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72 is better for your elevation there in Conn. Accelerator pump will make a difference as well. How do you ride..?? My EVO turns in dramatically different mpg numbers depending on how I'm riding. 65-70 on the interstate gets me much better numbers than 85-90. Just sayin'.
Your plugs show that it is running too rich. Anytime you see black on the lower portion of the porcelain below the centre electrode you are running too rich. Also too many deposits on a plug with that limited mileage.
As to the picture, the plugs shown are right. The lean one is #1 as even the base of the spark plug is showing white. #3 has some tan on the electrode and hints of black on the base. About what you are going to see with fuels these days. If you can get any kind of a tan colour on the porcelain you are doing good.
When reading spark plugs the area you want to concentrate on is at the base of the porcelain not the tip.You are looking for a bit of off white colour in that location. The front plug is going to show more light colour than the rear plug, just the way these engines are set up, to have the rear run just a bit richer. I know on my bike, the rear spark plug will have one side ( the side that faces the intake ) will be white and the side that faces the exhaust will be black. This is on a stock bike with stock jetting and needle. The front spark plug is always more cleaner and shows less colour. This is caused by the cooling air being directly on the front cylinder's exhaust and the intake with its cooler fuel charged mixture coming in on the back side of the front spark plug. Both sides of the plug tip on the front look very much the same. Also because the front cylinder is running slightly leaner, by design.
I don't know, I'm thinking you might have valve seals issues.. Even though it might be running rich I don't like the build up on the ground strap and everything it's too much that's not just fuel... I have been wrong before, unless the quality of the camera taking the pic is that bad..
@98hotrodfatboy , intakes and exhausts are bone dry. Inspected them while the intake and exhaust were off.
The color on the electrode bothers me, like its lean. But the soot says otherwise. I readjusted the carb earlier, but really want to run a full tank thru while tinkering with the jetting and adjustments. The shame is the bike runs very strong as is. Shame too, I couldn't get out to ride today.
Maybe Wednesday I'll get out for a bit. Will report back then.
Made a few adjustments, including a 72 main. Soot's reduced, mpg shot up to a respectable 43mpg. No pops, no farts, roll on from 50 to 70 are crisp. I've got a couple leaks to fix before the next ride, but looking like it's pretty well sorted.
@98hotrodfatboy , intakes and exhausts are bone dry. Inspected them while the intake and exhaust were off.
The color on the electrode bothers me, like its lean. But the soot says otherwise. I readjusted the carb earlier, but really want to run a full tank thru while tinkering with the jetting and adjustments. The shame is the bike runs very strong as is. Shame too, I couldn't get out to ride today.
Maybe Wednesday I'll get out for a bit. Will report back then.
The electrode color is normally going to show a light or white color. You read a plug by the color on the porcelain, particularly at the base of the porcelain. Modern unleaded fuels make it much harder to read spark plugs, but you don't want to see any black on the porcelain part of the spark plug. The rear cylinder on the HD is always going to show a bit more color, as it runs a bit richer than the front cylinder by design.
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