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advice please - ZX12R engine - carbon covered plugs
locostbuyer83 - 4/9/10 at 03:41 PM

Hi Everyone,

Please could you give me some advice.

My zx12r engine (2003) is running rich and im getting some black smoke out of the exhaust and looking at the plugs they are covered in carbon deposits.

I've checked all the sensors are plugged in.

It runs a little lumpy as well

Thanks
Stu


Hellfire - 4/9/10 at 03:50 PM

Is your car on the road? If not, I wouldn't worry about it too much just yet. Wait till it's on the road and get the power commander mapped on a rolling road.

Phil


locostbuyer83 - 4/9/10 at 04:54 PM

Hi Phil,

no its not on the road yet, just up and running. Do i require a power commander then to get the engine tuned?
Did you engine run a little rough before you got it set up properly?

Thanks
Stuart


Hellfire - 4/9/10 at 06:03 PM

Without a device fitted allowing you to alter the fuel/air ratio, you'll probably find that your engine runs lean. Fitting a Power Commander or similar, will allow you to alter the fuelling, to optimise the performance of your engine.

Our engine never ran 'rough' and there certainly wasn't any black smoke but continually starting the engine and running it for short periods without any load would eventually foul the plugs.

Phil


locostbuyer83 - 4/9/10 at 06:18 PM

Hi Phil,

Oh mines definately not running quite right. It runs ok but i cleaned up the plugs and after a single run of a few mins they we're covered in carbon deposits. This results in the engine not being able to run well at all. in fact at the start of the day I used the trick of heating the first spark plug to start the engine as it wouldnt start and then realised that the engine was only firing on 1 cylinder. After i cleaned all the plugs it ran on all 4 but its running very rich.

Thanks
Stuart

Thanks


Moorron - 4/9/10 at 07:08 PM

best thing to do is wire up a ECU led if you dont have the original clocks and see if the ecu is giving any codes. This will tell you if the sensors on the engine are ok.

ive had 2 ZX12 engines now, one a 2003 b model and the other a 2002 A2 model, with both the same exhaust and air filter one was rich on the standard map and the other lean.

Get the car finished and then get it rolling roaded or buy a Air fuel meter (LC1) to see whats going on.


Hellfire - 4/9/10 at 07:15 PM

Hi Stu,

I dont suppose you heard the engine before you bought it?

The engine should run ok, but it needs tuning as our Phil says.

I'm guessing that you have the clocks fitted (or at least wired in) - is the FI light showing any faults?

Dont worry, just yet

Steve


belgian2b - 4/9/10 at 08:03 PM

Hello,

i have a zx12r Power Commander PC3r for sale.

Gerardo


grub - 4/9/10 at 08:29 PM

quote:
Originally posted by locostbuyer83
Hi Phil,

Oh mines definately not running quite right. It runs ok but i cleaned up the plugs and after a single run of a few mins they we're covered in carbon deposits. This results in the engine not being able to run well at all. in fact at the start of the day I used the trick of heating the first spark plug to start the engine as it wouldnt start and then realised that the engine was only firing on 1 cylinder. After i cleaned all the plugs it ran on all 4 but its running very rich.

Thanks
Stuart

Thanks
mine is the same it wont start up if you touch the throttle she fires up on sounds like one cylinder then after 30 seconds it picks up on all four then runs fine


Rocket_Rabbit - 4/9/10 at 11:06 PM

On all of the, admittedly car, engines I have worked on, the MAP/Air Flow sensor can be damaged and NOT throw a Check Engine Light.


locostbuyer83 - 5/9/10 at 08:25 AM

I didn't hear the engine before so couldn't say if it ran well but assume it did going my the precise way the previous owner had looked after the engine.
The inlet air sensor has been knocked about a bit so it could be faulty I suppose.
When i first started it, it ran well but the plugs just get clogged up and then its pants.

does anyone know of a location of a rolling road in or near eastbourne?