signs of jetting-rich or lean

[400exrider26]

I know some of the signs of an atv that is running lean or rich but its been a while and i forget some of the signs... when I get a pipe I know I have to do a spark plug check- black and wet means rich, white means lean, going for a tan brown- light grey color for good jetting... right? Also I know you can tell by if you ride the atv and it bogs or cuts out... What do those certain things mean? rich or lean? Any other way to tell if its jetted correctly would be of great help... oh-and this is for a 400ex if that helps...

[Chino886]

Originally posted by 400exrider26
I know some of the signs of an atv that is running lean or rich but its been a while and i forget some of the signs... when I get a pipe I know I have to do a spark plug check- black and wet means rich, white means lean, going for a tan brown- light grey color for good jetting... right? Also I know you can tell by if you ride the atv and it bogs or cuts out... What do those certain things mean? rich or lean? Any other way to tell if its jetted correctly would be of great help... oh-and this is for a 400ex if that helps...

all you will ever need to know about jetting....

http://www.atvriders.com/articles/jetting.html

http://www.atvriders.com/articles/sparkplug.html

[TwistedWrangler]

Just remeber that when jetting with unleaded you are correct you want a tan color on the electrode. If you are using a leaded fuel you will need to have a silver color not tan! The best thing to do is buy a few plugs, change the jet then go out on a brand new plug. Ride just long enough to get it warmed up, usually 3 or 4 rips across a field is good then come back and shut the engine off immediately dont let it idle. Pull your plug and get a reading. Continue to do this until you have the color you are looking for just make sure you use a new plug each time for an accurate reading.

[Rico]

Just listen to the motor, no need to do plug checks.

It's either going to fall on it's face = rich

or backfire like a mofo = lean

[400exrider26]

If it pops of deaccelration then does that mean its lean or rich? How much does it have to pop because i know almost all aftermarket systems pop on deacceleration a little...? I dont remeber... Is there a diffrence between cutting out and/or bogging? So i should buy a new spark plug and test it everytime i change my jetting? thanks

[400exrider26]

also- what do diffrent smoke colors mean from the exaust... I know blue exuast means you need a new rings because you are burning oil.. i forget what black and white smoke mean????

[hotrodbelair]

black smoke means rich, and white smoke means water in the combustion chamber. mine backfired everonce in a great while and it was running rich but only when i was downshifting. if its lean it would be backfiring alot.