1985 big red 250es running lean....how do i fix this?

[barnett468]

Hello dylanisaacs

my 1985 big red 250 is running lean because i pulled the plug today and the bottom-inside of the plug was white. how do i fix this? and can this cause overheating?

I’m glad to see the plug “chart” I made for you along with the other plug color related information I posted for you on your other thread [part of which is pasted again below] is helping you determine your bikes running condition. It is a very useful tool you may use many times throughout your life however a slightly different description would be given to the first 3 numbers when applying the chart to a car, especially on cars produced AFTER 1973. For cars produced AFTER 1973 the chart would read 1-2 good and 3 would reflect some sort of problem. An overly lean condition would show up differently than just the plug being #1 white.

I see you currently have 3 separate threads [original posts] that contain information regarding your carburetor and/or plug color issue. I posted a reply to your “troubleshoot” thread but then saw this one and saw it was currently the most active so I thought it would be better to post my reply here for you.

I have included some information that shows part of the chronology of events regarding your running/plug color issue so others that might not be aware of these things can better assist you. Information is important, the more you give and more accurate it is the better the responses that you receive will be.

Even if your bike idles fine, based upon your bikes history and the fact that it sounds as though you might have had the carb off since a week ago I suggest you do an air leak test by gently spraying [using the long narrow nozzle] FLAMMABLE [not water base] brake cleaner around the intake boot at the head and carb mount while the bike is idling. If the idle goes up noticeably you have an intake air leak.


“Hello dylanisaacs


Glad your bike is still running. When we left off 6 days ago your dad put oil in your tank to stop the rust and added fuel stabilizer a week or so before. Your bike ran ok after cleaning some gunk out of your tank/gas valve [but you didn’t say if there was any carburetion issues after I asked] and your plug was dry and black. Now all of a sudden, a week later your new plug is white.

Based on your bikes history I suggest you do not ride it until you answer the following questions so we can try and see what’s going on. If it is super lean it might get damaged from running too hot. If your plug has only been in for 30 minutes or less it might not have been in long enough to get color on it, but your bike sounds like it is lean for some reason based solely upon your description of the plug color.

Out of the extensive amount of plug readings I have done over the years I never saw a bike have a plug that that had less than 20 hours on it and was totally black go to having a new plug that was totally white for no reason at all. If your jets got plugged that much between then and now your bike would not run so it seems reasonable to think that you must have done something in between then and now which would cause this and if so it would help me and possibly others to know what it was first.


If you answer ALL the following questions I or another can help you better.



Originally Posted by dylanisaacs

my pop has now put a small drop of oil and stabilizer in my gas tank to clean the jets out

xxxxx

Originally Posted by barnett468

Hello dylanisaacs How many hours does the plug have on it approximately?


Originally Posted by dylanisaacs

plug has less than 20 hours i think, i ride at a mix of high and low but mostly low rpms, it needs 1/4 choke to start, it starts with the first kick, its 2. pale yellow with no rust or sedlemient

xxxxx

Originally Posted by barnett468

Remove the plug and by picking a number please tell us EXACTLY what color the pointed white porcelain part is.

1. White

2, Lite tan

3. Dark tan?

4, Dry black?

5. Moist gooey black?


Originally Posted by dylanisaacs

its 4. Dry black

xxxxx

Originally Posted by barnett468

Hello dylanisaacs Let us know how it carburetes too if you want, ie, any flat spots or burbles/stutters?

xxxxx

Originally Posted by dylanisaacs

pulled my plug today and it was white how do i fix it?


Did you change or do ANYTHING besides your spark plug since the last time you posted?

Did you still have oil in your gas while you were running with the new plug?

What number was the old plug?

What number is the new plug?

Did it burble/stutter upon acceleration with the black plug?

Did it have any flat spots [no burble or stutter upon acceleration with the black plug?

Does it run the same now as it did with the black plug?

Does it idle the same as it did before and does it idle ok?

Does it still require the same amount of choke to start now as iot did when the plug was black?

Do you notice your motor running hotter than it did before?

Does your exhaust pipe glow red after a while?

How long has your new plug been in there?

Do you know what your main and pilot jet sizes are?”

[tri again]

Hi,
Not sure I read everything correctly but I remember a
thread about using brakleen to clean stuff that will be torched or welded.
I personally can't seem to live without it.

Apparently it turns into phosgene gas in the presence of flame which can cause permanent lung damage with the smallest of exposure.

I've heard that carb cleaner can work to check for intake leaks but not sure about that either.
I read the can after I read that article and the warning is very vague.

http://www.3wheelerworld.com/showthr...light=phosgene