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Spark plug reading. Help please

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Old 01-24-2006, 12:37 PM
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Default Spark plug reading. Help please

I just checked my plugs and think im running a little lean. My electord is powder white, the porcelain is white, and the treads are black. It runs great and from what ive seen on the net. it is where most sights say an evo should be. I always liked to have my electrode powdery but my porcelain an off white to brownish looking. Im bringing this question here because of the great advice I have been given in the past. What do you think. Im about to put a tear drop breather on and will wait and read the plugs again before rejeting. That is if I need to.

Thanks Burn

I have to add, that I did kill the engine at 70 mph before pulling the plug.
 
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Old 01-24-2006, 04:11 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

I too like to see the porcelain a light brownish color and the electrode clean. At least in cars that was a good burning plug. I have not even checked the plugs on mine yet (2200 miles), so I guess I can't really comment. I'm sure someone else with more experience will let you know. Good luck!

!!! RIDE SAFE !!!

Keith in Pa.
05 1200 custom "Lava"
 
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Old 01-24-2006, 04:23 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

burnie,

You might want to check the following thread for your question about plugs. Somewhere on the first page of the post is also a referral by TCSTD to an article on how to read your plugs more "scientifically".

https://www.hdforums.com/m_237097/tm.htm

Thumper26
 
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Old 01-24-2006, 04:47 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

Thanks.
 
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Old 01-24-2006, 04:51 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

That is how mine looked until HD dealer made needed adjustments. This link may be of some help to you all.

http://www.dansmc.com/spark_plugs/sp...s_catalog.html

My plugs now look like #14. [sm=americanasmiley.gif]

 
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Old 01-24-2006, 05:42 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

within the last couple weeks, there was a thread that dicussed the fact that the "reading" of plugs was the method to do back a number of years. The comments if I remember correctly, are this is no longer an exact science as todays fuels with all the EPA tree hugger additives, throw off the reading and can show a rich condition where one does not exist. I might have this backwards, but dynoing the engine is the only way to be sure.
 
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Old 01-24-2006, 09:00 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

white is scary, todays gas does burn cleaner like fran stated here, but white is scary. pinkish to tan is IMHO ok but whte? i would be getting it dynoed
ORIGINAL: molsenice

within the last couple weeks, there was a thread that dicussed the fact that the "reading" of plugs was the method to do back a number of years. The comments if I remember correctly, are this is no longer an exact science as todays fuels with all the EPA tree hugger additives, throw off the reading and can show a rich condition where one does not exist. I might have this backwards, but dynoing the engine is the only way to be sure.
 
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Old 01-29-2006, 08:56 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

Burnie: Read ALL the Do-it-yourself threads in this Forum on plug reading. Some really good stuff there. Get a small but powerful magnifying glass to use when reading the plug. Take a really close look in good light at the porcelain part of the plug. I work more with the rear plug because that cylinder tends to run a little hotter than the front cylinder, but check both. There can be an airleak in the induction system. With our unleaded gas, the plug's porcelain can be white with very slight discoloration and not be too lean, but if any small pits or small erosions are occurring in the rounded edge of the porcelain then it is TOO lean for continuous use. .............. BC
 
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Old 01-29-2006, 09:17 PM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

ORIGINAL: Big Cholla

Burnie: Read ALL the Do-it-yourself threads in this Forum on plug reading. Some really good stuff there.
That's what I like to hear

Plug reading isn't much use nowadays as all you are seeing is the remains of fuel additives instead of an accurate burn as with the leaded fuels of the past. The link to plug reading in depth will give you some input but is isn't an exact science as in the past for setting things up . The better way if you really need it is to use a sniffer on a dyno, but that gets pretty costly to tune your bike. A pretty good close explination is given in the fuel section of the DIY forum on how to set the carb up . It's at the top of the forum "rejetting a CV"
 
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Old 01-30-2006, 12:14 AM
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Default RE: Spark plug reading. Help please

Thanks for "chimming" in TC
 


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