Spark Plug: Lean or Rich?....Picture

[NacsMXer]

I know this belongs in a different section, but I would appreciate some quick responses. I went to the track yesterday and my motor seems to lose a ton of power from about 1/2 to 3/4 throttle. Everything below that is fine power-wise, so I think I have to mess with my needle.

Anyways, how does this plug look to you guys? I think it's rich, but some extra opinions wouldn't hurt. It has some dry scaly deposits on it, but I don't know if that's just from the leaded race gas.

Thanks for your replies!

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/9245/dsc00117dy9.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img61.imageshack.us/img61/9317/dsc00120nw1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/6876/dsc00123zg6.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/5042/dsc00121td4.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/1273/dsc00124yt8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
http://img149.imageshack.us/img149/2264/dsc00131zy3.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[Warnerade]

if your rich, its barely...that plug looks pretty damn good according to the pics

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by Warnerade
if your rich, its barely...that plug looks pretty damn good according to the pics

Yeah, it's close but I don't know what to make of those lighter scaly deposits around the rim. The quad is definitely missing really bad and i've never messed with the needle before so I think it's the culprit.

I just don't know which way to adjust the needle based off the plug :confused:

[ZeroLogic]

Looks to me your a tad rich. I'd try putting a new plug in her and see if it still misses and whatnot.

[Warnerade]

is that dirt in the threads?

[Honda#4]

God I wish that was my plug.

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by Warnerade
is that dirt in the threads?

Just some old crusted on antiseize.

[400exrider707]

Leaded race gas can leave some funny colors sometimes. How old is this plug? It looks rich to me. Obviously you have some issues if it's not running correctly right?

[NacsMXer]

Originally posted by 400exrider707
Leaded race gas can leave some funny colors sometimes. How old is this plug? It looks rich to me. Obviously you have some issues if it's not running correctly right?

The plug is pretty fresh, I inspect and change them out regularly. Leaded gas does leave some strange colors...I just brushed off the top of the ground strap with my finger (appears light-dark brown in the pics) and it's a light gray color underneath.

It definitely isn't running right. I just moved the C-clip up one notch on the needle (now 3rd notch from the top) to lean it out a bit in the midrange. I'm going to go ride it now and see if it helps any.

[Drewltr450]

change your oil clear air filter get a new oil filter new spark plug some fresh gas and clean your carb.

[NacsMXer]

Well just figured out the problem....my clutch is TOAST :mad:

Rode it around the backyard and it struggles to hold 1st and 2nd gear, just revs and doesn't go anywhere. Guess it was on the way out at the track when the power was cutting out mid-top end....now it won't even hold down low :ermm:

Thanks for the help guys! ;)

[wilkin250r]

If your clutch was slipping, then you should have been able to hear the engine rev.

For future reference, that plug picture is absolutely meaningless. You can't get any useful information at all from that plug color.

Your spark plug can only tell you the last thing it saw. If you rode all day at your track, and then idled from your trailer to your garage, your plug will tell you the last thing it saw, which was riding at idle to your garage. It won't tell you anything about being lean or rich while you were at the track.

And even that little info might not be accurate. If you have deposits on there, did they get put there at the track and not burn off yet, or were they put there at idle? If it was at the track, was it 1/2 throttle, or full throttle?

In order to read your plug, you need to start with a new plug, and only show it ONE condition (like 1/2 throttle) for an extended period of time (like well over 30 seconds), and shut your engine off right in the middle of that condition, pull the plug and read it. You can't idle back to your garage and read it there, because then your plug will only tell you the conditions of idling back to your garage.