| Author | Message | ||
     SouthernMarine  |
Okay, here's the deal and if anyone has any advice, I'm open to it. I will check the board tomorrow, but after that it might be a week before I can check it again. In the moving process, been at it for a couple weeks now. Here's the deal. At 1260 miles on my XB12R I fouled a set of plugs. The front plug was okay, but the rear was black. I changed them. I changed the oil at 1000. I put HD Syn and Mobil One Syn in the bike. I pulled the snorkel long ago. No other mods. I had the idle set around 1000 - 1150, in that range. Around 1400 I had Bumpus HD in Memphis reset the TPS and they adjusted the idle. They lowered it back to around 900. That was two weeks ago. I took it off the trailer on Dec 3rd, attempted to fire it up and had a hard time. I finally got her fired up and she was running like crap. I knew I fouled the plugs again. I changed them and lo and behold the front plug was a little black and the rear was as black as it was the first time. Now I did add some fuel additive a while back, but I'm on my second or third tank of fuel since adding any additive (this is the additive that HD sells). I changed the plugs out again, increased the idle back up to 1000 - 1150, but that's two sets of fouled plugs in under 200 miles. I'm on my third set and hoping they don't foul, any ideas? By the way. I stopped by the local HD svc dpt here in Jacksonville, NC and they told me, "Yeah, we pull the snorkel and add the race kit, we found that this will stop the fouling of the plugs." Uhmm, I'm not that big of an idiot and that's the look I gave them. I took their business card and told them I would be back in touch. I would appreciate any advice. In advance, Thank You. | ||
| M1combat  |
I don't suppose your air filter is unimaginably dirty... Is the fuel aditive safe for injectors? No engine codes? Do you start it and let it run for short periods of time and shut it off? | ||
| Hkwan |
...interesting. Wondering about what some of the reply will be... | ||
| SouthernMarine |
I told my wife tonight I need to take the air filter out and blow it clean. I don't believe that it is that dirty. As for the additive, I didn't even think to check and see if it was safe. I asked the svc dpt at Chosa's HD when I bought it and they said it was okay. Like an idiot, I took their word. I've been thinking that might be the problem. If it wasn't safe for the fuel injection, then what's the best thing to do? I haven't checked it for engine codes yet. I need to study up on that and take a look, unsure of quite how to do it properly. Ever since the first foul, I've been making sure that when I start it up that I try to give it a good warm up period. I might have had some "short period" start ups during the short span, but not too many. | ||
| Dmurphy48 |
Did you by chance start blipping the throttle at start up or idle? I have seen this foul plugs before (i.e. mine). I know its stupid but I figured I would throw it out there. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
It's been blipped, but not much. I learned to stop doing that earlier on. The blipping came from others and as soon as it happened I explained why not to do it, but yes, that has happened some, not a lot. | ||
| Daves |
Between the short time start ups and the blipping, there is your problem. The XBs hate both of these things and will foul plugs if done. Don't start the bike unless you are going to ride it and I think your trouble will go away. | ||
| Wyckedflesh  |
Check your airfilter for excessive oil near the breather tubes. If it appears that you have alot of oil buildup you may have a ring seal problem that is letting oil blow by the rings and therefore fouling the plugs. Otherwise as has been said, start the bike with no throttle and try no tto shut the bike off with the key, use the kill switch. Its a softer shutdown then the abrupt kill the key does. | ||
| Fullpower  |
many of my friends and relations think the primary function of a motorcycle is a sound effects generator, this type of idiot needs to be kept safely out of reach of your throttle. i just explain it like this " its not a harley,it is meant to be ridden not revved senselessly. I am guessing that the bike has not been run up to full operating temperature? maybe running that tank of fuel through the engine will help.put a 100 miles on, keep your buddies away from the bike, and see if that helps. | ||
| Fullpower |
also, it is not supposed to make a "potato,potato,potato" sound at idle.yes it has a sportster engine but ITS NOT A HARLEY. "its a motorcycle, not a noisemaker" set the idle up between 1050-1150 rpm, and it should be much happier. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
I adjusted the idle again today, trying to get it around 1100. I let it warm up for 3 or 4 minutes and it run fine today. For future reference for myself and others, what are others recommendations for warm up period before riding? | ||
| Bomber  |
lots of additive can play hob with your O2 sensor -- careful out there! | ||
| Buellisti |
SouthernMarine, when I purchased my XB12R last year, an old time Harley dude told me to let it idle until the rocker covers feel warm. Takes awhile when the weather is in the 20's and 30's. The bike has always run flawlessly and I have never had fouled plugs or oil leaks. | ||
| SouthernMarine |
Thanks for the tip Eric. I'm hoping it was just a combination of stupid mistakes, additive, etc.. and hoping it doesn't happen again. I might not be able to check the board for a week, but if anyone has anymore tips or advice, please feel free to throw it out. I'm sure that others could use this info in the future. Maybe an Admin can move this thread to the Knowledge Vault? | ||
| Lovematt  |
I let it warm up for at least 2-3 minutes...usually clean off the face shield on the helmet, mirrors, headlight glass and then check the signals and brake light. Last thing I do is touch the cooling fins on the side opposite the headers to make sure they are warm/hot to the touch...I usually don't leave unless at least pretty warm....put the gloves on and we're rolling! | ||
| Ingemar  |
I ride off almost immediately, but ride easy for a few minutes. Then I ride normal and I don't crank it until it's fully hot. | ||
| Dcentric |
I'm not much of a mechanic. How hard is it to change out plugs on a XB9S? Can anyone give me a quick overview of the process? |
