2006 exhaust super stinky

vinmansbrew

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When I first got my 06 on 11, it didn't really smell. Over time, it has gotten really strong. It has a pretty clean stock yammy filter, I replaced it year or 2 ago, but it is still good as not many miles have gone through it. I put in iridium plugs a couple years ago. I DID have a gasket leak, my suspicion is the cat pipe to muffler joint, but I replaced both. I did this as my legs would reek after a ride. Now, the legs don't reek, but my back still does.

So, I am wondering if the engine is rich. I haven't had time to pull the plugs, especially since it is such a pain the butt, and I have large hands. Can we say xxl gloves. Last time I did plugs, I had to drain part of the coolant, to make enough room for my hands.
But, normally exhausts only stink this bad when rich. I also have what sounds like a miss at low rpm. It pops at low rpm. However, the bike accelerates well and has great response, so I am pretty sure I do not have a miss.

I came across this co adjustment thing, and thought it might be at least worth checking out. I know I need to hook a wire to another wire and then use the display.
What are the "stock" c1 and c2 numbers generally supposed to be? Keep in mind, the bike is all stock as far as the exhaust is concerned, same with fuel system. Only non-stock are the plugs.

are there things to really keep an eye out for, when I do this? I know to write down the numbers I initially find, so I know what I started with.
 

Gary in NJ

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What year is your FZ? If it is the model with the O2 sensor I would suspect that. What does the exhaust smell like? If it’s rich it will smell like a 1970 Chevelle with a 396 and a 4bbl carb. If the cat has gone bad it will smell like someone is lighting matches.
 

TownsendsFJR1300

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There are no standard #'s for the CO settings.

On every bike, they'll be different(stock, factory setting). As you noted record what your are before adjusting anything.

It would be best to check the plugs..

Couple questions.
-When dead cold, do you have the slightly higher "warm up idle"?
-And if so, once warmed up, does it drop down and sound like it idles normally?
-Any black smoke from the exhaust when revving the bike?

If you can post a good video of cold start up, the idling down, and especially the warm idle.
(If real bad, it can be heard)..

Have you ever figured out your mileage (before and after)? That, depending on how you ride, would give you an idea if it's running rich..

***As a side note, another member recently did a valve adjustment and one of the cams was out one full tooth. The bike ran good but the mileage dropped quite a bit. *** Something you may want to check, especially if you bought it used, you don't know if someones been inside and dinked with it...

Here's the link to the above, ^^^, problem and fix:
.
 

vinmansbrew

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Well, it's an 06. I got it with less than 2k on it. PO had a small layover with it. Bit of scuffing on bottom of engine, left side; the left slider, and the fairings.Very little, but enough to scare him, I guess. It still has less than 20k on it, I have other bikes. I've pulled very little apart, so I don't think it is vacuum. I've had vacuum leaks on other bikes, and this doesn't sound, or feel, like that. 99% sure it is way rich.
Without a real tach, I can only go by sound. I don't consider a digital block tach to be a real tach. Starting rpm is not much higher than warm idle, it is rather jumpy though. slightly surge-y on overnight cold startup.

I have not gotten to do much riding, so I just filled my tank with fresh fuel. I always dump in seafoam and top the tank for winter storage. However, the smell is not from old fuel, as it's happened for the last couple years. My mpg I'd say on the old fuel, was about 40mpg, city/town.
I think 45 is about my average. I'd say the plugs have about 6k on them, and they are iridium. Even copper should last that long, with little trouble. I will have to check for black smoke, but the stink is there, cold or warm. Maybe slightly less when warm.

I'd say it smells worse than my 78 cb750 when it runs rich.
I am fairly certain it is rather rich. I guess I'll just pull the plugs and see what they look like. Bike will easily get to 100 mph, with plenty to go, but I'm not going to do it.
 

Gary in NJ

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You do know if you scroll though with the select button on the indicator, there is a digital read out of rpm. What are you using for an air filter? Have you tried changing it? Just because it appears clean doesn’t mean that it isn’t causing a restriction.
 

vinmansbrew

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Well, Haven't had much time to work on things. Took my air filter out, and bike stunk less. The air filter is stinky as all get out. It just utterly reeks. It's not dirty, but I have had restrictive paper filters in the past, usually off-brands such as emgo, but this is a yamaha filter. But it does show that either the injection is way too rich, or the filter is too restrictive.
So, I have to dig around, find the wire I need to ground and get the co numbers. It IS possible to get into a diagnostic state without grounding this wire, but you do not get co numbers, you some d numbers, and it kicks the fuel pump on/off as you select through them. Maybe someone has a manual which talks about this?

Anyways, after the ride today, which was idle up to 75 mph, and 30 miles; my plugs might tell me something.
 

vinmansbrew

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Well, c1 was -11 and c2 was 6. So I dropped c2 to 0. Plugs are cleaning up, the insulator is light tan. They were pretty rich, the thread ends are really black. So, I think, for now, I am leaving my settings, and will try a different air filter. Seeing as how it stinks so bad, it had to really be restricting.

