white plugs and decel popping
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 204
Likes: 3
From: linden, pa
white plugs and decel popping
i have been doing some research and from what i have found decel popping and white plugs means im running to lean. will this really damage my motor? i have a 96 fxd with 27000 miles on it
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 957
Likes: 2
From: Carlsbad Springs Ontario
Spanky ., you are running very lean and yes , it could damage your motor very quickly .
I asume its a carb. motor and not a F.I.
Check for anything that is allowing air into the intake system after the carb.
If you have had carb. work done recently ., take it back now ! If not.
Its probably an air leak between the carb. and cylrs.
Dont ride it until you find the lean problem , serious **** will occure .
I asume its a carb. motor and not a F.I.
Check for anything that is allowing air into the intake system after the carb.
If you have had carb. work done recently ., take it back now ! If not.
Its probably an air leak between the carb. and cylrs.
Dont ride it until you find the lean problem , serious **** will occure .
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 204
Likes: 3
From: linden, pa
i forgot to mention that i have harley slip ons with no baffles. thats what was on it when i bought the bike. would it help if i used the bolt and washer trick for some backpressure?
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,583
Likes: 115
From: Boston, MA
Does tht even add enough back pressure? Seriously, not being a smart azz.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
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From: Middle of Kansas
The lollipops would probably help. When I bought my 99 Softail Custom, it had 17,000 miles on it. It also had drag pipes and a K&N air cleaner. Mine was like yours and had popping on decel, and white plugs. I have been told, and I believe it, that if your plugs are not blistered around the center electrode you probably are not damaging the engine. I increased my pilot jet from 42 to a 45, and my carb had already had the main jet increased from 175 to 180. I now have some color on the plugs and no decel popping. I also put small lollipops in the drag pipes. I do not know how long it had been run lean as it was, but am guessing it was done when new. It has 35,000 on it now and runs superbly. So, unless your plugs are blistered, I would not worry about damage to your engine. With the gasoline we have now it just does not color the plugs much unless you are pretty rich. Mine are running with a light tan to grey color, and the motor runs much better than before the carb work. Now I only use the enrichner to start, and then push it in and use the throttle lock to warm it up.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 2,856
Likes: 127
From: Middle of Kansas
It is real easy to change the pilot jet, and the main jet for that matter. I did not even remove the carb on my 99. I just dropped the bowl off and changed the jet. You might also want to open up your mixture needle a bit. Most have been drilled out, but if not, you will have to do that also. You could try opening up the mixture needle first, and if that will not stop the popping, I would change the pilot jet at least. If you need more than three turns open on the mixture needle, you should change the jet.
What color are your pipes? Mine were almost white before changing the jets. Now they are dark grey to black.
What color are your pipes? Mine were almost white before changing the jets. Now they are dark grey to black.