Anybody....I have an 02 Roadstar...108" big bore kit, Barons BAK, Bub Jug Huggers, 31 tooth pulley, Dyna3000 set at 32b and 6 degrees retard, barons ported intake manifold....bike runs awsome....lots of power. About 4 weeks ago my oil level was at the half way mark on the dipstick....I went for a 150 mile ride one day and a quick 40 mile ride the next day....after the second day I checked my oil after about an hour of letting the bike sit and the level was just barely on the very tip of the dipstick. I put maybe 1/2 a quart in and the leve was back up to 1/2 on the dipstick again....the next ride I went on was about 50-60 miles and the level was at 1/2 still....I went on one more ride and checked the oil and the oil was back down just below the tip of the dipstick. My front pipe is darker than my rear pipe almost as if it is burning richer than my rear. My buddies tell me that once in a while when I get on the throttle that I have a puff of black smoke and then they won't see it for a while. I don't have any blue smoke like I'm burning oil or anything of that nature. I started my bike up the other day in the garage, let it warm up to normal operating temp and cracked the throttle a few times and had some black smoke come out of the front pipe....seems almost like it is carboned up. My rear plugs were dark brown with little carbon, and my front left plug had what looked like oil on the threads (maybe WD-40 from installing the plugs but not sure) and was very carboned up, the front right plug didn't have the so called oil on the threads and was pretty carboned up. Would anybody have a good explanation as to what is going on? Any advice or info is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

You may have two separate things going on.

When you crack the throttle and black smoke comes out that means that you are too rich on the carb. Burning oil would be more of a blue smoke.

The oil/dipstick may not be anything. Check to see if you don't have any gaskets leaking. Otherwise don't worry too much about getting the same reading on the dipstick; it's not consistent from reading to reading.

Doc

Ok Doc...could you explain why my front cylinder is running richer than my rear? Cuz that is where the black smoke is coming from. WHen I installed my big bore kit this last winter, I, of course put new plugs in (autolite 4164) but I forgot to regap them to .034. If I remember right, they were originally gapped from the factory at .028. Now when I pulled those plugs after about 120 miles, they looked absolutely perfect. then I replaced those plugs with the same kind and gapped them to .034 and now I am having the carbon and rich conditions. Not to mention I had more "snort" with the smaller gap. Would it hurt anything if I gapped my plugs back to .028? Thanks

You may want to check your spark coils and/or wires. A number of folks over on the Road Star riders' forum have been complaining about weak sparks. Friend of mine recently changes is coils out for the Dyna coils and new wires. His bike's been running a lot stronger and before one of his cylinders was giving him a problem!

Thanks.....I will check into that.

beefcake2play,

That's wierd; most guys see the black plugs or black smoke coming from the rear cylinder.

The rear jug run hotter than the front as the front is cooled more effectively. That's one reaseon it difficult to get the jetting rich for both front and back jugs

pday may be on to something. When it dark outside, start the bike and look under the tank at the coils. If you see arcing then you should wrap the coils or repalce them.

BTW: Don't put WD40 on the plug threads; use anti-seize instead.

Doc

Doc and pday....I checked both sparks on the front cylinder and sure enough...right side had a strong spark and the left side very weak. I will order Dyna coils and wires today. Thanks guys....also about my oil level problem. I took my bike out last night for a little cruise, check the oil level shortly after I got home and the level was to the top line on the dipstick (hot oil). This morning I checked the oil again while it was cold, and it was at half. Thanks guys for all your help.

beefcake2play,

Glad you're making progress. One thing I'll mention about the oil level. I think the manual suggests you check the oil level when the engine is hot. The first oil change I did, I was checking behind myself and couldn't find any oil at all on the dipstick when cold, so I added some. Next day I was riding with a buddy and he said he could smell oil in my exhaust. I checked the level and it was over the top line on the dipstick. I siphoned some oil out until I got the level to where it's midway between the marks when the engine is hot. That's where I try to keep it now and haven't had any problems since!

THanks Pday....I'll keep you guys posted on my progress

Here's a good question. since the last time I talked to you guys, I installed my dyna coils and wires. Replaced the plugs and gapped them to where they are suppose to be. Now whenever I crack the throttle, say for instance at 55mph in 3rd gear, I get a good puff of blue smoke from the front exhaust. I have plenty of power. I also checked my front plugs and again, my left plug is full of soot and the right plug is perfect. I was told on another site to have a compression and leakdown test done. What will those tests indicate? Also, would my timing on my dyna3000 have any sort effect on this problem?