by: Maricon Williams
Bike's language is easy to comprehend. Even just by staring at it, you can already grasp the message. Just the mere spark plug color can determine the condition of the bike. Spark plugs change color and that change goes along with its condition. Here are their colors and their corresponding state. :
1. Black. A black dry fluffy colored plug is caused by excessive idling of the bike or by deposits from a carburetor rich with too much gas. Emission of black smoke is a sign of this. On the other hand, black wet glazed plug is caused by the burned oil leaking past the piston rings or valve guides as well as burning in the cylinder.
2. White. This color is caused by the overheating of the engine. Repair of the engine must be reorted to avoid damage to the engine. The plug may turn white when there is leaking crankshafts seals, base or head gasket leaks, no oil, cooling problems, low octane fuel, time not set and too much air/fuel mixture in carburetor.
3. Tan. The engine is normal and the mixture of air/fuel is right when the color of the plug is tan. If a rider intends to replace it, it must be replaced by a plug with the same heat range. New plug have square edges to help the plug fire better.
Aside from colors, another thing to consider is the plug's appearance. Here are some instances when the rider must be extra cautious.
1. When the porcelin on the plug breaks the cause can be excessive detonation. In this instance, the engine must not be allowed to run so as not to damage it.
2. Worn out plug is a result of long time period usage. This kind of plug needs a lot of voltage to fire. This can also cause poor engine running.
3. Carbon across the plug gap is usually caused by loosened carbon. This causes the plug to misfire.
4. Preignition can also cause a great damage. So the biker must always check the lean air/fuel mixture cooling system correct heat range plug and over advanced ignition timing.
5. There are also instances when something hits the spark plug. In this case, repairs must be done before using te engine. Always make sure that the spark plug is the correct length fo the engine.
Do not take these motorcycle warnings for granted. Act on them at the soonest possible time to avoid dangerous consequences.