Topic: Plug corrosion I've never seen before

[Ace Blackwell]

All,  I'm trying to get the bike fired back up after a carb rebuild and 3-4 years of sitting.  So I check the points and visually they look good and seem to be strong and cycling freely. I'm not a points expert, just looking for obvious damage.   Then I checked the plugs.  They are old from sitting but were put in just before parking so functionally not too old.

Which brings me to the point Plugs 2 and 3 looked good.  Minimal black at the end.  But 1 and 4 had white corrosion and rust.  (see the picture) is this from light contact and arcing within the plug wire or is something else going on? 

Thanks

[jgger]

Looks like moisture induced electrolysis to me.

[Don R]

 Moisture or road salt tracked in by a car could be a possibility. I looked at a 750 that was  leaned against a tractor tire with a seeping chloride leak and the entire bike looked like that. A young guy bought it and I gave him wheels for it, not sure if it ever ran.

[Ace Blackwell]

Thanks for the insight.  The bike has been building kept.  Not environmentally controlled but dry from a rain/snow standpoint.  If it is water damage, I'm thinking the boots aren't sealing so the open air moisture it getting in.  I guessed the corrosion was "sitting" damage but found the fact that it was 1-4 only, suspicious.  Probably makes sense given they are the out board plugs.

Thanks Again
 

[maxheadflow]

It's an indication that the bike had gotten wet either by washing or rain and was not ridden afterwards.

[Ace Blackwell]

Washing triggered my memory, I pressure washed last year when I was polishing on everything. Once I started on actually getting it to run, I stopped polishing. It must have gotten wet at that time.

[pjlogue]

Thanks for the insight.  The bike has been building kept.  Not environmentally controlled but dry from a rain/snow standpoint.  If it is water damage, I'm thinking the boots aren't sealing so the open air moisture it getting in.  I guessed the corrosion was "sitting" damage but found the fact that it was 1-4 only, suspicious.  Probably makes sense given they are the out board plugs.

Thanks Again

Yes, I'd say the plug cap boots are bad/cracked.  Any water getting on the spark plug wires is following the wire and seeping past the boot where it sits for a long time.  I would replace them and get some Dow Corning Silicone vacuum grease or diaelectric grease and use that on the rubber.  It does not harm rubber like petroleum does and it repels water and lubricates. 

-P.

[Don R]

 A warm up ride might have dried that out, If the rest of it looks good, swap the plugs and enjoy it.

[ekpent]

and clean or inspect the brass inside of the caps if your keeping them

[Ace Blackwell]

Thanks all. The boots looked well enough but they are at least 35 years old with I lot of sitting time so yep time for some new ones. I used a spiral brass brush for ID of wire. I was able to get the bike started. First time in 4+ years and after carb rebuild. See “What did you do for bike today” thread if you are interested in how it sounds. ( and who wouldn’t be lol)

Thanks again for the input.