Plug chops/reading plugs w/pics

[Guest]

I did a 1st, 2nd, 3rd gear full throttle high rpm run on this plug, I know i am supposed to see some color on the plug, but where on the plug? the ground strap isnt really colored, just changed color due to heat
It isnt as dark as it looks in the pics.
How much bigger should I go on the main to get some color on it?

[rustybronco]

your going to have to run it a little longer at a given throttle opening (idle-1/2-3/4+) so as to get a little more plug coloration on them.

Some excellent reading materials.

http://www.dragstuff.com/techarticles/reading-spark-plugs.html

make sure you read the additional resources links.

[renobruce]

You are doing it right in starting with the main jets. You need to find a safe road where you can give it full throttle for at least a mile, preferably 2. If that get you going too fast, go full throttle, let off completely until you slow down, then go right to full throttle again. Kill it and read your plugs.

What jets are in there now? What mods do you have?

EDIT: I see you signature....

[gearhead13]

You are doing it right in starting with the main jets. You need to find a safe road where you can give it full throttle for at least a mile, preferably 2. If that get you going too fast, go full throttle, let off completely until you slow down, then go right to full throttle again. Kill it and read your plugs.

What jets are in there now? What mods do you have?

EDIT: I see you signature....

Crap! a mile or 2 There isnt that much straight road around here
I ran it up to 4th gear this time, still little color. The ground strap is gray but thats about it.
I am really a noob at doing chops with new plugs, I dont know what I should be looking at for color on the plug??

[renobruce]

The white ceramic around the electrode should be tan. Pure white like you show is way lean, black is too rich. I would think you would be close considering you used a dynojet kit....you did use the jets in the kit, right?

[tkent02]

The plugs look new, they can't turn color until they have a little carbon or soot or whatever it is on them to turn. The ceramic stays white, it is the stuff stuck to it that turns tan or gray or black.
Do it again with an older plug.

[chef1366]

You ran the motor with that plug???

[gearhead13]

The white ceramic around the electrode should be tan. Pure white like you show is way lean, black is too rich. I would think you would be close considering you used a dynojet kit....you did use the jets in the kit, right?

No, after the rebuild I started with 130's then 137.5's then with the 34mm carbs went to 145's now 152.5's
Tomorrow, I am going for a longer ride where I should be able to get into 5th, or maybe as Bruce said, let off and gear down to 2nd or something and open it up again. Redline in fourth is 100mph or so, I doubt I can go much faster with the curves, like I said no real long straight road around here.
Chef, the plugs in the pics were with 145's in. I have 152.5's in now.
tkent02: I read that it has to be done with new plugs
The ones in it now are mosly gray on the insulator and ground strap, no brown. It is rich at idle now, so the outer edge is carboned up.

[hampshirehog]

If the road isn't long enough for a decent run just pull one of the plug leads off and run on 3 cylinders (I presume your bike has got 4?). Get in to top as soon as possible (lowest revs she'll pull) and hold the throttle steady at whatever point you're testing (kill switch off and coast to a stop before moving the throttle). She'll obviously run like a pile of poo but you'll easily be able to get good readings on the other 3 plugs.

[49er]

If the road isn't long enough for a decent run just pull one of the plug leads off and run on 3 cylinders (I presume your bike has got 4?). Get in to top as soon as possible (lowest revs she'll pull) and hold the throttle steady at whatever point you're testing (kill switch off and coast to a stop before moving the throttle). She'll obviously run like a pile of poo but you'll easily be able to get good readings on the other 3 plugs.

Hamp, I'd be weary of doing this. Have you done it this way yourself?

I'd be concerned that all that unburnt fuel in the lame pot would be affecting the correct scavenging that occurs between the headers when using a 4-1 or even a 2-1 system. If scavenging wasn't being mirrored exactly as when running with all plugs attached, then you would be getting a false reading of the mixtures throughout the entire rev range.

The other concern is that I would expect a signifcant increase in engine vibration in the upper rpms.

I believe that main jet plug chop conditions need to mirror actual riding conditions. A steepish incline in 4th gear is ideal. Even dyno tests are done in 4th, with a 20% brake loading.

[chef1366]

Watch out. That plug would make a perfect crack pipe.

[TheCafeKid]

Watch out. That plug would make a perfect crack pipe.

HAHAHAHAHAHA I just read that the other day... I laughed so hard i nearly wet myself. Then i printed it off and gave it to everyone I knew with a bike and nearly wet myself again, laughing at them reading it...

[chef1366]

HAHAHAHAHAHA I just read that the other day... I laughed so hard i nearly wet myself. Then i printed it off and gave it to everyone I knew with a bike and nearly wet myself again, laughing at them reading it...

Hey Crackhead

Date: 2004-03-27, 3:36PM PST




Yes, you. You sick ****er. On Wednesday morning I emerged from my girlfriend's building by U.N. Plaza to find that you had sawed the tops off both the sparkplugs on my motorcycle. At the time, I had no idea why anyone would do that. Other than the sparkplugs, the bike was untouched. Some kind of bizarre vandalism? A fraternity prank gone awry? I had no idea. All I knew is that I looked like a huge douchebag riding the Muni to work in a padded motorcycle jacket and helmet.

