.

What are some possible problems?

[randy]

1. #1 float sticking, causing flooding of #1 cylinder?

2. #1 plug cap poor connection to wire, causing intermittent spark?


Question: how is #3 plug?

[81xsproject]

#3 looks good

[DiverRay]

I would take a close look at the float in #1. You may have one of the floats not quite lined up, and it could be "hanging up" on the carb body. This would cause a high fuel level and black plugs.
Just my $0.02
Ray

[Pat Kelly]

If they are the brass floats it may have a pinhole in it. Shake it and listen for gas 'rattleing' inside.
A bad float can be set right but won't 'float' at the correct (set) height.

[81xsproject]

I have the plastic floats if that makes a difference.

[pggg]

Swap plugs around to check

[81xsproject]

I did that too. The one from #1 gets cleaned and the plug that goes into#1 gets blackened.

[John]

Pull the #1 plug out and let it lay on the head, making sure it has a good ground. Crank the engine and look for a spark from that plug. Like Randy said, it could be a plug cap or a plug wire.

[TopCatGr58]

Jesse,

What we're saying is take the plug wire from #4 and swap it with #1, and put a new plug in #1 and see if it still gets sooty, or if it moves to #4. If it moves to #4, then you know it's the wires, cap, or some such electrical situation. IF #1 stays sooty, then it's the carbs!
T.C.

[81xsproject]

Are you saying unplug/replug the entire wires at both ends. Or, just unplug 1 and 4 from the plug only so that when 1 fires it does so in in the number 4 cylinder and when 4 fires it happens in the 1 cylinder?

[Winterhawk]

Just swap 1 and 4 wires with each other he means. Hold your finger over the plug hole to see if you have compression. Might be a pluged air vent in the #4 Carb.

[81xsproject]

OK... so I must not be understanding this correctly. If I am supposed to switch the entire wires, how do they disconect from the coil? Or, back to my misunderstanding, is it just that I am supposed to unplug the wire just from the spark plugs and switch those ends? I don't know how I am so confused by this.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Jess,

All you're supposed to do is unplug the wire/cap from the #4 plug, and stick it on the #1 plug, and vice versa for #1 wire/cap. The coil fires both of these at the same time, one for compression, one on the exhaust stroke=wasted spark.

So....doing this will allow you to test the wires and caps, so if the problem follows the wires, moves from #1 to #4, then you know it's in the wires/caps. BUT, if the problem stays with #1, then you know it's most likely the carbs, and the wires are okay!
T.C.

[81xsproject]

ThanXS TC, Some say there are no stupid questions only stupid answers. Well, I hate to be the proof, but poor wording can make for a "stupid question."