spark plug read

[JetDriver]

What's on my spark plug?

[Bighead]

Looks to be part rust and carbon.

[JetDriver]

Looks to be part rust and carbon.

Do I have a problem?

[old2soon]

Check air filter. If not sure how long it's been in-REPLACE. Clean and regap plugs. Ride it like ya stole it. When you ride is it just short hops or does the engine get warmed up good?? Put a good fuel cleaner in with the next tank of gas. Techron or B-12 Chem Tool comes to mind. Pour carefully-these additives are not kind to painted surfaces. Then ride the snot out of her. RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

Also, be sure certain to copper antiseize your plug threads.  (There are other types than copper, but it has always done a good job for me)

And check your plug drain holes, it looks like water may have gotten down in there.

[Chrisj CMA]

Looks to be part rust and carbon.

Do I have a problem?

mixture looks to be ok, maybe you are not riding enough

[JetDriver]

I'm thinking maybe old2soon may have my problem for me.  It's been 16k since I changed these plugs and the air filter.  I was pretty surprised at how incredibly dirty my air filter was this time- not only dirty, but grimy.  It was the most dragon drool in the bottom of the air box that I've seen, too.  So, new air filter, new plugs, and fuel cleaner.  As an aside, I've replaced the plugs with NGK's iridium plugs, just to see.  The loose carbon deposits in the cylinder won't hurt anything?

[Chrisj CMA]

I'm thinking maybe old2soon may have my problem for me.  It's been 16k since I changed these plugs and the air filter.  I was pretty surprised at how incredibly dirty my air filter was this time- not only dirty, but grimy.  It was the most dragon drool in the bottom of the air box that I've seen, too.  So, new air filter, new plugs, and fuel cleaner.  As an aside, I've replaced the plugs with NGK's iridium plugs, just to see.  The loose carbon deposits in the cylinder won't hurt anything?

the carbon wont hurt anything and 16K on plugs is nothing.........them things are good for 60-70K if the engine is all stock

[Patrick]

Clean out the drain holes, clean up the sparklers, set/check the gaps, anti-seize them, then, go run it. It sure doesn't do any harm to check or replace the filter.

[old2soon]

At 16K on the plugs-just clean and regap. If your air filter looks anything like mine it's dirtiest at the very front of the filter. I pull my plugs for a look see when I service the rear end. At 87000+ on the clock they have been pulled a few times and cleaned once or twice. AND I ride the snot out of her every chance I get.  RIDE SAFE.

[HayHauler]

At 16k on those plugs, the center electrode isn't even the slightest bit "rounded".  I would do like the others have said, clean them up, regap them, and ride it.

Change the filter if it is really 16k since the last one.

Hay 
Jimmyt

[old2soon]

One more thing then I'm gonna leave this alone. If you have good oil in the crank case-your definition NOT mine-after it's completely warmed up-engine-going to 6 grand should not hurt anything once in awhile. When I say I ride the snot out of her-I've NEVER had my plugs in any motorcycle I've had look like the picture you have posted.  On my race bikes I've holed a few pistons BUT that's another story for another time!!  Sides-ruining engines when yer racing is part of the price for going fast.  RIDE SAFE.

[da prez]

  It looks to be moisture in the fuel. O2S has the right idea. Clean ,treat and run.

                                   da prez

[Jess from VA]

6K rpms is OK under a load (in gear), it is never OK in neutral.

[Ricky-D]

It doesn't make a bit of difference to the engine!

***

[JetDriver]

Thanks for all the input.  I can't really say I ride the snot out of it, but I don't ride sedately either.  I don't use it for errands; pretty much when I ride it's for at least 100 miles.  I keep the gas tank full, and the bike is garaged, so I'm not thinking water in the gas.  The air filter seems like it could be the culprit-  It was the dirtiest and grungiest I've seen it in 15 years.  So, it's got a new air filter now.  We'll see what happens.

[Blackduck]

Loose carbon yes, how often do you ride her?
Awfully clean plugs if the air filter is plugged, looks more to be running lean than rich.
Would need to see what the porcelain looks like down inside the plug to be certain.
No sign of heat marks on the ground electrode.
Do all plugs the same?
Are you loosing coolant? Apears more like it is getting some water in the mix.

[pocobubba]

My wifes wing had plugs lookin like that " water in the gas " !

[JetDriver]

Loose carbon yes, how often do you ride her?
Awfully clean plugs if the air filter is plugged, looks more to be running lean than rich.
Would need to see what the porcelain looks like down inside the plug to be certain.
No sign of heat marks on the ground electrode.
Do all plugs the same?
Are you loosing coolant? Apears more like it is getting some water in the mix.

The numbers are the cylinders they came out of.  I'm not losing any coolant.  I brought the bike into the garage with less than a quart of fuel, running on reserve.  If there's water in the bottom of the tank, I suppose I could have been drawing it in.  As you can see in the pics, the carbon flakes are only on the right side of the engine.  It doesn't show in the pics, but the little brown marks on the porcelain were on all 6.

[Chrisj CMA]

Throw some techron in the tank and ride it like you stole it, I see no problem there

[Ricky-D]

Tru Dat...

***

[Patrick]

Yep, those sparklers look good. A couple look like the gap may be on the wide side, but, that just may be the way I'm looking at the pics.

[JetDriver]

Thanks for all the help.  I was mostly concerned about the carbon-  I didn't think solid stuff should come out of the cylinder hole!