Exhaust valve color

DogT · Aug 8, 2012

How does this look to you experts? Other side looks the same. About 1K miles since Leo worked on head.

Dave
69S

comnoz · Aug 8, 2012

That looks right to me. Jim

DogT · Aug 8, 2012

Thanks. I'm surprised how even everything looks. The plugs look good too.

Dave

Dances with Shrapnel · Aug 8, 2012

Looks fine. No indication of excessive oil puking past the guides. Ash white on the valves.

DogT · Aug 8, 2012

It's been running fine from the get go. All I can hope is it keeps up. Thanks guys.

Dave

Whitworth Ranch · Aug 8, 2012

Isn't it wonderful?

Bernhard · Aug 9, 2012

Far too white-looks like a weak carb mixture to me.
can you post photos of the spark plugs :?:

DogT · Aug 9, 2012

It's not really that white, the flash washed it out a bit. It's more of a light tan.

Dave

DogT · Aug 9, 2012

Just for drill, here's the plugs. The right one is a bit washed out from the flash, it doesn't look like that for real.

Dave
69S

comnoz · Aug 9, 2012

DogT said:
Just for drill, here's the plugs. The right one is a bit washed out from the flash, it doesn't look like that for real.

Dave
69S

It is hard to tell anything with the color anymore. With unleaded fuel there is nothing to color the insulator. It should be pretty much white. If it's dark it is because of soot -so it is really rich or using oil.

I cant really see where the color change on the side electrode is from your picture. It should be about halfway down the electrode. That the best way to tell the mixture with unleaded fuel. Jim

J.A.W. · Aug 9, 2012

Only 6-rated heat range plugs? I run 7s in my car [265 Hemi Chrysler] no worries, try 7s?

DogT · Aug 9, 2012

This is with avgas, BP 110LL.

The stock setup on my bike from the factory was 220 main jet, needle jet 107. When I got it it had a 240 main jet and a 106 needle jet. It worked fine so I haven't changed anything from the way I got it.

Dave
69S

J.A.W. · Aug 9, 2012

The old T.E.L. eh, you was funnin` with us, & of course, that lead/whitish-gray tell-tale...
Unleaded is full of dirty burning aromatics that give a muddy-to-sooty colouration.
No hardened valve seats yet then?

Brooking 850 · Aug 10, 2012

Thanks for the pics DogT, makes me think that even though mine pulls everywhere with the JS carbs, I might be running still a little rich(black as in the exhaust port), so have other jets to test over the next few days weather permitting.
Ran it today , 100 Km's only, the second time in 8 weeks due to work away and crap weather as southern hemisphere winter!!!
Regards Mike

bill · Aug 10, 2012

the old wives tail of needing hardend seats it just that AN OLD WIVES TAIL.

J.A.W. said:
No hardened valve seats yet then?

Mark F · Aug 10, 2012

If you want to learn how to read your plugs this is one of the best discussions Ive seen on the subject.
http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthrea ... Post442633

Bobolink · Aug 10, 2012

You're dead right Bill. I "Converted" my Commando to unleaded on a small road on the North of Italy in 1992, the filling station had only unleaded.

I was woried for a while but 20 years on, no problems yet! Long may it continiue.

splatt · Aug 10, 2012

bill said:
the old wives tail of needing hardend seats it just that AN OLD WIVES TAIL.

No it's not, old cast iron heads without induction hardend seats suffer, but your norton already uses a hardened seat

Exhaust valve color

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