Oil on the Spark Plugs!! Help Wanted :)

Hey guys!

2002 VFR800
15,000 miles

Here is my problem: I was riding my bike back to Minnesota from Indianapolis for our MotoGP trip. The bike started cutting out, and eventually I realized it wasn't running on all cylinders. It would bounce back and forth from 4 cylinders, to 3, and I would lose a lot of power. Then eventually it was switching from 3 cylinders, to 2.

Further down the road, it just started running on 2 cylinders and was stuck there. It ran over 500 miles on 2 cylinders, all the way home.

First things first: I changed the spark plugs. The front two had oil on them (I believe it was oil, I will post a picture below.) Once I changed the spark plugs, she ran like new!!

But I knew there was something causing the spark plugs to foul like that, so I did some looking around on forums. Failing fuel pressure regulator seemed to be a common problem with similar symptoms, so I replaced that right after the plugs.

I went riding for a weekend, and 150 miles later, she started surging again, and thats were the situation currently resides.
When I replaced the FPR, I didn't realize that it was oil on the plugs, because I'm an idiot. So I'm positive there's something serious going on here.

Just looking for some insight guys! Any help is greatly appreciated, seriously. Also, changing the plugs so it runs fine, and trading it for an 07' with 2000 less miles is an option at my dealer right now. But I've put so many hours into my baby, and I would rather fix her.



THANK YOU!

 

You have a minimal amount of oil in the spark plug well ( not uncommon), no doubt from a very slight leak from the valve cover gasket. Nothing to worry about as long as oil is on the threads, not on the business end. Not related to your problem.

Look to pulse generators, ignition coils, or CDI for solution to your problem.

 

Are you sure it is not RR and Stator problem.
Have you look at all the connectors for burn?
Do you know if your harness have been replace due to the recall?

 

The harness has been replaced! And I installed the VFRness.

Is there any connectors in particular I should be looking at? Or voltages to be checked?

 

Connectors in particular - yes.
Voltage to be checked - yes.

When you did the VFRness, did you just Plug and play - meaning keep the spade (snap together) connections? I know the whole idea of the VFRness was to eliminate heat build up, but still... any time there is a connection that's going to be the place where the heat builds up.

Rather than me ramble, go read this thread. Pay specific attention to post #9.

http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/39277-How-to-fix-common-regulator-Stator-failures

 

Great! I will tear her down this weekend. And check the connectors and voltages. I would love to find the problem here, so I can move on with my life. Thank you!

I'll let you guys know how it goes.
I would do it today, but my bike is home (I'm at school during the week.)

 

Alright. All voltages are perfect! Connectors clean as shit.

Fuel pressure checked again, it's perfect.

So, any more ideas? Leaky injector? Anything?
I think I'll probably take it in to a shop next week.

I went for a ride yesterday after putting her all back together, and she ran like a beast, but it wasn't hot out. So this weekend I'll take it for another ride, wait for it to start surging/missing, then load it up and bring it in.

Unless you guys have any more ideas!? The exhaust smells rich.