dirty plugs, running hot

[camalot400]

hello everyone, i have a question with all the info i can think of. if my answers are already to found on this forum and i could not find them, im sorry, please let me know.
My newish plugs (i mean about a month old with a couple km on them from the odd rip around the block) are black and sooty, and the bike is running really really hot; the right side header is now blue. What is this info telling me? Any thoughts are appreciated ... the carbs were cleaned when the pods were put on and re jetted a few months ago. I will try to find the jet sizes to let you know, but i think they two sizes bigger. ive drilled out a half inch hole in my mufflers when i put them on befor getting the bike re jetted. thanks for all the help

 

[willem]

It's very strange to get sooty black plugs (which indicates running rich) AND have a very hot header (which indicates running lean)..

How's your idle mixture screw? Do you have some backfires as well? Can you post some pictures of the blue header? And also of your plugs?

And did you do a carb sync after you re-jetted?

 

[Scorpio1963]

When I first readthrough the thread I thought the same thing,plugs have signs of running rich but yet the bike is running hot on one side which indicates a lean condition.Can you adjust the timing?Id try turning your mixture screws in by a half a turn.Also sorry if its there but how does the bike idle?

 

[camalot400]

thanks guys here is a vid of what it sounds like, my mechanic actually did the timing and i have yet to adjust anything myself exept for the idle screw.

cams xs

 

[Scorpio1963]

Some bluing of the pipes is a natural occurnce so I wouldnt worry to much about it.By the sound of the clip the idle seemed to smooth out pretty good once the bike warmed up.Question have you ridden the bike since you made any adjustments?Take it and cruise for a couple miles then check the color of your plugs and post a pic?Last but not least did you sync the carbs properly or just bench sync them?This is a must and very important cause your carbs will not run evenly.Theres a thread on here that explains how to make your own home made sync tool cheaply.

 

[camalot400]

i have actually not done a carb sync, the mechanic did, because there was allot of things to do that i had no idea about, i only knew what had to be done not how to do it, like set the points, adjust the timing and balance the carbs. but i feel now that i had better dig in and learn to take apart my carbs clean and balance them, by how fast things can mess up. So far the mechanic an avid xs400 fan, rider and owner of a few of them, suggested that i do not mess with them myself, unless i have the necessary extra parts that he says i will most likely wreck in the process of learning. but i think i will have to jump in there soon, as it does not take long, or any riding at all (haha) for things to go awry; as you can see in the pics im still in the process of making the seat, seat framing and getting all my wiring, lights and controls all working, then shining everything up. spring here is well under way. and it doesnt last all too long.
cheers

 

[camalot400]

Thanks yoyoyoyo