Corrected Spark Plug "BASE" Reading

From what I've learned in the concept of Plug Reading I know I'm really close...

As you mentioned Mark, Gunson Color Tune (, the spark plug conditions, the "feel", idle, acceleration, deceleration, popping exhaust & carb, flat lining etc... are well rounded no doubt....

As mentioned, pending the exhaust tip end, they use a copper lined tube to the sensor but have found several articles where due to the tube itself obstructing some of the air flow, can cause some miss readings... I know, but.... most or all sensors are placed pre or post catalytic converters (not an issue) or in motorcycles at the 4-1 collector is the ideal location.

As noted, no way in hell am I drilling a 3/4" hole in my beloved Kerker then have to weld a sensor bung onto it... :blink:

Instead, fab a small union pipe interface with the 18mm sensor bung welded on and after all primary changes are made as in my case now, install for a run...

After warm up period, check at idle, cruise mid range and WOT and verify if I dialed her in or missed a tad...
After jetting confirmed, remove and save for another build or yearly check...

The wide band oxygen sensors such as the Bosch LSU-4 out put milli volts and as provided in the lower left hand corner informs you where you are in the Air/Fuel ratio.

The sensor is ~ $80-90 alone... OUCH!
The one thing I don't like about the K&N model is LED versus actual voltage measurement display... It also doesn't go down to the 10.0:1 measurement "idle".

I'll most likely design my own for all it is is a milli volt meter... Hell, you could even use a DVM for this pending your meters resolution and sampling rates... Analog mV meter would be just fine. I do like the idea of 3 digit (2 after decimal point) digital for easier readout though....

Anyhoot, just a thought and another really cool tool to have...

OMR

Can't vouch for this info, but recall reading somewhere within the past few years that the current gasoline blends make it more difficult to gain plug color. Specifically, that it takes a significantly longer test run.

Perhaps due to the "cleaning" additives?

Good Luck!

"that the current gasoline blends make it more difficult to gain plug color"... Yes indeed, good point!

One of the main reasons in ;earning how to read the plugs correctly... The porcelain is not the main variable to look at compared to the ground strap and more importantly base ring....

In any case, scoping out the cheapest Wide Band plug I can obtain locally and build my own as mentioned to see just where she lies @ idle, cruise, WOT measurements... Will be interestings...

I will also fab a tail pipe copper tubing rig to compare mid pipe and exhaust pipe recordings... Obviously, the tail pipe testing will be difficult on the road test... Idle and throttle ramping at various rpm values but that's about it....

I'll keep you posted...

OMR

Depending on how I can get my 810 to run right off the bat I'll probably be sticking a wideband o2 on her at some point. Little hole in my exhaust wont hurt. I'll wend in a bung and have a cap for after I get her tuned, nobody will ever see it.

Using plugs or by feel, you will never have the bike tuned like factory.
Not that there is anything wrong with that, they still work great. They just consume more fuel and run hotter (in general).

Only with a DYNO or decent AFR gauge, will you actually have the near (or better) factory results.

Also, OMR, with a AFR of 10:1, the bike will idle horribly once hot, and start to eat the oil on the cylinder walls, and turn everything hopelessly black. I looked into that chart once before, and those settings just don't work good at all.

The settings I posted earlier were from a race team tuner, and truly work fantastic

Cheers!

"bike will idle horribly once hot"...

Not worried so much at the idle setting for she purrs like a kitten now... Mind you, due to performance cams, she prefers 1200-1300rpm @ idle...

Same time, want to measur eit just the same but I'm truly more interested in the mid to WOT ranges... My plugs look mighty fine right now based Plug reading info and regarding performance.... Naw runs sweet!

I want to take some measurements now and in the summer for comparisons, will be interesting to see the differences. Also on our runs up north, we jump 2500 feet elevations so it will be interesting as well...

I'll follow up as always with images and parts break downs of the pieces I use to build my own... I'll keep you al posted...

OMR

Old Man Rock wrote:

"bike will idle horribly once hot"...

Not worried so much at the idle setting for she purrs like a kitten now... Mind you, due to performance cams, she prefers 1200-1300rpm @ idle...

Same time, want to measur eit just the same but I'm truly more interested in the mid to WOT ranges... My plugs look mighty fine right now based Plug reading info and regarding performance.... Naw runs sweet!

I want to take some measurements now and in the summer for comparisons, will be interesting to see the differences. Also on our runs up north, we jump 2500 feet elevations so it will be interesting as well...

I'll follow up as always with images and parts break downs of the pieces I use to build my own... I'll keep you al posted...

