#4 plug black and sooty

[SlowOldGuy]

Youve got unmetered fuel seeping in from somewhere.  Double check the needle seat o-rings, maybe you pinched the one on #4.  You did install new o-rings, right?  Do the upside down blow test to make sure they are not leaking.

Next check the float/fuel level.  If you have some way to measure the float weight, compare them and see if one is somehow retaining fuel.  Swap the #4 float to a different carb and see if it follows the float.

Make sure all the choke plungers are sealing.  If you blow into the small oval port on the air filter side of the carb, it should raise the slide and slowly leak down.  If the choke plunger is leaking, the pressure will leak down faster than the other carbs.

That all I got.  Good luck and report progress.

DavidR.

[wakdady]

I've been having this issue for a while. Two plugs oily and shitty. Float bowls are at 22mm and everything in the Carb is brand spanking new! I'm beginning to think its mechanical in the motor itself. Won't idle but I'll rev fine after about 2k

[movenon]

I've been having this issue for a while. Two plugs oily and shitty. Float bowls are at 22mm and everything in the Carb is brand spanking new! I'm beginning to think its mechanical in the motor itself. Won't idle but I'll rev fine after about 2k

"Oily and shitty"? Or sooty ? Are you consumming any more oil than normal ? What is your exhaust color ? (not a real good indicator by the way) are your muffler tips oily or sooty ? How's the plug smell ? Gas or oil ? Get a piece of white paper and smear some of that material off and see if its oily or sooty. I am not sure any of this will help but....
Just for grins, take the seat off and check out the choke rod mech and what you can see of the choke plungers, activate the the chock knob make sure #4 is entering and pulling out the same as the others. You will notice that the brass part of the plunger probably has a lot of wear where it connects to the choke rod via a small "forked" bracket. (Randy will probably have to start stocking choke plungers someday from what I have seen),  Is the small forked bracket on the rod tight? I think its an allen screw into a small detent on the choke rod. It's probably ok but hey its an easy check.
After that I would pull the carbs and do more checking. Blow test the diaphragms. If there is a bad leak then take a real hard look at the choke plunger and diaphragm seal.
Turn the carb upside down and blow into the fuel inlet ( I would think if it was leaking you would notice fuel dripping under the bike out of the overflow hose) but better to check. You are aware that there are 2 different fuel inlet needle and seat valves ? One I think for gravity feed and one for pressurized fuel. Look in RPM online catalog. Make sure the float is real free and no binding. Jet snug, needle clip/washer/plastic spacer in correct position etc, etc.   Details....
I don't know if any of this will help but its just a machine and you will get it trimmed out.
Oh, back at the spark plug, did you actually see a good spark at the plug ??  If you have a real good friend have him hold on to it while you crank over the engine Give him (or her) a few drinks before hand ). OSHA would most likely have you put a lot of padding around just for safety's sake...... Better safe than sorry...

[racerrad8]

I've been having this issue for a while...

Henry, Henry, Henry...

I gotta come see you in the next couple weeks randy. Watch a doin this weekend?

Give me a call, this weekend can work for me.

Randy - RPM

[racerrad8]

...I did switch #4 and #1 the problem didnt switch

That means you either have a carb or mechanical engine issue causing the plug reading.

Randy - RPM

[flick250]

Changed the #3 and #4 floats and re- synced the carbs runs good now no more sooty plug. Thanks for all the help. Just ordered new handle bars from speigler shuld be here tues cant wait. Again thanks for all the help Flick250

[movenon]

Glad to hear you located the problem . Thanks for the update. Always nice to read the last page of a mystery ! In the end the problem was simple. Do you think the float was sticking or was it adjustment ?