Tuning mixture by plug color

[RTK]

How many of you guys adjust your mixture/needles by plug color.?

 

[full chizel]

Its not real accurate so i’d guess not many

 

[RTK]

Hmm, many of the other 2 stroke motor sports use it extensively, wonder why more don’t apply it to saws.

 

[Justin Taylor]

Hmm, many of the other 2 stroke motor sports use it extensively, wonder why more don’t apply it to saws.

Because of idle time, most guys on here go off sound and tac

 

[nettle]

I would think it more accurate than sound. Reading plugs works for cars and motorcycles. Both 2 stroke and 4. With fresh plugs.

 

[buttercup]

I would think it more accurate than sound. Reading plugs works for cars and motorcycles. Both 2 stroke and 4. With fresh plugs.

But those are not rpm limited by fuel drowning, if you make it too lean based on the color of the spark plug you don really have to look at it the next time around...

 

[RTK]

If I pull a plug it is after a couple of long cuts buried in the wood, that way you never hit either limiter. Seems to verify my ear.

 

[Deleted member 117362]

It's your saws, if you like tuning by plug color. All good. I will keep mine tuned to 4 stroke. Tune in the cut with a tach. As long as saw runs and cuts well, what is the problem how it's done? What oil ratio is best? What is best bar and 2 stroke oil?

 

[MacAttack]

I've done a lot of evaluating engine tuning by plug color and i always felt like it was useful to verify your tuning was "in the ball park" when you were able to run something for several hours and verify a nice light brown plug color. Dark brown or black on your snowmobile after several miles and you could safely drop a main jet size and see if it lightens up a little.

I haven't done as much saw tuning, but I like to get them about as rich as possible without them running dirty and lazy. Based on my reading on this forum I'm going to retune my saws using the "4 stroking" method at WOT with no load, and then clean up in the cut. This seems to be a reliable method on a saw, and you can get an immediate gauge on your mixture versus having to run it a while and read a plug.

For sure though, a white or very light gray plug, especially with any metal speckle, and you are way too lean.

 

[dmb2613]

Sounds like a good way to burn up a P&C

 

[Huskybill]

Reading the color of the spark plugs doesn’t work with ethonal gas.

 

[RTK]

I've done a lot of evaluating engine tuning by plug color and i always felt like it was useful to verify your tuning was "in the ball park" when you were able to run something for several hours and verify a nice light brown plug color. Dark brown or black on your snowmobile after several miles and you could safely drop a main jet size and see if it lightens up a little.

I haven't done as much saw tuning, but I like to get them about as rich as possible without them running dirty and lazy. Based on my reading on this forum I'm going to retune my saws using the "4 stroking" method at WOT with no load, and then clean up in the cut. This seems to be a reliable method on a saw, and you can get an immediate gauge on your mixture versus having to run it a while and read a plug.

For sure though, a white or very light gray plug, especially with any metal speckle, and you are way too lean.

Exactly, if your ear tells you it is right so should the plug.

 

[old guy]

Has anybody looked at the color of auto tune plugs? they run just about white.
I no longer want to see any brown on my plugs, light grey works fine for me & I have not burned up a saw yet, course I use Scheaffers 9000 At 40-1 and do not use a dull chain or bog a saw down.
You can't go by four strokeing at wot with a rev limited coil either.

 

[Ronaldo]

Has anybody looked at the color of auto tune plugs? they run just about white.
I no longer want to see any brown on my plugs, light grey works fine for me & I have not burned up a saw yet, course I use Scheaffers 9000 At 40-1 and do not use a dull chain or bog a saw down.
You can't go by four strokeing at wot with a rev limited coil either.

If working with a rev limited coil just tune in the wood. Hard to go wrong with that method.

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[MacAttack]

Maybe my thinking is a little "old school" but I'd never want to see plugs running white in a 2-stroke.

 

[old guy]

Maybe my thinking is a little "old school" but I'd never want to see plugs running white in a 2-stroke.

Just get Yee an autotune saw, you'll see it every time you pull the plug.

 

[blsnelling]

There is no better way to tune a chainsaw than by ear.

 

[Ted Jenkins]

I have way more experience than most on tuning two stroke engines. Does that mean I have never made a mistake exactly the opposite. I have burned up enough engines to know what not to do. As far as auto tune I have little to no comment on that issue because it quite different that the tuning required on many other engines. Four stroking is fine if it is used along with the checking of the plug. There is no need to have a brand new plug, but it should be checked. Checking the plug is essential period. With every change in weather, oil ratio, oil brand, fuel, and of course altitude. Chain saws are very forgiving as they do not to be spot on to give great performance, but a perfectly tuned motor will give longer satisfactory life. Thanks

 

[BlacknTan]

To me, reading a plug is a secondary check... not primary.

 

[MacAttack]

Just get Yee an autotune saw, you'll see it every time you pull the plug.

so I've heard, and I have no doubt they hold up, I'm sure the engineers at Stihl and Husky have more insight than i do. It would be something I'd have to get used to...