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[mcdonaldroadcapt]

Does anyone know the next hotter plug up from 6R12? My rear cylinder plug reading is always much richer and has been for a while. Engine rebuilt 3,000 miles ago and runs great. Master tune, gets good mileage but just don't like carbon deposits on rear plug. Think I could solve the problem with a hotter plug on rear cylinder? See pic

[grc]

IMHO it would be much better to fix the real problem.  Running a hotter plug won't fix a fuel mixture problem or an oil burning problem.  It can cause pre-ignition and detonation however.

Are the deposits dry and fluffy, or wet?  Rule of Thumb: dry and fluffy is fuel, wet is oil.  The photo is rather blurry so I can't tell for sure, but it looks more dry and fluffy to me.  If that's the case, you need to get the rear cylinder fuel mixture corrected.

Jerry

[CVODON]

No No NO, fix the problem, don't start crutching with spark plugs.

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

IMHO it would be much better to fix the real problem.  Running a hotter plug won't fix a fuel mixture problem or an oil burning problem.  It can cause pre-ignition and detonation however.

Are the deposits dry and fluffy, or wet?  Rule of Thumb: dry and fluffy is fuel, wet is oil.  The photo is rather blurry so I can't tell for sure, but it looks more dry and fluffy to me.  If that's the case, you need to get the rear cylinder fuel mixture corrected.

Jerry

My TT tuner tuned my bike the old way without a dyno. It took all day with trial runs and recordings and adjustments. I recall him saying that he thought he heard knock on rear cylinder at highway speeds under acceleration. He retarded the rear cylinder timing to compensate. Do you think that this could be the problem? Build up is fluffy not oily. Engine burns no oil and runs very well. Thanks for input.

[CVODON]

He thought he heard a knock so he adjusted? Not to piss you off, but find another tuner.

[grc]

My TT tuner tuned my bike the old way without a dyno. It took all day with trial runs and recordings and adjustments. I recall him saying that he thought he heard knock on rear cylinder at highway speeds under acceleration. He retarded the rear cylinder timing to compensate. Do you think that this could be the problem? Build up is fluffy not oily. Engine burns no oil and runs very well. Thanks for input.

I think the guy doing the tuning didn't use the tools at his disposal to tune the bike correctly.  He can determine from the ECM data if there is detonation, versus "thinking" he heard a knock in the rear cylinder at highway speeds.  I know it's not easy to find a place to tune a trike, but I wonder just exactly how he determined the fuel settings.  Did he use a portable exhaust gas analyzer carried on the bike, or did he just do a series of V-Tune runs using the Master Tune software?  He obviously didn't get the rear cylinder mixture very close, based on that plug.  Would retarding the spark cause that?  Not likely.

I have to agree with Don, it sounds like the guy you had tune the bike wasn't the right guy for the job.

Jerry

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

I think the guy doing the tuning didn't use the tools at his disposal to tune the bike correctly.  He can determine from the ECM data if there is detonation, versus "thinking" he heard a knock in the rear cylinder at highway speeds.  I know it's not easy to find a place to tune a trike, but I wonder just exactly how he determined the fuel settings.  Did he use a portable exhaust gas analyzer carried on the bike, or did he just do a series of V-Tune runs using the Master Tune software?  He obviously didn't get the rear cylinder mixture very close, based on that plug.  Would retarding the spark cause that?  Not likely.

I have to agree with Don, it sounds like the guy you had tune the bike wasn't the right guy for the job.

He did a series of V-tune runs using the Master Tune software. I think I am going to find someone who can dyno a trike using my mastertune and get it right. Thanks for input.

Jerry

[sadunbar]

Having more than a bit of experience reading spark plugs back in the day, your rear plug looks rich (to much gas).

For what it's worth, my suggestions is don't go to a hotter plug because of a fuel (or oil) issue. 

Good Luck!

[mcdonaldroadcapt]

Thanks for input. I had an 07 same color prior to trading for my 08 105th addition. I am now searching for a shop that can Dyno my trike using my Mastertune and correct the problem.