colortune tools

what size colortune tool would I need to buy and is it worth the money pros and cons. thanks 1980 xj 650

 

You'll need the 14mm version.

I bought one recently and am still trying to master it. Haven't got there yet on either my Maxim or my Magna. Seems that it is a very sensitive measurement and you will see a benefit only if your carbs are all in tip-top shape, fully cleaned, and with no vacuum leaks anywhere in the carb boots. So if you haven't done a full and complete carb overhaul in a while, or if you don't have them at least closely synched, I'd do that first and then buy the Colortune to play with.

 

Personally I have not had much luck with the colortune.
Others swear by it, but I just haven't had any luck seeing the difference.
It might be that the XJ700X has the spark-plugs buried in the head so far that you normally can barely see the top of the spark plug much less see into the cylinder.

I would agree with brtsvg that the sync needs to be good before you mess with the colortune. IMO, the sync is more important than the mixture (at least at first).

I have given up on the colortune and went back to "feel / sound" and plug reading.
It takes a couple times to get it dialed in so don't give up....pull the plug and adjust carbs a bit, put in new plugs (sometimes), sync, ride it, pull the plugs, adjust the carbs, sync, repeat.
You WILL know when you are getting close. When you gracefully lift the front wheel in three gears and it purrs at the stop light you're getting there!

 

The Colortune Plug is a great time saving tool. AFTER you have thoroughly cleaned the rack, Bench Synced and doing a running Sync ... you move-on to adjusting the Pilot Mixture Screws.

IF you don't have Air Leaks and the Pilot Mixture Screws were removed for Cleaning the Passages ... The Colortune Plug is going to let you "See" where the Pilot Mixture Screw needs to be for your fine-tuning.

BUT, there are NO two engines the same. Factors like compression and valve condition are going to effect the results you find from Colortuning.

The Colortune Plug makes quick work out of finding the "Window of fine tuning" you need for your engine.
You get to watch the Ignition Burn and see the color of the Mixture as it fires.

This saves you the time of doing the same tuning by "Feel, listening and tweaking" for that spot by tuning for "Best Idle."

Best Idle is the beginning of the fine-tuning.
ADDING an additional amount of Richness to the Mixture to spell the engine for smooth performance when the Throttles are opened coming Off-Idle is something the Blue Flame will NOT tell you.

You might NEED to be a shade more Rich than the Blue Flame offering in the Colortune's look into the combustion chamber.
As was said, and I do agree ... you can't FIND that EXACT spot with the Colortune.

You DO get placed very close in a matter of minutes, taking the guesswork out of how far out to turn the Mixturue Screws to be within the fine-tuning range.

Absent an Exhaust Gas Analysis ... you need to TWEAK. You need to nudge the Mix a little more Rich than just straight Idle alone.
You need the supplemental Richness to allow the Bike to have a Rich enough Mixture to sustain Ignition when you come off Idle and open the Throttles as you do when after stopped at a light and want to get out-of-the-hole!

That might not be Blue.
That might be a little bit on the Rich side of the Blue.

Plug Reads and feeling the engine NOT hesitate or bogg down is the final analysis.
You read the Plugs to see the coloration and KNOW you haven't got a Lean Mix thats too clean burning and generating too much HEAT.

You need to KNOW that you haven't made the Mixture too Rich and are wasting fuel and might be close to fouling your Plugs.

This you do by LOOKING at the Plugs and learning the TRUE condition of the Mixture so you can make (my-nute) changes to EACH Pilot Screw as needed.

The Colortune Plug is a great Tool for getting you to the Ball Park.
It doesn't necessarily put you in that nice box seat behind the plate.

Having the patience to Tweak it in to a fine-tuned status is something of an art and an adventure.
You need to gets chore Mo-Jo woikin' ann tweak dat moto-scooter fur dat!

Kin ah gits en Hay-menn own dat!!!

 

I have bench sync my carbs and cleaned them very well I must say. So I was wondering if you may have a link or advice on how to sync them further. from what I can piece together you start at idle turn each one counter clock wise ill idel goes up (left to right) one at time . then lower the idel screw back down to the original idol (between each screw) and go on to next one ???? yes or no