SuzukiSavage.com - Let's play "Read that Spark Plug"

magistermatt

Ex Member

Let's play "Read that Spark Plug"
09/08/05 at 05:57:20

After changing my exhaust and playing around with my mixture screw a bit I'd like to get some "professional" opinions on my spark plug. Those little black and white pictures of plugs in the Clymer manual don't really help me too much. Anyway feedback would be appreciated!

As a side thought, maybe for a new post in the "Technical Corner" we can start collecting some images of used plugs and then write a little summary of the bikes condition and potential ways to remedy it underneath the image. This could a very useful resource for all us noobs at least.

Back to top

IP Logged

realdeal Junior Member Offline Thumpity, thumpity, thump... Posts: 55	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #1 - 09/08/05 at 06:17:42 the coloring in that photo is kinda washed out. I can't tell if it's white (too lean), or a greyish-tan (the way it should be). Are you having any problems with your bike?
Back to top	IP Logged

torque Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline 2008 nightster,flat od green and black Posts: 748 rock hill,S.C. Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #2 - 09/08/05 at 06:23:51 the picture is a litte fuzzy but it looks pretty normal,it has some carbon deposit,but its not covered in it.
Back to top	IP Logged

Ed L. Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline "We All go a Little Crazy Sometimes" Norman Bates Posts: 2808 Sunny Florida Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #3 - 09/08/05 at 06:34:05 Looks a little lean to me. Both electrodes are too light colored and look like they got hot.
Back to top	Silver '02, clubman handle bars, Cobra headlight, Sportster muffler, K+N stock air filter, 152.5 main, Superbrace, oil cooler, 1/2 inch aluminium plate forward controls, spark advance, goes like stink IP Logged

Savage_Rob Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Mechanically Inclined Amateur Posts: 6972 Texas (Dallas area) Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #4 - 09/08/05 at 06:55:47 Some helpful links... Link 1 (Motocross.com) Link 2 (Nightrider.com) Link 3 (Dan's M/C Repair Course)
Back to top	1998\|MAC muffler\|ceramic coated header\|K&N air filter\|Amal Mk2 carb\|Odyssey battery\|iridium plug\|NC windshield\|Dunlop 491s\|Superbrace\|EBC brake rotor\|12.5" Progressive shocks\|Kuryakyn ISO grips IP Logged

magistermatt

Ex Member

Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug"
Reply #5 - 09/08/05 at 07:54:37

The pic did come through a little light. The coloring on the plug is definately grayish but I'm not too sure if I noticed any tan in there.

I'm not really having any problems other than the burps, farts and pops. I recently changed to a sporster muffler from a jardine and since then I've really been trying to nail down the best setting on the fuel/air mixture screw.

Last night I ran some errands and did 15 minutes or so on the highway (5th gear, 65 mph give or take). After a while I began to noticed a louder poofing sound. Once I got off the highway the bike kept making this sound more frequently. I looked over to the exhaust and there were literally flames shooting out of the pipe 3 or 4 inches. This was with the screw 1-1/2 turns out. I screwed it in to 1 turn but didn't end up taking the highway home, I felt like taking it easy and crusing my way home.

Back to top

IP Logged

Mambo Ex Member	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #6 - 09/08/05 at 09:29:46 coffe-cream colored and dry -> good dark and wet -> choke over used or lubricating problem dark and dry -> too much gas white and dry -> too much air melted -> to much "pre ignition" (avance à l'allumage) notice you should have the same color at your exhaust's exit
Back to top	IP Logged

mikedasavage Ex Member	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #7 - 09/08/05 at 10:03:03 savage rob i agree maybee we should move this to technical corner i think the info here would be great to lookup for on a easy reference rahter than digging for it through the last 100 posts when it moves on.
Back to top	IP Logged

Dynobob Serious Thumper Offline 2003 LS650 (with Supertrapp) Posts: 634 Northern Virginia Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #8 - 09/08/05 at 11:55:40 It looks lean. It should be a brown/coffee colored, not white. You say you tweaked the mixture screw. Have you changed out the white spacer and main jet ? Here's a good pic... http://www.motorcyclecarbs.com/jetting/plugreadings.htm
Back to top	IP Logged

gazab44 Senior Member 2004 No Login Offline TO OLD TO DIE YOUNG.... Posts: 416 uk Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #9 - 09/09/05 at 01:17:39 I have some photos on my pc of plugs...just sent them to Paladin to put in tech corner
Back to top	MSN Messenger :- gazab44@hotmail.com VISIT MY MY HOMEPAGE IP Logged

Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug" Reply #10 - 09/09/05 at 05:52:53 Click to bring up full size pix in separate window:
Back to top	IP Logged

Savage_Rob

Serious Thumper
Alliance Member

Offline

Mechanically
Inclined Amateur

Posts: 6972
Texas (Dallas area)
Gender: male

Re: Let's play "Read that Spark Plug"
Reply #11 - 09/09/05 at 07:09:09

mikedasavage wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:09:

savage rob i agree maybee we should move this to technical corner i think the info here would be great to lookup for on a easy reference rahter than digging for it through the last 100 posts when it moves on.

I think selected portions of this thread may make a good guide in the technical corner but not the entire thread. Gazab44 started a thread there (Reading Spark Plugs), into which links and pictures may be placed. I've added to it the information from Gazab44 that Paladin posted above as well as the links from DynoBob and myself (above).

Back to top

IP Logged