Interesting problem for the brain trust

[ssevy]

First of all, this isn't about my Tiger; it happens to be running like a top since my rebuild last summer. I just finished a weekend rally with it, and it ran flawlessly, getting 42 mpg except the day we were running pretty hard, when it dropped to 39. This was fully loaded with my 246 pounds and a fair amount of camping gear, so I am entirely happy with those numbers. I was also thrilled to find that after running my CPAP machine off the bike's battery one night, it started right up without having to attach the booster pack I carry. Love those Motobatt batteries!

Okay, so now to the problem. I am posting this here because more of you have "been there, done that", and I think when it comes to diagnosing issues, this is the best resource. Normally I wouldn't want to use Steamer space for a Super 3 issue, but it has been real quiet around here for a while (must be all of our bikes are running great, or everyone has taken up golf instead :icon_wink:), and a triple is a triple.

If you read my ride report from last summer, you may recall that Randy's Super 3 acted like it had bad coils, and we limped it to my house where we changed out some coils and replaced them with some old but good ones I had in my parts bin. We also took out the plugs to examine them, and number 2 & 3 were all fouled up, so we put in new ones.
We then rode for a few days with no issues, but the symptoms returned as he rode home and he had to get a trailer. Once home, he bought brand new coils, put in more new plugs, a new pickup coil, and rode a bit more with no problems last summer.
The symptoms have reappeared this season, and Randy noticed there was oil around the base of the spark plugs and covering all of the threads when he removed them. Last summer he did check his valve clearances, so the valve cover had come off prior to our trip.
Here's our theories:
1- Oil is getting by the rings and fouling the plugs. It happens about every 500 miles, especially if he is really wringing its neck. The question I have, though, is why no smoke in the exhaust? You can neither see it nor smell it when you ride behind him.
2- When doing the valve check, maybe the plug hole gaskets fell out and he didn't notice it, or they have shrunk and hardened with age, which is allowing the oil to get down around the base of the plugs, where the heat/cool cycle sucks it down the threads and into the cylinder, laying on the piston until the next start up, where it then fouls the plugs? I know this sounds pretty farfetched, but I think it sounds the most probable.

Randy is going to pull the valve cover off and have a look, but I thought I would share this here and see if any of you have encountered a similar issue?

[Mustang]

run a compression test to see if the rings are good...........
start there 

[Mustang]

it will also maybe show a blown head gasket , as the more I think about it , this is probably the culprit .

[ssevy]

Specs in the manual for a compression test?

[ssevy]

I spoke with Randy tonight. No contamination visible in either oil or coolant, and until the plugs foul, it runs great.

Still think head gasket?

[Mustang]

still suspect head gasket .......all it takes is one little blow out in just the right spot to let oil in the cylinders
my nissan truck had a blown head gasket and you would never know it the way it ran .............it got the best gas mileage ever .lol
but it was using oil

[Mustang]

as to compression
specs are in the manual somewhere i'm sure ....but if you see at least 100 psi out of each cylinder , i would rule out rings .
the reason i suspect head gasket is "why only #3 and #2 , or am i confused and #1 is fouling too

[threepot]

I've had an issue with a mis aligned plug gasket on my super3,,the plug cavity filled with oil,but I didn't notice any getting into the cylinder? Are the plugs tight? As mustang says,could be head gskt? The metal sealing rings on mine were fine after 52k miles. What about valve seals? I've never had a problem with oil consumption with the 3 Hinckley bikes I've had  in 23 yrs!

[ssevy]

Just #2 and #3. #1 is fine.

Any suggestions for reasonably priced compression tool?

[Mustang]

rent one from auto zone

[ssevy]

Thanks. Found a reasonably priced one with good ratings on Amazon. Good tool to own for my other motors.