How Often Do You Change Plugs and Kicking vs Starter

Yamaha77 said:
changing the plugs. Started up with one kick. Here is a pick of the old plugs.

View attachment 93679
View attachment 93681
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Usually , FOULED plugs from being too rich will cause starting issues. Those plugs are certainly not fouled. The LH one (or the one on the left in the pic) is running richer than the other, but I'd say that neither is rich.
If you truly are running lean, I'm not sure how that would cause an issue with the plugs that would cause starting problems. I don't see too much horribly wrong with those plugs. If anything, you're a little lean on the RH plug (in the pic).

If the bike truly is lean, be careful riding it until you get it sorted. Severe damage can occur from running them lean, including overheating, burning a valve or holing a piston.

Some things that can cause a lean condition:
-vacuum leak
-improper timing or advance
-jetting
-air mixture screw settings
-pod filters (without rejetting properly)

And if you decide to start tuning the carbs, it's a wise idea (some would say imperative) to tune up the bike first; valve adjustment, cam chain adjustment, timing. ONLY then should you tune carbs.
What if you have a valve that's too tight and that's really the issue? Any carb tuning you do is just masking the real issue... a "band aid", so to speak. Not saying that you DO have a tight valve....just giving you an example.
 
Very interesting Tomterrific, I never thought of carbon deposits in connection with a lean mixture. I better start reading up because I will be re-visiting my carbs in Spring. I have a good road and hill sorted for this work.

Cheers.
 
scott s said:
Usually , FOULED plugs from being too rich will cause starting issues. Those plugs are certainly not fouled. The LH one (or the one on the left in the pic) is running richer than the other, but I'd say that neither is rich.
If you truly are running lean, I'm not sure how that would cause an issue with the plugs that would cause starting problems. I don't see too much horribly wrong with those plugs. If anything, you're a little lean on the RH plug (in the pic).

If the bike truly is lean, be careful riding it until you get it sorted. Severe damage can occur from running them lean, including overheating, burning a valve or holing a piston.

Some things that can cause a lean condition:
-vacuum leak
-improper timing or advance
-jetting
-air mixture screw settings
-pod filters (without rejetting properly)

And if you decide to start tuning the carbs, it's a wise idea (some would say imperative) to tune up the bike first; valve adjustment, cam chain adjustment, timing. ONLY then should you tune carbs.
What if you have a valve that's too tight and that's really the issue? Any carb tuning you do is just masking the real issue... a "band aid", so to speak. Not saying that you DO have a tight valve....just giving you an example.
Click to expand...

So from looking at both of those plugs, would you say I am NOT running lean? I just notice a popping when I decelerate. The OP prior to the guy I bought it from posted here and said he rejetted everything properly.
 
Last edited:
Maybe a little on the one side.
But it's a total package. You're unlikely to "tweak it out" with the mixture screws alone.
 
scott s said:
If you like this bike as much as you say you do a d intend to keep it, just fix it properly (or have it fixed).
Click to expand...

I didnt say I wouldnt fix it and Im old enough and smart enough to know that if i want to keep it it needs to be addressed. . I have been tending to his bike and its issues since Ive had it and that will not change. Thanks.
 
Yamaha77 said:
Hmmm. I hope I dont make the engine explode by riding it slightly lean. Oh well.
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Yes this can be a consequence of having a lean condition.......................... Oh well.................. is that much closer.....................you recognize there has been an issue for months and keep riding and have posted numerous threads on the same problem for months with all the answers and links, needed to fix the said problem, without using the advice given to solve the issue.

You should be organizing your tools and some spare time to fix this......................As said earlier, there is a sequence to be done that is a standard procedure when setting up your bike to function at its optimum
 
Yamaha77 said:
I didnt say I wouldnt fix it and Im old enough and smart enough to know that if i want to keep it it needs to be addressed. . I have been tending to his bike and its issues since Ive had it and that will not change. Thanks.
Click to expand...

And there's the attitude...
It took 47 posts, but it's the same thing in every thread.
My comment wasn't derogatory or abusive. Just a simple statement to care properly for the bike.
If you always have all the answers and have made up your mind, why even post?

Go ahead. Blow it up or damage it. Then blame the P.O.
 
scott s said:
And there's the attitude...
It took 47 posts, but it's the same thing in every thread.
My comment wasn't derogatory or abusive. Just a simple statement to care properly for the bike.
If you always have all the answers and have made up your mind, why even post?

