Is it possible to get an accurate plug chop when running Opti-2?

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onanysunday

onanysunday

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Apr 21, 2011
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St. Paul
Before I started using Opti-2, my spark plug was a nice tan color. After running Opti-2 in my tank (100:1) my plug turned light grey. To add another layer of complexity, I have also increased my fuel flow and the plug chop (on a new plug) still shows a light grey color. I'd sure like to increase my jet size until my spark plug starts showing a nice caramel color again (so that I know I have the right size jet for my present fuel/air ratio combustion charge), but is this possible with Opti-2, or is your plug always a grey color with Opti-2, no matter what size jet you're running?

I know that on 4-stroke motorcycle engines you can jet your carb to achieve that same caramel color (even though there is no oil being mixed with gas and hence no burned, black oil residue deposits on the plug)
 
bairdco

bairdco

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to save you from a day of reading that epic thread, my plugs are slightly grey, but i can still distinguish a cocoa color in them.

if yours is always grey, you could probably use the same scale, as in, black or very dark grey, too rich, white or very light grey, too lean, and light grey, just right.
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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Light grey = just right with just a hint of cocoa thrown in for good measure? laff So basically it's a similar scale. Instead of a more traditional color scale involving black on the rich end, the scale will now become become dark grey all the way to light grey (to indicate rich/lean conditions) with Opti-2?
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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Yeah, I just checked that Opti-2 thread and you're right it is EPIC. There's no way I'm going to be able to sift through 50 pages to find the answer. Just to confirm - black is now out of the question? ..just like in the NHL :(
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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Hold the phones. After 2 different plug chops using 2 brand new NGK BP6HS plugs both coming back light grey on separate occasions under the same conditions, I decided to try another plug. BP5HS came back a perfect tan color! I guess this has more to do with spark plug heat range than jet size. I just found the perfect heat range for that elusive caramel color when running opti-2 on a sea level stock system = 5.
 
2door

2door

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I'm really glad to finally see that someone else is experiencing grey plugs running Opti-2. I've mentioned it several times in different threads and never had a response except one anti-Opti guy who told me I was going to blow my engines. Several hundred miles later they're all still running perfectly and my plugs are a light grey color.
Sure happy that I'm not alone out here. I was wondering if maybe I was going color blind along with loosing my hearing.
Tom
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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You're not alone and you weren't going crazy. The Opti-2 really does turn your spark plug grey until you go one step hotter (eg.from B6HS to a B5HS) Every spark plug company has a different way of labeling heat ranges on their plugs that don't always make sense, so don't forget to research the numbering system for the brand you're buying for - before you buy. NGK plugs get hotter as the number goes down. This confused me at first because I thought the plug should get hotter if the number goes up -but this wasn't the case. Here is a link decoding the differences in heat ranges among popular spark plug brands.

Sparkplugs.com

As they always said in G.I. Joe, "knowing is half the battle". cvlt1
 
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moonshiner

moonshiner

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i suspect opti has something in it that after its burned , that leaves a dry lubricating residue , again this is just my theory ..?
 
ToxicAz520

ToxicAz520

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Well I can say that my plug is not grey. My plug is a rust color wat does that mean? pic included. When i switched to opti i had big time 4stroking then went down a jet size to 68 still 4stroked but not as bad then went to 66 and perfect never ran better till it seized 2 days ago.

I think it was the pin that hold the piston rings cause it is on the top of the piston(pic on bottom notice hole in the head gasket where pin hit any help here but dnt wanna get off topic) Just would like to kno about the rust color of the plug tho I will try to reasearch the other. Thanks any input would be nice.





:-||
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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With a seized engine, spark plug color is the least of your worries at this point.

This may be a wild guess but I'd say that your plug is rust colored not because of the opti-2, but because your cylinder is seized and needs to be overhauled or replaced before you'd be able to get an accurate plug reading - whether you're running opti-2 or any other 2-cycle oil. You have to have normal compression in a healthy combustion environment first in order to be able to accurately gauge spark plug color. Low compression in a damaged engine would give your plug a rusty, dark color regardless of whether or not you had the right jet size, carb adjustment or correct oil with proper fuel/oil ratio. You'd have to overhaul or replace the engine first before you'd be able to start reading plug color once again with Opti-2.
 
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ToxicAz520

ToxicAz520

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no it dnt run any more it seized up on me, my gonna tak it apart to find out why and rebuild. before it went it had great compression could hear the vacum. it ran really strong 32 wot and it was a 48cc. i never got that grey color before it did go. it was my first bike got it used they said it only had 100 mi but the piston had all that carbon on it wen i got it. since then i tuned it ran way better and put 600mi since i have had it. once i rebuild i will do a plug chop
 
Dave31

Dave31

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Mar 1, 2008
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Maybe its the unleaded fuel in Tucson cause I am seeing this more and more often. Even my Morini exhaust is coming out red but the plug looks perfect? Yet, my China girl has yet to have this problem but I am seeing lots of motors at work with reddish plugs.
 
ToxicAz520

ToxicAz520

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I was wondering if you guys could post a couple of pics of your spark plugs after a chop to show me what color of gray you are talking about.

My plug is coming out gray but it is so different from then tan chocolate color of the other oils that I want it to be right. It comes out dark gray to black on cruising chops a little rich for now cause still in break-in but on full throttle chop comes out light gray but I would like a comparison to make sure it is not to light.

I would post pics I just don't have the light or the time right now but I will try to get some on here tomarrow If time allows.

Thanks
 
ToxicAz520

ToxicAz520

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Mar 11, 2011
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Sorry to bump an older thread but I have built an new bike and the plug is coming out light grey at a full throttle plug chops and darker at the lower levels. If some happend to have any pics that they could post of a proper grey or their grey I would like to see it. If I ever get a chance to post a pic of mine I will.
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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Apr 21, 2011
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St. Paul
ToxicAz520 said:
I was wondering if you guys could post a couple of pics of your spark plugs after a chop to show me what color of gray you are talking about.

My plug is coming out gray but it is so different from then tan chocolate color of the other oils that I want it to be right. It comes out dark gray to black on cruising chops a little rich for now cause still in break-in but on full throttle chop comes out light gray but I would like a comparison to make sure it is not to light.

I would post pics I just don't have the light or the time right now but I will try to get some on here tomarrow If time allows.

Thanks
Click to expand...
What spark plug are you using? I solved this grey spark plug problem by going one step hotter from a NGK BP6HS (recommended) to a BP5HS. I was a little hesitant changing my heat range since B6HS is usually recommended in these forums over the B5HS, but I have to say it really worked for me. Try and do a plug chop with a hotter plug, if you don't like it or didn't get the results you wanted you can always go back to the colder plug.. Try going one step hotter with whatever plug you're using and let us know if the plug is still grey.
 
onanysunday

onanysunday

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Apr 21, 2011
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It may just be my experience -but I'm wondering whether anyone else noticed Opti-2 seems to prefer a spark plug one step hotter than normal (for that ideal caramel/tan color)? To be fair I replaced my partially clogged stock fuel petcock with a high-flow version at the same time I increased my heat range so that also may be the reason I eventually got the ideal spark plug color..A combination of both/either of these procedures could prove useful in getting that ideal color.
 
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