Re: GasMileage/Surging

["Steve Makohin" <wateredg@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello Paul,

From: <PGK75S@xxxxxxx>

> In a message dated 9/26/06 1:29:47 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
> kalimusic@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
>
> << According to John Parker, skilled engine tuner and lead technician at 
> Budds
> BMW, he says that preferences for spark plug brand is like a religion:
> People swear by it because they allege it makes their life better, but 
> they
> don't know how it works. Autolite plugs are a famous case in point for 
> their
> alleged ability to reduce or eliminate surging in Oilheads. >>
>
> Not knowing how something works doesn't mean it does not work...

Correct. But "not knowing how something works" may lead one to wrong 
conclusions, such as a specific brand of spark plugs being a magic bullet 
for surging. Some Oilhead owners cured their surging with Autolite plugs. 
Others tried them and said their bike still surged. The "Faithful Followers" 
swear by Autolite plugs, because they worked for them, and they spread the 
gospel. Unfortunately, the gospel may not apply to others. Or even to a 
"Faithful Follower" who gets another Oilhead, finds that it surges, puts in 
the trusty Autolites, and is shocked to learn the magic does not work on the 
new bike.

I'm a big fan of understanding. Otherwise, I have to put my trust in someone 
who hopefully has the understanding (like a good tuner, like John Parker at 
Budds BMW). Experience* has taught me that problems that mysteriously 
disappear, can mysteriously reappear.



> ...Dyno testing has proven that just changing the electrode position in
> an engine using the SAME set of plugs will affect HP so it seems all
> sparks aren't the same.

Yup. Different point than the one you make previously, though. Pilots have a 
saying to the effect that every pilot should own a twin-engine plane at some 
point in their life, just so they can see how very different two "identical" 
engines can be. The same goes for Oilhead engines. Even with digital timing 
and fuel injection, they are very "analog."

- -Steve Makohin
 '01 R1100S/ABS
 Oakville, Ontario, Canada

___________________
*Experience is the name we lovingly give to our mistakes. 

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