Because the bike was immobilized I got a $35 street sweeping ticket that night. Thursday I had it towed to the shop ($45) where they replaced the sparkplugs and the boots ($50 including labor). They explained to me that "people" - I use the term loosely here - like you break off the tops of spark plugs and use the porcelain tubes to smoke crack. As an engineer and former MacGyver fan, in a way I think this is kind of cool. But then I remember that I just paid $100 for YOUR crackpipes, and I get angry again.

Crackhead, it was really good to have my bike back though. I rode home from the shop with a couple of spare sparkplugs and a smile on my face. I figured the next time I parked at my girlfriend's place overnight I would have to buy some crackpipes and tape them to my bike as a peace offering. Overall, I wasn't that upset. Despite having to ride the bus for three days and dropping a hundred bones at the shop, I had gained some fascinating knowledge, a new set of sparkplugs, and a pretty funny anecdote about how ****ed up you are, and how our paths once crossed briefly in the night.

But you couldn't just let sleeping dogs lie, could you Crackhead. You couldn't just stay in on Friday, watch Letterman through the window of a home electronics store and then call it a night. You couldn't rest on your laurels. Two porcelain sparkplug crackpipes just wasn't enough for you, was it Crackhead? You just had to come back for more.

This morning, a scant fifteen hours after I rode it out of the shop, I found my motorcycle violated once again. This time you only took the right one - maybe you were having an off night. At least this time I had a spare sparkplug and the tools to fix it - or so I thought - having ordered a 73-piece toolset from SEARS.com last week. But no, the sparkplug socket in my new toolset was for American sparkplugs. So I had to go down to the neighborhood Ace hardware. They had an 18mm socket that would fit over my sparkplug, but it was for a 1/2" drive ratchet. My toolkit only has 1/4" and 3/8" ratchets. So I had to buy a 1/2" ratchet along with the socket. Even though the clerk took pity on me and gave me the senior citizen discount (I'm 25) it still cost me $22 all told. Now, you might say that I should have just gotten a 3/8"-to-1/2" drive adaptor instead of springing for the whole ratchet. And to that I say "Shut the hell up, Crackhead, I'm not finished. And besides, I was eventually going to buy a 1/2" ratchet anyway so it's probably not worth it to take it back now."

OK, now I'm rambling. But the point is, Crackhead, that you have done me wrong. Now, I get that you love crack. That is totally understandable. I've heard it is really fun, at first, and quite addictive. What I don't understand is,

YOU ARE A CRACKHEAD. WHY DON'T YOU OWN A CRACKPIPE?

I am an engineer. Do you ever see me shaking down bums in the Loin for a calculator and sliderule? No, you don't. Because engineering is the main thing I do, I went and bought myself a calculator. The main thing you do is crack. How do you get by without a crackpipe? The other crackheads must clown on you non-stop. I mean, the ****ing saw you used to saw off my sparkplugs is probably worth five or ten bucks. Why not sell or trade it for a crackpipe? You really haven't put much thought into this, have you?

Please, Crackhead, please don't tell me you sold your crackpipe to buy crack. Even a stupid crackhead such as yourself couldn't possibly be that stupid.

I've decided that taping crackpipes to my motorcycle would be tantamount to appeasement. You have crossed a line, Crackhead - specifically California Street. You have come onto my own street and you have desecrated that which I hold dear. You have stolen from me, and you have caused me to spend the last half hour writing this post instead of engineering ****, and it is concievable, if not likely, that my boss could find out about this and fire me. I am hella ****ed at you dude.

Here are my options as I see them:

1. Write a note saying that I have coated both of my sparkplugs in rat poison and tape it to my bike at night. You can thank Tim for that one, it was his idea.

2. Don't write a note, but just coat both sparkplugs in rat poison. This is probably closer to a punishment that would fit your despicable crime. I'm sure this is super illegal and ****, but it's not like anyone is going to miss you, Crackhead. Don't fool yourself.

3. Wait in an alley near my bike armed with my new stainless steel mirror-finish Ace Professional brand 1/2" drive socket wrench, my 18mm sparkplug socket, and my searing rage. It's pretty heavy and well balanced. I am not a large man, but I am angry.

In conclusion, Crackhead, why don't you just do both of us a favor and buy yourself a crackpipe? It will both enhance your crack smoking experience and save me a lot of time and felony assault charges. Think about it.

Sincerely,
Matt

*** If you are not the Crackhead that took my sparkplugs, please disregard this posting ***

[crash-harris]

I have to replace the carpet under my desk chair now!

[49er]

Hey Crackhead

Date: 2004-03-27, 3:36PM PST




Yes, you. You sick ****er. On Wednesday morning I emerged from my girlfriend's building by U.N. Plaza to find that you had sawed the tops off both the sparkplugs on my motorcycle. At the time, I had no idea why anyone would do that. Other than the sparkplugs, the bike was untouched. Some kind of bizarre vandalism? A fraternity prank gone awry? I had no idea. All I knew is that I looked like a huge douchebag riding the Muni to work in a padded motorcycle jacket and helmet.

