How Do You Read A Motorcycle Spark Plug?

Рет қаралды 98,384

6 жыл бұрын

Isn’t it relaxing to know that the ECU and the oxygen sensor are taking care of all this nonsense so you no longer need to juggle hot spark plugs?
Today’s motorcycles take care of the fuel/air ratio automatically. They have an oxygen sensor in the exhaust pipe, which continuously monitors the state of combustion, and the ECU on your engine corrects this. It wasn’t always so.
In the days of carburetors, if the sun went behind a cloud or a cold front moved in, or the barometer went up or down, you had to do the compensating yourself because, well, the human was the active system; the carburetor was the passive system.
After every practice at the races, a mechanic would remove the spark plugs from the engine and lay them out in order for inspection. Using a small magnifier, often with a light in it, the tuner would look in detail at the end of the spark plug that is in the combustion chamber.
When you look at a spark plug, you have to make a distinction: Is this a spark plug that has done 5,000 miles on the street? Or is this a spark plug that was put into this engine brand-new and has now run a seven-lap practice? The spark plug does not “clean up” from being dark and dirty. That’s why in racing people were constantly putting new spark plugs into their engines. Installing a used spark plug to evaluate your combustion would be like using a red handkerchief to find out if you had a bloody nose.
Down some distance from the tip of the insulator, tuners wanted to see a dark ring that indicated the mixture was not yet too lean. If there is some free carbon in the combustion gas, you will see that carbon forming a ring at some point along the temperature gradient. The farther the ring is toward the hot end of the spark plug, the richer your fuel mixture. The farther it is to the other end of the plug, the leaner your fuel mixture. That’s why all the peering went on. That’s the basic story on spark plugs.
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Пікірлер: 87

@radioaktivejay 6 жыл бұрын

I could listen to him all day long... For years.. more videos I begggg!!!

@naveedaka 6 жыл бұрын

ダナンジャイ true that

@crooza189 6 жыл бұрын

G'day Kevin, I'm nearly 50 and I grew up working on cars and trucks with my dad and I remember him explaining things like this to me. In this technological day and age you're hard pressed to hear it explained like this. Love your videos. Cheers.

@kungfukenny4439 4 жыл бұрын

Is that your motorcycle in the on your profile picture? Looks like a good touring and cruising motorcycle!

@erichaskell 6 жыл бұрын

Another mystery of life removed. Keep going, please, we are your students.

@cybercongo6506 6 жыл бұрын

he is awesome

@mws3779 6 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kevin, I still ride a bike that's 30 plus years old. I'll admit that I don't look at my plugs as often as I should. In the case with some bikes is that manufacturers made it very difficult to access. I have enjoyed your articles for years.

@denisrailey777 6 жыл бұрын

So true about progress & I used to read my spark plugs before O2 sensor & ecu.Wise man.

@Manmitkinggujju 6 жыл бұрын

i still use a carbed bike on daily...this is very helpful...thank you...more videos like this will go long way

@sawneybean9611 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. no bull, just fact and experience shining through.

@shreedevi2005 6 жыл бұрын

Excellent video. I have enjoyed all your articles in Cycle World all the way back to the mid 1990's.

@brutallyremastered4255 6 жыл бұрын

What a great video! Thank you - most instructive and clear.

@TS-qd2uj 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for this valuable refresher. It still applies to my DR650.

@kennethhacker1341 Жыл бұрын

That my friend is the best presentation I have ever seen on a spark plugs..thank you

@sinsilius 6 жыл бұрын

Very very very FINE video! Thanks

@kungfukenny4439 4 жыл бұрын

Awesome educational video! We need more of these type of videos as well, always making room for improvement.

@upsidedowndog1256 6 жыл бұрын

This is all still relavent as everybody messes with factory settings. On motorcycles, who doesn't? Professor Cameron is a wealth of experience and knowledge.

@NathanNostaw 6 жыл бұрын

Very interesting. Love the photographer comment at the end, sounds like there is still some pain there. :)

@monteiro5306 6 жыл бұрын

More videos.PLEASE!👍👍

@dougankrum3328 6 жыл бұрын

..Yeah, pretty hard to get too much of Kevin....

@jottow680 5 жыл бұрын

this is helping me properly jet my motorcycle. thank you

@SportbikerNZ 6 жыл бұрын

Very interesting. Enjoying these vids.