OMR

Just wondering why your motor has to idle at 12 to 13? Mine will idle down to 500 without quitting and the cams have higher lift. It's not my tack either so whats up with that? What lobe center is the intake at? Is it possible you have the engine so far electronically tuned out that you now have a new required idle rpm of 10,000? Seriously I'm just curious about "whyusohi"? He was an ancient Aztek who constantly ate mushrooms and spent all his days explaining life to the people and animals of the desert. May want to look into the plot your house is built on, go from there. Now if can just get this ipod hooked up so I can hear the sounds of my oil being eaten off the walls of this container they put me in. Send me that story of the 50lb scorpion that ran your bike off the road. I would read it over and over, like it was a spark plug.

"Just wondering why your motor has to idle at 12 to 13?"
I spoke to Plumm and Larry about this during engine break in period & tuning and now during fine tuning of the jetting...

Answer made sense, OEM for a stock motor & head is 800-1000. Well I no longer have a stock build for the head has been ported, have new slightly over sized valves, went from 26mm to 29mm carbies, have performance cams set at 105 degree lobe centers, higher compression pistons and EI ignition set to spec.

Larry actually mentioned that some of his other clients have it even higher ~ 1500 rpms.... Now these were some serious engine builds mind you but not all.... It's just where the old girls like to be....

All in all, she just prefers this range better especially when it gets 105 F plus.... :blink: Now she'll idle lower but more on the erratic side... Then throw in the spec of the tach where +/- 200... In comparing to the external tach this places me @ 1000rpms to 1300 rpms.

"Is it possible you have the engine so far electronically tuned out that you now have a new required idle rpm of 10,000?" ....

Followed the Dyna procedure to the tee...

That is a straight forward reply. I'm certain your setup is awesome pertaining to flow velocity and volume. What exactly is the power band peak? Can it lift the front wheel off the ground or all the way up at 6 or 7 grand? Is it done by then? Just wondering where it peaks with 105/105 centers. And not to be a pain but what valve clearance did you end up with? It seems it can't be too much. Not saying it's too little but would like to know.

"What exactly is the power band peak?"
Unknown at this time due to Dyno required now that engine break in period & jetting are for the most part complete...

I'm presently trying to locate a Dyno center that will do the Dyno measurements w/out the HIGH $$$ for Torque, BHP and O2 measurements with graph print out... There's only a few here in AZ anylonger and they're mostly HD Dyno tuning centers where jetting and mapping with the Dyno for the $$$...

Pretty much everyone (Larry, Plum, Time-bomb & Steve)is in the same thought process where due to my build, piston compressions, head work, cam selection, carbs etc... she should measure in ~ 95HP at the rear wheel where I would be more then happy....

"Can it lift the front wheel off the ground or all the way up at 6 or 7 grand?"...

I was just trying to get used to my new toy, feeling the bike out, learning her.... It was within the first couple hundred miles on the new build and I hadn't even been into the jetting process as of yet...

This only occurred once in the beginning where I wasn't fully use to the power these old kz's truly provide, especially now... I racked it fairly hard in 3rd on my bud (on his Interceptor) for he had been messing with me the whole day toying with me, so I basically stated via action, "Ok, tired of your shit.... What you got"....

Anyhoot, I hit probably somewhere between 6-7K, to be honest not sure for the front rose off the ground on me which caught me somewhat off guard.... Ok, I sharted in my skivies! :blink: :blush: :woohoo: at which point I let her fall gracefully to the ground by letting off the throttle a tad... She held line extremely well with the new suspension (ZX636)...

All kidding aside, it actually was a very smooth transition/action mind you, not jerky but just a linear rise off the ground as I was twisting her but it made me realize I needed to learn my new KZ and what she was capable of... Meaning, needed to show her some RESPECT for if I didn't she was going to spank my old ass hard....

EDIT: BTW, I don't do burn outs (why ruin a perfectly good $200 tire) and on a road bike, prefer not doing wheelies...

Valve clearances @ 500 mile check since new shims...
Exhaust ~.1-.12mm
Intakes ~ .07 to .1mm

If you need more specifics for each measurement, let me know and I'll post them....

Or where you asking which shims did I end up with?

OMR

OMR, what size vales did Larry install?

I meant valve to piston clearance there. If your bike has stock gearing and lifted off in 3rd, it has alot of power and I have to say I'd change my 111 lc on the intake to 105 just to see what power mine had there. If it has lower gears, I guess I can't compare with mine but I think it would come off the ground in third as well. I'm just trying to figure out if More power is available with lobe center settings like yours due to the cylinder filling, cranking compression, exhaust scavenging. I know the carbs you run are helping alot for torque and that magic port work from Cav racing. All that said I'm ready with the degree wheel for this summer. One last question, did you mill the head or deck?