SuzukiSavage.com - Does this plug look a bit rich?

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Does this plug look a bit rich?
06/18/17 at 06:13:17

After 6,000kms on standard jetting plug looked a bit lean with whitish light grey ash colour. Then did a needle jet adjustment, and a 150 main, as well as a larger pilot but the screw is out about 2 - 2 1/2 turns so that's OK. Dyna added. Now after a further 6,000 on the same plug I changed it and below is what it now looks like.

At first I thought it looked a bit rich with a lot of soot, but after reading the manual it says to clean the carbon off after 6,000 so I guess that's normal. It was not oily. However after looking some more I can see the porcelain has that tan colour over most of it in spite of the carbon deposit on the edge, however the porcelain that is facing the stem of the upper electrode is also a bit sooty.

Used to get 185kms before reserve now we get 170kms so that's about 107 miles on a tank before reserve and another 31 miles on reserve, photo of sparkie after 12,000kms below. Does it look OK?

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Armen Serious Thumper Offline Half-Witted Wrench-Jockey from Jersey Posts: 1452	Re: Does this plug look a bit rich? Reply #1 - 06/18/17 at 06:19:44 Is it possible to get a pic with a bit more light into the plug? The color of the insulator is what I'm looking for. Also, what is the heat range (plug code) for the plug? thanks, -Armen
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Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 5106 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: Does this plug look a bit rich? Reply #2 - 06/18/17 at 08:09:48 How does it run ? How long did it take to remove the plug after turning off engine And take the pic ?
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Re: Does this plug look a bit rich?
Reply #3 - 06/18/17 at 17:53:24

OK here's some better shots. I just looked at some old plugs from my other bike and although that's running lean with white ash it still has some carbon around the insulator where the stem of the electrode is so maybe that's normal?

Heat range is normal. eadpr8-9 It runs fine, very occasionally if I'm following the bike I will see a tiny puff of black smoke when the bike has taken off but it's not much, no soot anywhere on the back of the bike. Otherwise bike runs well, starts well, doesn't pop on shutdown and barks and pops a tiny bit under deceleration but again not very much.

This is the plug when the bike was cold after sitting all night, and the plug was not cleaned after the first 6000kms. Shots are a little bluish, the original shot gives a better idea of the colour.

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LANCER

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Re: Does this plug look a bit rich?
Reply #4 - 06/18/17 at 18:41:59

You should not see any black smoke, at all.
Plugs are pretty caked up.
You are running rich.

You made several changes to riches up your carb, and I take it that you did all of that at once, unless I missed something.
You indicated that your pilot seemed to be at a good setting, and if so then leave it and reset your needle and main jet back to what you had before.
Ride it for a while and see how it responds in the mid range...correct if necessary. When that is sorted correctly then go to the main and do it.
Do One at a Time; pilot-needle-main.

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Armen Serious Thumper Offline Half-Witted Wrench-Jockey from Jersey Posts: 1452	Re: Does this plug look a bit rich? Reply #5 - 06/18/17 at 19:00:11 If it was mine, I'd start with a fresh plug. What weight oil? Any oil consumption? Does it need the choke to start? Does it run better, worse, or about the same as it warms up? How about when it is real hot?
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Ruttly Serious Thumper Offline Thumpers Rule Posts: 5106 Manteca , CA Gender:	Re: Does this plug look a bit rich? Reply #6 - 06/18/17 at 19:01:28 Lancer is our resident carb guru !!!
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Re: Does this plug look a bit rich?
Reply #7 - 06/18/17 at 22:20:21

@Armen, it's at 12,000 so I just did the valves and changed the plug. Oil was 15W50 full synthetic through the summer, no oil consumption, but I've changed to a 10W40 semi synthetic. The bike has never consumed oil. Starts without choke but then it's always fairly mild temperatures here. Seems to run fine cold, hot, or on a really hot day.

@Lancer, regarding the jet needle, I measured the original spacer at 2.5mm, I bought a new spacer so I could shave one down by half instead of adding a pile of washers. However my needle is notched and the notches are only 1mm apart, so I just moved it to the lower notch instead of shaving the plastic spacer. All I can do really is set it back to factory setting, but everyone seems to think that the needle definitely needs a bit of adjustment. So all I've done is move it 1 mm! However I just checked again and it is definitely blowing a little bit of black smoke if I give it a squirt. So what, put the needle back to it's factory setting?

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IslandRoad Serious Thumper Offline It doesn't vibrate, it purrs! Posts: 1147 The Kiewa Valley, Australia Gender:	Re: Does this plug look a bit rich? Reply #8 - 06/19/17 at 03:04:49 Eau, there might be a difference in the fuel between Aus and USA. I have found the recommended settings on here to work for me in terms of the quality of ride. I get some soot on the brake actuator but the bike runs great. I would guess that tuning will never tick all the boxes, just most of 'em.
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