[Killaz]

Ok I just thought I should post how this all turned out for me. When I pulled the head and piston I found this:




I emailed JD and he suggested that it was likely my idle circuit which was to blame for the rich condition. He asked me to try out:

#162 Main (down from a #168)
#42 Pilot (down from the stock #45)
Red needle, 4th position from top
Fuel screw 1 1/2 turns out

I also took this opportunity to do the O-ring mod provided with my JD kit since I had the carb off.

I cleaned up the head and piston, they looked pretty good upon installation:




It took me a few weeks to get the bike buttoned back up (had to wait for new gaskets and then new cam assembly bolts as I accidentally overtorqued them and snapped one clean off), but when I did she fired up first try.

As for the Stage II Hotcam - money well spent. She pulls really hard everywhere. I haven't had a chance to take it out to the trails, but I 'm really looking forward to it. I also need to do a compression test just to be sure I've got the decompressor set right, but my butt-dyno tells me it's close.

I really should have clued in that my pilot jetting was rich, although some indicators pointed that it was lean. I had a minor hanging idle (classic lean condition) and pop-on-decel. I guess the lesson here is that these symtoms can also indicate a rich condition and you really need to pull that plug to find out for sure. All in all a great learning experience for me and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage.

That $70 on a JD kit really is money well spent for anyone who isn't a jetting expert. JD answered my email on boxing day and was right on the money. I would likely still be chasing the lean idle circuit symtoms if not for JDs suggestion.

[PhilM]

Killa,

I am going to get greif for this, but you my friend have an oil control problem. Look at a few things. Number one. The threads on the plug. Normally this is one of the elements for tunning a alcohol enging, but for a gas motor, anything but ani seize is a bad thing. When you put a new plug in it, a lean rich adjustment should be made by the where the mixture ring is not the appearance of a wet plug. In my experience, a plug that is fouled that badly and the bike runs great shows the presence of a oil fouling not gas foul. I am not saying that it is not rich, but dial it in after you put a new plug in and ride it as you normally do, shut it off, then do a plug check.


Your piston shows signs of deonation. Specifically on the right side. You can see it wspecially when you cleaned it. If that is pitting and discoloration after cleaning, it has been detonating.

If you have some time, and reused the factory rings, can you do some check for me?

[Testas1]

Performed another valve check ,ooopppps I mean waste of time, this weekend.... They are perfect after 30 hrs.... I hate all the naysayers and speculation

[devistation]

Looks like a valve check is in order for me!!! Mine is getting hard to start!! I've never check them, and i bought it in june of 05..