spark plug question

[sweetip2000]

1985 200S. Does not smoke runs good. Pull out plug and its black.
Stock carb clean new petcock fuel line and inline fuel filter.
Full cobra exhaust Uni Air filter.

This is what baffles me. Around the base of the outside of the spark plug
where it is recessed there is a very thin film of oil. Can be cleaned up with a QTip. Otherwise she runs good with no problems. Can too much oil cause this to happen ?

Motor has 76 original hours on it. TiA !!

[tri again]

I just lost a half page of response. so this one will be real short in case it happens again.

Sorry no one responded.

Dark plug that doesn't foul?
Clean carb you say?
Air cleaner good, not too much oil or coating or mouse nest.

Your engine is factory fresh and prob not even broken in yet.

Make sure plug is the right one, heat range, thread and overall length etc etc,
AND that it has a washer on it.


Crankcase can overfill from bad carb float valve leaking..can fill the oil crankcase with fuel and raise the level. make sure you turn the gas off at the tank and that it actually works.

It it was overfull and too much pressure, it would more likely squeeze out one of the seals.
kick, crank etc

if it's too full, I usually just tip 'em over and drain a little out of the filler cap dipstick thing.

easier than trying to use the drainplug.

and finally..congrats on the trike and
NEVER put your foot on the ground like you' do with a 2 wheeled bike when you stop.

unless you have heel guards or nerf bars

[oscarmayer]

could be the cold start of the carb. when it's cold if the needle is out a lot, it will run rich. that can cause what your looking at. pull the top of the carb off (unscrew where the throttle goes) take the slide off the calve, pusht he pin out and adjsut the e-clip out 1 notch. it shoudl be in the middle so move it up 1 to the send from the top. if it's near the bottom, then move it 2 up.
that should help. also check the mixture screw. turn it in till it stops (do not fors the seat at all) then turn it ou 1 +1/4 turn to 1+1/2 turns out. that should put you in a great position. now let it warm up and see what it sits, you may have to adjust the idle too. after warm tap the throttle, if there is a delay in responce, then loosen the mixture screw 1/4 turn at a time till you reach a maximum of 2+1/2 turns out. fi your that far out, then the jet is too small and needs to be replaced with a slightly larger one. what is happenning is when you tap the torttle, there is an influx of air that gets sucked in and not enough fuel to keep up.

also remember, trikes do run a slight bit rich, so if you change a plug a month and ride every week, that's ok.

[rray62]

I had one that did that exact same thing, no joke!! I just ran it, and I kept a few plugs in the trunk just in case it acted up miles from the truck.

[sweetip2000]

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate all the advice. I hope everyone gets in a real good ride.

[Dirtcrasher]

Try turning that air screw in, the out till it starts to die with some throttle and find the in-between spot.

It could very easliy be a cracked/bad o-ring on the air screw.

If you take it out it should go screw/spring/washer/o-ring. lightly bottom it before taking it out and count the turns in 1/2 turn increments. 1/2,1,1-1/2,2 and so on. Once your past 2 turns out, the pilot jet may be too large. No reason for that as it's stock and if anything it would like more fuel.

Thats a beautiful super low hour trike Andy, it may even have a dry rotted oil intake valve seal............