Help reading plugs

RiderRocketman

Supercharged
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Messages
430
Location
Twin Cities, MN USA
I'm not too good at reading spark plugs so maybe some of you can help.
I took out my plugs to see if there was any indication of overly lean running on aussie Tuneboy tunes. These plugs have about 14000 miles on them. About 6000 of those most recent miles were with Tuneboy updates. The rest were on the Triumph 20055 tune running with TORs, catbypass and undertank K&N. I recall seeing the plugs with 2000 miles on them and they all seemed greasy black indicating rich conditions.

What do you guys think?

 
Did you oil the plug threads to remove them? Should'nt be oily all the way up. Three of the plugs look as though the mixture is about right, but two look like they are taking on too much carbon. Which plugs are paired to a jug? A relatively clean one with a dirty one?
 
My dealer installed those plugs so I'm not sure if they oiled them or what. That's how they looked when I removed them. These plugs will be thrown since I just installed a new set of OEM (Honda) plugs.

I won't be doing a true reading like Dragline says since I'm lazy and those plugs aren't the easiest access items on the machine.

But here's a pic showing the plugs in order, if you can tell anything more from that. Not sure about the smell. I didn't get a strong odor from any of them, if anything it was a faint order of gas and oil.



Thanks for your assessments. It doesn't appear I've been running lean so the Tuneboy tunes seem safe, at least the non-Pod tunes. I've only been running pod tune for one day. I'm gonna richen it 5% in anycase just to be safe.
 
Well, since there's no indication I'm running lean on the aussie tunes, I'll run them as-is except I'll fatten the low throttle tables to get that decel popping diminished.

Thanks for the help.
 
Those plugs are OK..... dont look at anything but the porcelain to read them. You should really have done a plug chop to be really accurate in all ranges but that is good enough. That little bit of white specks are probably from the addatives in the fuel if I'm not mistaken.
 
plugs

guys----plugs can give lots of info. --IF you build motors and are checking them constantly. i can't do it and you can't do it b/c of experience. sure-if you've got a big problem--it'll show up on plugs.--by then,it's shown up in performance.---DON"T try to tune your motor by reading plugs! a good example---don't know if he still does-but jack roush-w/ a100 or more employees --still checked plugs at track-himself. driver had to cut power to motor at certain rpm and coast in to give accurate read. checked w/ a jeweler's loupe or something like it. and checking them for tune is only good for a few laps. 100 miles---"forget-a bout-it". too many variables. suspect something--replace them -check after a few miles. ought to look similar. don't? head for shop.--john POINT--if rousch didn't trust guys that built and dyno'd the motors why would i trust my dumb-ass?
 
You are right John. It's impossible to tune using spark plug readings unless you go through all the cuts and checks at various RPM. Even then it's just a rough indication.

I want to see if there are any signs of an overall problem (lean tunes in this case). Since there are none, there's no reason for me to assume the tunes are damaging, even though the tune may be too lean or rich on my bike at different spots and conditions.

I've done enough miles (6000) on the aussie tunes to pick up consistently lean conditions so I think they're all good - even the newest pod tune, which really does not deviate much from the non-pod TORs tune.

One of these days I'll get my cheap butt into a dyno tuner so I know exactly whats going on, but that's my choice. If I blow my engine in the mean time, it'll be my sorry ass's fault. :lol:
 
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