[redmosquito1]

I replaced my plugs today with a set of NGK plugs. Ran $7.80 for all three, pretty cheap. Bike runs much better now although I think I need to balance the throttle bodies a bit, but thats next weekend.

When I pulled the plugs I had oil on the threads and on the mating surface of the plugs to head. I think its from back when I wrecked I guess I never remembered to give it a real good clean up.

The thing I noticed was on the top of the piston there was some gunked up stuff, how can I clean it and should I be worried about it. It looked like burned oil on them from when it flooded with oil. Would a fair amount of seafoam in the tank remove this?

 

[DEcosse]

You can run the Seafoam directy into the TB's Tom for what you intend
On the Triumph, it probably easiest to just put it directly into the TBs themselves (on some it is easy to pull a vacuum line and use that to have it draw the the fluid into the intake.

I would suggest to remove the airbox and then you can put it directly into each throat. You can drizzle it, but a spray bottle might work even better and avoid a slip where you dump in more than intended. You can run ~ 2/3 can directly like this, split equally between the three TB's, then the rest in a full tank of gas.

You'll need to crack the throttle a little obviously - maybe about 2K rpm should be enough, both to keep it from stalling and also allow the fluid past the throttle plates.
Make sure you do it outside - it will smoke like crazy while it burns off the crud.

 

[Calliway]

Ok before you do this, Decosse, do the 99's have O2 sensors? I have known seafoam to destroy an O2 sensor here and there....... I dont think the 99's do...... but just to be sure.

 

[DEcosse]

No O2 sensor Cal

I never heard that before though.

 

[Calliway]

I have seen in a couple times but most recently on a 2000 Acura 1.6 EL (Honda Civic every where ouside Canada)

Very good chance the O2 sensor was on its way out already but......

 

[DEcosse]

I would probably do the new plugs AFTER the seafoam treatment myself ......

 

[john348]

A friend of mine worked at Mercedes UK and they used to do this but just with ordinary water. I have done it myself and got a lot of black stuff out of the exhaust. You have to get teh engine nice and warm and then as said keep the revs up and get the water in either directly into the air intake or the vacuum tubes. As I say I have done it on old cars not the sprint.

 

[Shovelstrokeed]

An observation and a couple of caveats.

The black gunk could mostly have been normal carbon buildup on the piston tops. Maybe a little from oil if the engine was run with the bike on its side, but not really likely.

You are gonna get that on any gasoline engine, despite claims by BP, Shell and Chevron that their gasoline will run cleaner and magically clean up your engine.

The caveats.
1. If you run SeaFoam or Techron through your engine, change the oil some time in the near future. Not all of the gunk will go happily out the exhaust.

2. A harsh treatment like spraying something directily into a hot running engine will not dissolve carbon deposits but rather cause them to break up into chunks to be blown around in the combustion chamber. It doesn't take a very big chunk or much bad luck to have one lodge or even fasten itself to an exhaust valve seat. Probably not a big deal in a no-load situation such as fast idle but, the first time the engine is placed under a decent load, bye bye exhaust valve.

 

[redmosquito1]

well being as I just changed the plugs and tossed the old ones I guess I won't be seafoaming it anytime soon. The oil is somewhat fresh I don't want to waste that. I'll just say that the stuff I saw was carbon buildup from being on its side and normal running buildup.
thanks guys