Because the bike was immobilized I got a $35 street sweeping ticket that night. Thursday I had it towed to the shop ($45) where they replaced the sparkplugs and the boots ($50 including labor). They explained to me that "people" - I use the term loosely here - like you break off the tops of spark plugs and use the porcelain tubes to smoke crack. As an engineer and former MacGyver fan, in a way I think this is kind of cool. But then I remember that I just paid $100 for YOUR crackpipes, and I get angry again.

Crackhead, it was really good to have my bike back though. I rode home from the shop with a couple of spare sparkplugs and a smile on my face. I figured the next time I parked at my girlfriend's place overnight I would have to buy some crackpipes and tape them to my bike as a peace offering. Overall, I wasn't that upset. Despite having to ride the bus for three days and dropping a hundred bones at the shop, I had gained some fascinating knowledge, a new set of sparkplugs, and a pretty funny anecdote about how ****ed up you are, and how our paths once crossed briefly in the night.

But you couldn't just let sleeping dogs lie, could you Crackhead. You couldn't just stay in on Friday, watch Letterman through the window of a home electronics store and then call it a night. You couldn't rest on your laurels. Two porcelain sparkplug crackpipes just wasn't enough for you, was it Crackhead? You just had to come back for more.

This morning, a scant fifteen hours after I rode it out of the shop, I found my motorcycle violated once again. This time you only took the right one - maybe you were having an off night. At least this time I had a spare sparkplug and the tools to fix it - or so I thought - having ordered a 73-piece toolset from SEARS.com last week. But no, the sparkplug socket in my new toolset was for American sparkplugs. So I had to go down to the neighborhood Ace hardware. They had an 18mm socket that would fit over my sparkplug, but it was for a 1/2" drive ratchet. My toolkit only has 1/4" and 3/8" ratchets. So I had to buy a 1/2" ratchet along with the socket. Even though the clerk took pity on me and gave me the senior citizen discount (I'm 25) it still cost me $22 all told. Now, you might say that I should have just gotten a 3/8"-to-1/2" drive adaptor instead of springing for the whole ratchet. And to that I say "Shut the hell up, Crackhead, I'm not finished. And besides, I was eventually going to buy a 1/2" ratchet anyway so it's probably not worth it to take it back now."

OK, now I'm rambling. But the point is, Crackhead, that you have done me wrong. Now, I get that you love crack. That is totally understandable. I've heard it is really fun, at first, and quite addictive. What I don't understand is,

YOU ARE A CRACKHEAD. WHY DON'T YOU OWN A CRACKPIPE?

I am an engineer. Do you ever see me shaking down bums in the Loin for a calculator and sliderule? No, you don't. Because engineering is the main thing I do, I went and bought myself a calculator. The main thing you do is crack. How do you get by without a crackpipe? The other crackheads must clown on you non-stop. I mean, the ****ing saw you used to saw off my sparkplugs is probably worth five or ten bucks. Why not sell or trade it for a crackpipe? You really haven't put much thought into this, have you?

Please, Crackhead, please don't tell me you sold your crackpipe to buy crack. Even a stupid crackhead such as yourself couldn't possibly be that stupid.

I've decided that taping crackpipes to my motorcycle would be tantamount to appeasement. You have crossed a line, Crackhead - specifically California Street. You have come onto my own street and you have desecrated that which I hold dear. You have stolen from me, and you have caused me to spend the last half hour writing this post instead of engineering ****, and it is concievable, if not likely, that my boss could find out about this and fire me. I am hella ****ed at you dude.

Here are my options as I see them:

1. Write a note saying that I have coated both of my sparkplugs in rat poison and tape it to my bike at night. You can thank Tim for that one, it was his idea.

2. Don't write a note, but just coat both sparkplugs in rat poison. This is probably closer to a punishment that would fit your despicable crime. I'm sure this is super illegal and ****, but it's not like anyone is going to miss you, Crackhead. Don't fool yourself.

3. Wait in an alley near my bike armed with my new stainless steel mirror-finish Ace Professional brand 1/2" drive socket wrench, my 18mm sparkplug socket, and my searing rage. It's pretty heavy and well balanced. I am not a large man, but I am angry.

In conclusion, Crackhead, why don't you just do both of us a favor and buy yourself a crackpipe? It will both enhance your crack smoking experience and save me a lot of time and felony assault charges. Think about it.

Sincerely,
Matt

*** If you are not the Crackhead that took my sparkplugs, please disregard this posting ***

Lightening really can strike twice, eh?
She's a sick old world.
It's debatable who got the biggest high from those spark plugs. The motorcyclist doing risky inter lane passing and high speed tight stuff, or the crack head. I guess it all depends how old the plugs were, how insane the owner is and how many hits the crack head got from each plug!!