Rear cylinder richer
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 6,570
Likes: 590
From: almost there
My bike runs very well.
i am not going to give you a list of all I have done to it, but it is a long one.
This year I am trying 50 deg valve seats.
Raised ports.
With a carb and high CR numbers, its is a piece of mind.
You don't need purrfect numbers, just ballpark for your situation.
Purrrfect is for F.I,
Most everyone knows HD engines do not like lean numbers. They run hotter an hell.
i am not going to give you a list of all I have done to it, but it is a long one.
This year I am trying 50 deg valve seats.
Raised ports.
With a carb and high CR numbers, its is a piece of mind.
You don't need purrfect numbers, just ballpark for your situation.
Purrrfect is for F.I,
Most everyone knows HD engines do not like lean numbers. They run hotter an hell.
Banned
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 4,576
Likes: 978
From: Viet Vet, crossroads
I only have 80 or so inches to work with here, so to be a big dawg i have to up the ante a bit.
My AFR is really important and it should be to everyone that has actually modded their bike.
( I am not meaning the stage crap that HD sells )
It is quite delightful to be cruising out through Midwest to or from Sturgis, 2 up, HVY, and look dwn and see 12.5 @90MPH
This bike will do that all day long in very hot weather.
If I depended on "reading" a plug I would be in big big trouble.
My AFR is really important and it should be to everyone that has actually modded their bike.
( I am not meaning the stage crap that HD sells )
It is quite delightful to be cruising out through Midwest to or from Sturgis, 2 up, HVY, and look dwn and see 12.5 @90MPH
This bike will do that all day long in very hot weather.
If I depended on "reading" a plug I would be in big big trouble.
Advanced
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 92
Likes: 19
From: Wisconsin
you can chase a motor for days by trying to read a plug, with or without an AFR.
after riding since the early 70s, Ive heard, done, tried probably every trick in the book, and here is what I have learned in the long run.
If the bike is running well, if you aren't fouling( rich) plugs from being over jetted, if the plugs remain with an over all *** tanish colour *** mostly stop n go and backroads.
with stop n go, and back roads and interstate riding) and they still remain a nice colour stop chasing an issue that isn't there.
You can chase that perfect * strap burn. depth of carbon down on the insulator etc etc etc etc till you are a pure expert with all phases of your engines tune, and in the long run...unless you are chasing that 1/100th of a sec. it matters little.
ride and enjoy your bike, unless there is a problem...don't fix it. we will always tweak* an 1/8th or so of a turn on the idle lean/rich mixture depending on a few variables.but if you are transitioning from off idle through midrange and coming up on the cam, through to highways/interstate rding with a smooth and strong pull...ride the bike...
after riding since the early 70s, Ive heard, done, tried probably every trick in the book, and here is what I have learned in the long run.
If the bike is running well, if you aren't fouling( rich) plugs from being over jetted, if the plugs remain with an over all *** tanish colour *** mostly stop n go and backroads.
with stop n go, and back roads and interstate riding) and they still remain a nice colour stop chasing an issue that isn't there.
You can chase that perfect * strap burn. depth of carbon down on the insulator etc etc etc etc till you are a pure expert with all phases of your engines tune, and in the long run...unless you are chasing that 1/100th of a sec. it matters little.
ride and enjoy your bike, unless there is a problem...don't fix it. we will always tweak* an 1/8th or so of a turn on the idle lean/rich mixture depending on a few variables.but if you are transitioning from off idle through midrange and coming up on the cam, through to highways/interstate rding with a smooth and strong pull...ride the bike...
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,123
Likes: 7,643
From: Poolville
Those plugs look pretty good to me.. Although an AFR meter with wide band will confirm..... Been using one for years now AND, most all pipes come with 12 or 18 mm bungs (new pipes)
Banned
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 4,576
Likes: 978
From: Viet Vet, crossroads
you can chase a motor for days by trying to read a plug, with or without an AFR.
after riding since the early 70s, Ive heard, done, tried probably every trick in the book, and here is what I have learned in the long run.
If the bike is running well, if you aren't fouling( rich) plugs from being over jetted, if the plugs remain with an over all *** tanish colour *** mostly stop n go and backroads.
with stop n go, and back roads and interstate riding) and they still remain a nice colour stop chasing an issue that isn't there.
You can chase that perfect * strap burn. depth of carbon down on the insulator etc etc etc etc till you are a pure expert with all phases of your engines tune, and in the long run...unless you are chasing that 1/100th of a sec. it matters little.
ride and enjoy your bike, unless there is a problem...don't fix it. we will always tweak* an 1/8th or so of a turn on the idle lean/rich mixture depending on a few variables.but if you are transitioning from off idle through midrange and coming up on the cam, through to highways/interstate rding with a smooth and strong pull...ride the bike...
after riding since the early 70s, Ive heard, done, tried probably every trick in the book, and here is what I have learned in the long run.
If the bike is running well, if you aren't fouling( rich) plugs from being over jetted, if the plugs remain with an over all *** tanish colour *** mostly stop n go and backroads.
with stop n go, and back roads and interstate riding) and they still remain a nice colour stop chasing an issue that isn't there.
You can chase that perfect * strap burn. depth of carbon down on the insulator etc etc etc etc till you are a pure expert with all phases of your engines tune, and in the long run...unless you are chasing that 1/100th of a sec. it matters little.
ride and enjoy your bike, unless there is a problem...don't fix it. we will always tweak* an 1/8th or so of a turn on the idle lean/rich mixture depending on a few variables.but if you are transitioning from off idle through midrange and coming up on the cam, through to highways/interstate rding with a smooth and strong pull...ride the bike...
in a stock 8.5 CR engine it probably will not ever matter.
But, once the CR is jacked up it starts to get really important in all areas
The AFR meter makes it very EZ to tune, or a holy piston might unexpectedly arrive.
Thread Starter
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Banned
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 4,506
Likes: 2,361
Thanks for all the feed back, I think I got it dailed in as good as I’m gonna get it. 55 Pan my philosophy is similar to yours, I’m just trying to get it where I don’t have to worry about it running too lean.
One of my former engineering instructors used to say "Don't put yourself in a position where you measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a piece of chalk, cut it with an axe"
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