Go ahead. Blow it up or damage it. Then blame the P.O.
Click to expand...

Your previous post was condescending. You said "If you like this bike as much as you say you do a d intend to keep it, just fix it properly (or have it fixed)."

duh

Its clear to everyone I like this bike. What was said by you is condescending. Ive made numerous posts in this forum BECAUSE I do like the bike and want it to run properly and therefore sought information.

Im not about to argue with you or anyone or defend myself. I just dont care. Not angry just indifferent: so much so that I dont even block ppl anymore. I just dont care what they say and dont respond.

But you have been helpful and informative so thanks for your advice.
 
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Not condescending at all. You made a post months ago about a lean condition and yet you're still riding it.

It IS clear you like the bike. You tell us all the time and post pic after pic. If you want to keep it living, fix it or have it fixed.

Look....it's a 40 year old bike. When you exchanged paper (dollars or check) for paper (title), you took stewardship. It could be the most perfect running bike in the world. But at that moment, it's now yours and it doesn't matter what the P.O. did or said. You chose to take over owning, maintaining, riding, loving and enjoying a vintage bike. If you put a lot of miles on it in the year or so you've had it, it's already time for a tune-up. That's just how vintage bikes are.

And, sorry dude, but you've set a precedent here. You'll ask for advice, argue about it, tell us what you are and aren't gonna do, etc. It's in every one of your threads....except where you went back and deleted it. You'll go on and on about what you're gonna do, then post about your wonderful mechanic fixing it because you're so busy, blah blah blah. The same shop/mechanic you'll complain about when you get the bike back and the chain is slack or some other B.S.
This will probably get deleted sooner or later, but that's the truth, Ruth. There are many, many others here who agree.
 
scott s said:
Not condescending at all. You made a post months ago about a lean condition and yet you're still riding it.

It IS clear you like the bike. You tell us all the time and post pic after pic. If you want to keep it living, fix it or have it fixed.

Look....it's a 40 year old bike. When you exchanged paper (dollars or check) for paper (title), you took stewardship. It could be the most perfect running bike in the world. But at that moment, it's now yours and it doesn't matter what the P.O. did or said. You chose to take over owning, maintaining, riding, loving and enjoying a vintage bike. If you put a lot of miles on it in the year or so you've had it, it's already time for a tune-up. That's just how vintage bikes are.

And, sorry dude, but you've set a precedent here. You'll ask for advice, argue about it, tell us what you are and aren't gonna do, etc. It's in every one of your threads....except where you went back and deleted it. You'll go on and on about what you're gonna do, then post about your wonderful mechanic fixing it because you're so busy, blah blah blah. The same shop/mechanic you'll complain about when you get the bike back and the chain is slack or some other B.S.
This will probably get deleted sooner or later, but that's the truth, Ruth. There are many, many others here who agree.
Click to expand...

I just said Im not arguing and I meant it. That in mind I only read the first line of your response, saw it was redundant, didnt read the rest of your response and started typing my reply. I dont have time for anything other than bike related facts and friendly stuff from those who want to be friendly. Anything else Im skipping over. Like I said, .....
 
Yamaha77 said:
I dont have time for anything other than bike related facts and friendly stuff from those who want to be friendly. Anything else Im skipping over. Like I said, .....
Click to expand...

Except for fashion shoots, shoes, vintage cars, music, Instagram, business dealings, etc., etc. It's OK when you veer off topic but no one else.
And no one believes that you didn't read it all.
 
scott s said:
Except for fashion shoots, shoes, vintage cars, music, Instagram, business dealings, etc., etc. It's OK when you veer off topic but no one else.
And no one believes that you didn't read it all.
Click to expand...

I just said Im not interested in what ppl believe lol.
I DID NOT read it all and if you dont believe it cool.
I now dont mind when ppl veer off topic.
What I SAID is Im not going to argue or entertain arguments or attacks in any way.
 
Scotts.............Keep trying, don't take confusion as a hopeless case.

I have found it makes learning a lot harder, when i am vague about something i knew, and then trying to apply that to something i am trying to learn..........it is best to say i don't know anything and let the new information be new................I found it is better to say i don't know when learning about something new, if it has any relation to something i knew before it will come back as a light bulb moment..........maybe JJ is having this problem when trying to grasp and take in new information
 

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