Mini Spine raid to the Carolinas

[Chuck]

Sorry for the cross post, but lost the original Word file.. 

http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=90554.0

[PJPR01]

Great write up Chuck...sounds like a fun trip with good food, lodging, a few repairs and some fun roads to run!  Thanks for sharing!

[Scud]

Great write up Chuck...sounds like a fun trip with good food, lodging, a few repairs and some fun roads to run!  Thanks for sharing!

 

+1

 

...and you really threw me with the mention of going to Sierra Nevada. I was just in those mountains last weekend... in fact, I posted a selfie and somebody thought it was you. Good beer - and I do remember hearing about them setting up an brewery in the East. 

 

Sierra Nevada and Anchor Steam were my early micro-brew favorites - before the term was coined, I think.  

[docc]

Wow, Chuck, thanks for the link to the WG thread. Such great sharing! 

 

I had to lift a couple phrases:

 

". . . the turbine like smoothness of the Spot motor . . ."

 

and:

 

" . . . an aircraft inspector just �sees� that kind of stuff."

 

plus, my fave photo (out of so many great ones!):

[Chuck]

Thanks. It *was* a great trip even though the Mighty Scura grumbled about it the whole time. Being so lean, it spit and coughed all the time at small throttle openings and the transitions from light to heavy throttle. Wouldn't run at all at 3000 rpm. I didn't look at the plugs because I knew there was nothing I could do about it without GuzziDiag. As soon as we came home, I pulled a plug, and it was lean, but ok. Whew! 

2017-06-04_01-30-49 by Charles Stottlemyer, on Flickr

Hooked up GD and set the CO back to +40.

I don't get to see the Kid very often.. it was a reeeely good time.

[nobleswood]

After seeing your picture I'm thinking I need a refresher on 'What a lean plug looks like' & or starting a thread called 'What you can deduce by looking at your plugs'.

 

Cos there have been times I've looked at the plugs or the exhaust valve when the headers are off & wondered what could you tell me if I could just read the signs.

[passator cortese]

Maybe the picture is tricking me but I think Chuk's spark plug is perfect for a modern engine where the mixture tend to be a little bit on the lean side because of the emission regulations.

[czakky]

Looks whitish to me shouldn't the plugs be closer to tan?

[Chuck]

Where you want to look is toward the bottom of the insulator. Tan is good. White is lean. Black is oil and/or fuel fouled. Little balls of aluminum on it is Uh oh..

[68C]

Did you do a proper 'plug chop' or just park up and look at the plug? by this I mean cutting the ignition while under power to get an accurate colour unspoilt by the idle mixture as you slow down and park.

 

Find a road where you can safely park, accelerate to a reasonably high speed, and stop safely, at least a mile preferably uphill. First of all warm the engine up using the existing plugs, then quickly fit new plugs and ride off while the engine is still hot. 

 

Now do the 'plug chop'.  By this I mean  run the bike for at least ten seconds, perhaps more, at the RPM and throttle position you want to investigate ,  quickly pull in the clutch and hit the kill switch. Now look at the new plug, this will be a true indication of the mixture at your chosen rpm and throttle setting. If you just stop normally and park up you get a plug colour which may have been changed with motor running on idle mixture.

 

As Wide Open Throttle is the position that a weak mixture can cause damage over a long run it is a good idea to check that first, however if you are unsure of the procedure it may be safer to get used to the technique by practising the chop at increasing speeds using the old plugs before doing a proper test run.

 

 

have fun.

[Chuck]

Oh, no.. I didn't do a plug chop. Just had a look at the plug hoping I didn't see any aluminum.. 

[czakky]

I'm do for some "plug chopping" on my 2t. Thanks for the explanation.

[68C]

Yeah, really important on a two a two stroke especially at full throttle. Loads of info on the web, Google 'plug chop'

[Chuck]

A two stroke runs the best it's ever run.. right before it seizes. 

[docc]

A two stroke runs the best it's ever run.. right before it seizes. 

I've seen four-strokes do the same thing. Right before they hole a piston.