Spark Plug colour

[deeteefifty]

Hello, can anyone please advise if this plug colour is acceptable on my 600 Fazer, it's an NGK Ridium CR8EIX. The other plugs are similar, possibly a touch more grey on the arm. The engine was up to temperature and left ticking over for a minute before plugs were removed. I checked these as I had the carbs off to free off the seized tick over adjuster screw, ahead of balancing the carbs. I found 3 of 4 mixture screws seized and have been unable to free them after leaving them overnight in diesel and heating. The mixture screw that is free was set 1 turn out from fully in, which should be 2 turns (I think for a 99) obviously I'm unable to check the others but using a vernier they measure the same height as each other from the carb casting. The jetting is standard and the bike starts (even without choke) and runs fine but runs a bit uneven at idle 1000-1200.

[celticbiker]

Just about spot on

[deeteefifty]

...... aaaaand relax. Ta celticbiker.

[darrsi]

What exactly did you do to free up the tick-over screw?
Mine's not as free as it should be but never really got round to looking into it as i rarely need to adjust it.

[deeteefifty]

Darrsi, for once I didn't use massive pipe grips or adjustable,  this time just a mash hammer😀.
Seriously, soaked it in ACF50 while still fitted but it's a bit hit and miss to get to. Still didn't move. So afraid the carbs had to come off, drained fuel, then pointed a heat gun at the bugger till it broke free, if you need to resort to the same make sure you pull the adjuster cable rubber sleeve back out of the heat.

[daviee]

plug colour at tic over means nothing its when you are under load that counts

[robbo]

Ideally, whilst accelerating hard up hill, check there's no traffic behind you,flick the kill switch, clutch in and coast to a halt. Then have a look at the plugs, which will give a much better indication of how things are.

[deeteefifty]

Thanks daviee and robbo. I read recently that the colour of plugs is more to do with finding out if the plugs heat range was suitable. Anyhow, since the carb strip, clean and balance the engine runs fabulous. My concern was that I was unable to adjust the seized mixture screws and would be stuffed if the lower rpm range was incorrect, I know a colour tune might help, but at the moment all seems fine for a 47000 mile engine. I've done some high speed / high load plug chops on other bikes and it's quite 'ahem' exhilarating 🤪. I noticed there's only 3 clicks left on the cam chain tensioner so it'll get chain and valve clearances done when the snow comes.
I read on here that the oil light isn't for pressure but for oil level, while out checking the engine through its rev range for any running/mixture issues I noticed the oil light flicker at high revs in 3rd gear when the front wheel started lifting, I'm presuming (hoping) this was just oil surge to the rear of the cases. No oil loss and level to top of sight glass.

[darrsi]

Thanks daviee and robbo. I read recently that the colour of plugs is more to do with finding out if the plugs heat range was suitable. Anyhow, since the carb strip, clean and balance the engine runs fabulous. My concern was that I was unable to adjust the seized mixture screws and would be stuffed if the lower rpm range was incorrect, I know a colour tune might help, but at the moment all seems fine for a 47000 mile engine. I've done some high speed / high load plug chops on other bikes and it's quite 'ahem' exhilarating 🤪. I noticed there's only 3 clicks left on the cam chain tensioner so it'll get chain and valve clearances done when the snow comes.
I read on here that the oil light isn't for pressure but for oil level, while out checking the engine through its rev range for any running/mixture issues I noticed the oil light flicker at high revs in 3rd gear when the front wheel started lifting, I'm presuming (hoping) this was just oil surge to the rear of the cases. No oil loss and level to top of sight glass.

My oil window is useless now, just can't see a bloody thing through it.
With a new oil filter in place i put in 2.8 litres of oil now and it lasts me until the next oil change with no flickering oil light or issues at all.
It's all i can do really, unless i pull the engine apart to clean or replace the window, but i've decided against that stupidity.

[deeteefifty]

My window cleaner only charges 3 pund, I'll have a word with him.

[fazersharp]

To clean the inside of the sight glass throw in a handful of iron filings with the oil and the run the engine and then you can use a magnet to pull some filings to the inside of the window and wiggle the magnet around and clean the inside glass.

[darrsi]

To clean the inside of the sight glass throw in a handful of iron filings with the oil and the run the engine and then you can use a magnet to pull some filings to the inside of the window and wiggle the magnet around and clean the inside glass.

Sounds like hard work, I might just smash the window instead and check the oil level using a torch with the bike on the side stand. 

[Hugh Mungus]

or just poke a stick down the oil filler and see if you've got any in there.

[mtread]

Or make a new window by drilling a hole in the crankcase and inserting an old spectacles lens.