Spark plug problems

[harns]

i got a spark plug socket. my uncles staying at my place for a night hes a mechanic so hes been helpin me out a bit... we pulled all the plugs and they seem old but its not the problem. found a leak in my exhaust gasket, and a leak in where my muffler is bolted onto the exhaust pipe.

found that one of the spark plugs is black with carbon (uncle says) so the mixture is too rich?

there are some screws near the rocker cover that move when i pull the throttle, the can be adjusted what are they? there only seems to be 3 of them but i have 4 cylinders.

[Rich]

The screws will be for balancing the carbys...

[harns]

ok so what happens if i fiddle with them, and how do i balance them?

[druu]

As Rich says, they're for balancing the carbs. Each screw will balance the carbs that it sits between (1+2, 2+3, 3+4). You'll need a balancing tool to do this though.

[Rich]

Search Carby balancing..or something like that, you can make the tool you require with some tube and a few bits and pieces...

[harns]

so im reading i need vacuume guages.. can someone explain whats involved and what i can do? im pretty smart so ill pick it up easy enough. gonna do some more googling now

[MattyA]

hey mate i got a vacume gauge an would be happy to come round for u to use it. or me to use it with u learnin.
do you have a manual for it? i presume no . ive done it on VW's an webers and also on skidoos.
are there little hoses/pipes which are capped near the intake between the manifold and the cylinders?

[harns]

hey matt, yeah i got a manual for my bike. im gonna try get a manometer today or tomorrow... where do you live? im happy for you to do it while i watch if you want haha.. i havent looked for the caps yet, but they should be around somewhere... btw if anyones reading this, i just had a stack and now my engine is popping.. any suggestions? im about to replace all the spark plugs cos theyre worn.

[Rich]

When you crash it often shakes shit that was sitting in the bottom of your carby float bowls around. This then goes and gets jammed in a jet...

It happened to me once...

[harns]

but would that cause popping? like just affecting the one cyl? or will i just notice a lack in power?

[MattyA]

popping due to unburnt fuel passing through this dead cylinder and into the exhaust.
also the lack of expansion gas in this pipe will cause its mate to run poorly, cause of the extractors effect.
im in mandurah am prolly goin for a ride on sat but not sure yet. also i grabbed my vac gauge from work today.
im happy to spend a day of my weekend tinkering getin ur bike fixed up just let me know when is good for u.

[semi]

Originally Posted by MattyA

also the lack of expansion gas in this pipe will cause its mate to run poorly, cause of the extractors effect.

what? the headers shouldnt come together until nearish to the slipon

[MattyA]

they are still a tuned lengh yeah?
this would be more of a performance change ?

[Nero Diablo]

Long tube spanner is the go any half decent auto store (ie not supercrap) will have the appropiate thing. You black box is the coil this steps 12 volts up to 10-15000volts depending on bike etc etc. Black lead is refered to as the high tension lead this conducts the high voltage power to the sprk plug. Black rubber thing is called the spark plug cap some of these have resistors in them to surpress electrical niose and reduce radio interfereance. As others have said you plug is still in the motor. Best bet is to get 4 new plugs irdiuim ones are of marginal value but NGK's are pretty good change all four and change all four plugs. If this doens't fix it you probally have a fuel blockage somewhere in the carb for that cylinder.