@brotherphill4553 4 жыл бұрын

A real mechanic...great to see

@mrbritcoinnakamoto2793 21 күн бұрын

this is really helpful information for tuning a bike engine iv had real trouble with an old Suzuki gn 250 that had no computer to tune i have learnt something today that is very important my engine was richer than bill gates

@christophernewsome7194 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for this I have not done anything with a carb in years until now 2007 royal enfield 500 thank you

@wobu5361 6 жыл бұрын

Love this guy

@miguelito1308 4 жыл бұрын

well iive in mexico. trust me this informacion is gold. thanks man

@mikeepoxymoronmason8211 4 жыл бұрын

We need this information even if the ecm and o2 should be handling I really liok up to you Kevin

@zenrider_9622 5 жыл бұрын

That was super educational thank you very much lol

@TDubsKid 6 жыл бұрын

thank you so much for your wisdom!

@bryankirk3567 6 жыл бұрын

Well done sir. Even with chip mapping, you still need us dinosaurs to evaluate the computer's decisions.

@krayzieegg7294 5 жыл бұрын

I want more of this guy

@turkishexpress 6 жыл бұрын

He does not like that photographer lol

@tonydelpilar 4 жыл бұрын

Im sayin lol it sounded more like a real experience than an example

@BuildBreakFix 3 жыл бұрын

God I remember watching Rick Jhonson ride as a kid in motocross. They had stacks of plugs all over the place each test lap he did before big race. They said exactly what this guy is saying 30 years later lol "+1 Liked"

@cjfeanor 6 жыл бұрын

Overnight, I am a big fan!!!

@-MrRichBiker1967 6 жыл бұрын

Great info... Very knowledgeable and understandable, so surprised that you don't need reader glasses I'm 50 and I can't see a foot in front of my face God bless you

@cybercongo6506 6 жыл бұрын

more videos please with all due respect master.

@damien6685 5 жыл бұрын

Crumbs - showing my age ~ I know exactly the feeling of pulling my sparkers and peering intently then comparing the colour and deposits to a chart on my garage wall

@bikeranand 3 жыл бұрын

Fantastic video, age and experience beats rest proven again

@jokey1812 6 жыл бұрын

Spark plugs do not "clean up"? What about the "Italian tune-up"? I love the videos please keep them coming!

@johnappel8969 6 жыл бұрын

Can you please do a story on fuel injection systems currently used on motorcycles. What causes the horrible snatchiness at low speed on-off throttle changes that carburetted engines don't do and what can you do to eliminate it.

@1950Bonanza 3 жыл бұрын

yup plug chops....only way to know with carbs. Best way for the mains is a WFO pull at red line then shut off the engine without backing off the throttle so only mains are most significant. Pull the plugs there on the spot and put an old pair in to ride home on. Now you can read them or take a hack saw and split them to see the insulator better. If its a light, light brown then mixture lean..or just a rule of thumb lighter is leaner.

@jimforsyth2. 5 жыл бұрын

Yes we need to know this some things a ecu can't tell you

@digger8180 5 жыл бұрын

My hat is tipped to you sir.

@greybeard5774 2 жыл бұрын

Damn that was a real Sherlock Holmes story .. educational and fascinating .. thanks a lot!! :))

@stanpol1921 6 жыл бұрын

So the oil ring should be closest to the part where the spark bounces?

@angelocardoc 6 жыл бұрын

I've been reading spark plugs wrong??? The "carbon ring" you mention is the first time I've heard that. Dark soot plug always told me its a rich mixture. White or grey colour told me a lean mixture, which is how most carburetted four strokes come from factory. And a chocolate brown colour was just where you wanted your mixture for correct power. Advanced spark plug reading would tell the tech if you were using too hot or too cold spark plugs. Whats your opinion about spark plug temp range and how to determine correct range by reading the plug???

@mocky1220 4 жыл бұрын

"We don't need to know any of these nonsense". That's funny!

@cornwasher 4 жыл бұрын

Some of us miss those days when fixing a hard starting motor meant popping the distributor cap and checking the points to see if they were burned and to make t a temporary fix using a dime or a matchbook cover to space the points. Years ago one of my uncles said, "Auto technology should have stopped in 1932 when ordinary folks could fix their own cars..."

@adrianyeap9214 6 жыл бұрын

Where would the best carbon ring formation be, nearer further?

@nikolaiyuriyakovlevich2682 2 жыл бұрын

hi i have question sign of weak spark plug is Hard to start engine.what about hard start engine only in the morning or cold engine is that damage spark plug issue ?because when the engine warm or just turn off for 1 hour is very easy to start the engine.thank you

@MartinSage 6 жыл бұрын

Back in Carb days I would drive my bike on a flat road at a constant 50-60mph for a mile and then pull a plug. If it was tan-good, white-lean, black-rich.

