Does this look normal?

Here's a couple pics of one of the plugs that came with the bike when I bought it.

Spark Plug Side 1

Is that a dark enough tan colour?

Spark Plug Side 2

Is it normal for one side to be tan and the rest to be completely white?

I reset the mixture screws on both carns to 3 turns out, and sync'd the carbs today. It does run quite a bit nicer. I can actually idle at 800rpm if I wanted too. It was running DR8EA plugs, the cap measured 10k by itself, so I threw in a couple D8EA's to see how they'd run.

Colour is about the same, maybe a touch darker tan colour, but the same thing happens on both plugs, tan on one spot, the rest white. The tan is a nice colour so i don't know if i'm still running lean, or the YICS is doin something to make it burn in this pattern, and its running at proper mixture.

Also do the ground straps look to be in good order? I know you can tell things from them, but i'm not too sure on what to read from it.

Anyone wanna chime in with thoughts? I haven't been doin plug chops for very long

Thanx all!

 

They just look like they are burning lean. I have seen this before. If you richen up the mixture some it should help it out. If your plug caps are measuring 10K, then you should probably replace them, if I am not mistaken, they are supposed to measure 5K. I replaced my plug wires with non-resisitor automotive wires with wire cores and then use resister plugs.

 

Ok sweet, i'll grab some new wires and caps from Napa on Monday, i'll richen her up and keep an eye on the plugs and see what develops.

Any other comments/suggestions?

 

You can't "Replace" Spark Plug Wires without doing some serious "Surgery" on the Coils.
They don't Plug-in like they do on a Car.
They're molded right into the Coil.

Those Plugs look LEAN.
But, you are not too far away from being tuned-up really well.
Add a degree or two of Richness and see what happens color wise.
Don't think "Quarter-turn"
You don't need anything close to a quarter of a turn.
You only need to come out a hair or two.

 

K thanx for chiming in Rick, i'll give a look at the procedure for replacing the wires and or coils and try to straighten up the mixture settings.

As an alternative, i guess i could just make sure the wires are ok resistance wise, and just replace the caps correct?

 

Sorry, Rickomatic is correct! I changed the resister ends on the SECA, not the whole wire. Another bike I am working on I changed the whole wire, but it has single coils.

 

Update!!

I had set the mixture screws 1/4 turn richer for both cylinders before Rick had replied saying to use small increments. Here's the plugs after a couple zips down the street and back.

Left Side 1
Left Side 2
Right Side 1
Right Side 2


Left side is burning richer than the right obviously, but i wanted to see if my 1/4 turn would put it overly rich or not. Now.. am i too rich and it just didn't have time to turn the plugs completely black, or am i on track with at least the right cylinder?

Thanx for your input guys!

 

1,3&4 look pretty good, but #2 is running too rich. You could back off #2 a little and try it again.

 

It's a 2 cylinder Bst, sorry if i didn't mention that. To clairfy, both right side pics are the same plug, and both left are one plug, just different sides of the same plug.

It's running really nice, no pops from anywhere ever, so i may leave it as is for a bit and check the plugs in a week and see how bad they look. If they're not completely sooty, i may leave it as is.

I'd rather run her a touch rich than lean i've seen pistons that have run lean hahah

 

Right side is darn close.
Left side is a tad rich.

The ground strap can tell alot about timing, I dont read too much into it as the timing will never be modified in THIS<my> bike.

Do some more plug chops. You are in the close zone with the right side, you want a "nice summer tan" on that ceramic.

 

Learn something every day! Ass.Fault is correct...... PICTURES 3 & 4 are close, so is 1, but 2 is a bit rich!

 

I like what you got going-on with the 3-Hole.

Take a Glass Fuse and insert it into the Pilot Mixture Hole and mark how deep the TOP of the Pilot Mixture Screw is.

Use that Mark to set the other three.
See if the Mixtures balance-out and give you the burn you have going-on with 3.
You'll be within MINUSCULE TWEAKING distance to make further adjustments.
A hair either way will do the trick.

Then, go do a high-speed run and hit the Kill switch and see what you have after running the Bike above 6.500 rev for a few seconds.
I have a feeling you're closing-in on getting the Bike right on the dough.

 

2 Cylinder guys

I'll throw up new pics after i get home from work tomorrow for progress sake.

 

When are you going to graduate to a 4-Cylinder Bike.
Just think ... twice the Carbs!

Twice as fast.
Three time the gas.

 

Hahahah ya i'mma ride this one for a few years, then maybe graduate to something bigger It's been 20 some years since i was familliar with any kind of bike (It was a Honda FatCat) so i gotta relearn all my "one"ness with a bike

 

The question is:
"Are you havin' fun"?

I'm guessing you are.
So, that's all that counts!

 

I don't even have my M1 yet up here hahaha so the most fun is still ahead

But i'm having a blast getting her ready