@mj-x 6 жыл бұрын

I got only one question. I didnt understand where should be that carbon ring? Up, Down or in middle? Or there should be no carbon ring but from what i heard if its perfect than it should have that ring.

@sagardwivedi839 4 жыл бұрын

The engine usually runs good when the engine is running lean and therefore I think the ring should be far down at the bottom.

@transmoongoddess Жыл бұрын

How ever some like old school, like a V111 S&S cycle motor .1994 Harley-Davidson Electra Guide.

@naveedaka 6 жыл бұрын

sir ..where the ring should be for best power...and which color to look for...please explain

@dustinshort6207 6 жыл бұрын

naveedaka I've heard 1mm height from base, but that was for a 2-stroke. It seems as long as you see carbon on a fresh plug you are *"likely"* safe.

@Anakwad 6 жыл бұрын

wow people had it rough, yeah progress

@edjackson4389 6 жыл бұрын

Well I learned something

4 жыл бұрын

Hi Man thanks for share! Wow… so many years since this video and just now I am making my own plug chop but I did not found good results... please help me! I know it is so hard using only data to analyze but I have not more to show. I made plug chop as listed: Warm. New spark plug. Wot per 6 series one mitute each one avoiding slow jetting. Plug chop and no carbon deposits found!!! Nothing! very clean insolator base! Is it so lean for a XR150L standard carburization with #102 main jet, 450 mosl, 28°C, Keihin PD Carburetor. I don't have more to say. thanks for attention! Regards from Colombia South America.

@MrPninja 6 жыл бұрын

Where were you 20 years ago

@briansd2772 3 жыл бұрын

That's It! I'm throwing out all my red handkerchiefs!

@homerjacinto2745 6 жыл бұрын

does a 4 electrode spark plug good for a motorcycle?

@petergriffin4629 6 жыл бұрын

I don't think it is as antiquated as he calls it. The KTM 950 SM was built until 2009 or something and it featured a magnificent carburator engine. I am 20 years of age and have ridden far more carburated motorcycles than injected ones.

@glenwagaman9103 4 жыл бұрын

I just took a poll. Nobody cares.

@daveyt4802 2 жыл бұрын

Binge watch night!

@kelumrupasinghe4051 4 жыл бұрын

More closure pictures pls.

@rosemariemendoza5210 2 жыл бұрын

What if the cool end is really hot?

@ajv802 6 жыл бұрын

From left to right? Mine say NGK on them....?

@tomquinn607 4 жыл бұрын

When UFO's strafe the earth they will scoop up Kevin Cameron.

@dougankrum3328 6 жыл бұрын

...Time was....you could go into any auto-parts store a get a big chart , in color, showing the different plugs, and why they looked like they did.....When you started seeing tiny balls of aluminum on the insulator....you've got a problem.....

@dave4882 Жыл бұрын

Where should that ring be?

@lawrenceparker695 6 жыл бұрын

My 04 VLX shadow is carbed.

@glenwagaman9103 4 жыл бұрын

I'll alert the media.

@jimbarber2947 5 жыл бұрын

Acually a plug will clean by itself

@stricknine8623 5 жыл бұрын

Jim Barber If you have a very rich fuel to air mixture based on the spark plugs and then you re-jet the carburator to say two or three steps down on jet size... You WILL NEED to put new plugs in, then run it hard and pull the new plugs out to see where you are at with the fuel/air mixture that you leaned out.. The plugs from the heavy fuel mixture will NOT clean up to give you any idea of what your adjustment has done.

2 жыл бұрын

Well, much of this is solved just installing an oxigen sensor or a pitometer on primary manifold.

@stephenglossop4902 6 жыл бұрын

All when s-plugs could be fully dismantled into individual pieces

@nvdubs 5 жыл бұрын

Jim Lahey?

@ajs7777 6 жыл бұрын

information is excellent but.... it should have been focuced on the spark plug in depth and not the person!

@dougankrum3328 6 жыл бұрын

...annoying photographers.....the same guys that love to see a huge rooster-tail of sparks when looking at anything involving a welding shop.......but for us welders....that is seen as a big source of nasty abrasive particles....

@bocciaalex 2 жыл бұрын

Auto forensics

@anthonywing-man1450 4 жыл бұрын

I think I fell asleep

@crystalstanborough4053 5 жыл бұрын

if yer this coots age, get yer kid to check, usualy sum letters, numbers on the side.....

@phillipleblanc7823 6 жыл бұрын

Fuck the music in the background is nauseating. It sounds like the soundtrack for a cheap horror flick, perhaps something with a stuffed monkey clanging cymbals together.