Next step would be to take a year and move stuff so I can get my xxl sized hands into places and check valves and sync the throttle bodies. Just have to see what shape my mercury sticks are in.
 

vinmansbrew

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Ok, so I am reviving my old post. Just haven;t had much time for the bike. I got some vacuum gauges, and made sure they were calibrated. Hooked them up and all 4 are just about identical at idle and 4k. Took the bike out for a couple minutes and back home since I don't have updated tags yet. A couple hours later, I can still smell the exhaust on me, and I was wearing a textile jacket and pants, and my shirt stinks.
I have replaced the 2 gaskets for the exhaust pipe, my legs no longer stink at least.
So, new gaskets and throttle body sync, still a major stinker. Everything is stock on the bike, I have replaced the plugs once, and with working from home most of the time, I haven't ridden much so the bike is still under 20,000 miles. So I doubt the plugs are already shot. Especially since it's been gradually getting stinkier over the last few years.
I still haven't changed the yamaha air filter, but even riding with that removed, still didn't fully cure the stench.

I don't have an o2 sensor in the exhaust, and while I suppose it's possible the cat is shot, that would be pretty crappy with less than 20,000 miles. I suppose I could do a cat delete. And a symptom of a bad cat can be smell, so I suppose it might be possible.
So, that pretty much leads to a few possibilities. In no particular order...
1: valves out of whack. I've never had valves cause a stink like this, but I suppose it might be possible.
2: injectors
3: air screws, but until I checked things yesterday, they've never been touched. I can't imagine they turn themselves. And if they are like other air screws, out should make the mix leaner?

Any other thoughts?
 
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Gary in NJ

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Is it the smell that of exhaust or fuel that "sticks" to you? It is doubtful that the smell of exhaust gets stuck on you because the cans are behind you and your movement is away from the cans. If the exhaust had a mid-system leak that would allow the fumes to surround your body....you'd hear the leak.

Does this bike have a evaporative fuel canister? Was it originally a California bike? Maybe someone did a real poor job or removing the EPA equipment.
 

vinmansbrew

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Well, it is possible the bike is a CA bike, but not probable. There is no exhaust leak, as my legs no longer smell after replacing the 2 gaskets. It is most certainly an exhaust smell, not a fuel smell. And it doesn't just stick, it permeates, but it's all on my back. So, it's coming out of the end of the system and fills the low pressure area behind me.
I have no cel or anything that shows up, on the speedo. After some reading, a bad cat can be stinky. Problem is sourcing a de-cat pipe. I guess I could pull it off and clean it. Some people seem to have luck with that.
 
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TownsendsFJR1300

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As asked earlier, a video with audio would help us possibly getting a better idea what's going on.
Over richness can be heard if bad enough.

Besides ^^, You might look at getting the injectors checked/cleaned. It's cheap enough and you could rule that out...

There's no mention of an aftermarket fuel controller. Is there one installed or anything similar?

.
 

Gary in NJ

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A bad cat usually smells of sulpher. I've seen oil soaked cats that have caused problems. If you clean the cat make sure to use a product like cat clean. Just washing with brake cleaner (or similar) will strip the coating and render the unit useless. A clogged or failed cat will not throw a code on the FZ6 because it takes two O2 sensors to compare the the results.

I'd be more inclined to think that the exhaust cans themselves are clogged. If you've given thought to an aftermarket exhaust, now might be a good time to go that route.
 

vinmansbrew

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No aftermarket just about anything. Aside from taking off the fairing and bar risers, it's bone stock. I can see about a video.
 

vinmansbrew

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The vids were pretty large, so I put them on mediafire. The vid labels op temp, I didn't realize the wind was making that much noise, so it's kinda hard to hear. Wind wasn't that high, so it must have been hitting the mic just right. I was also wearing a helmet, which muffled me a bit. So, I might have to redo that 1.

With the air screws on the bike, if they operate the same as carbs, out makes the a/f mix leaner? When I have time, I am going to pull the plugs and see their color. That will tell me for sure, if the a/f mix is too rich, or otherwise burning incompletely. I always shoot for a very light tan, more of a dusting, on the insulator. If that's good, then I'll probably turn my attention to the cat.
 
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Gary in NJ

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That will tell me for sure, if the a/f mix is too rich, or otherwise burning incompletely. I always shoot for a very light tan, most of a dusting, on the insulator. If that's good, then I'll probably turn my attention to the cat.

That visual test is only valid with new plugs (like 500 miles or less). If the plug have significant mileage on them a reading wont tell you much...unless they are soaked.
 

vinmansbrew

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Actually, not true. I've worked for years on carbed bikes, and it's the primary method for checking a/f, especially at high speeds. Just have to clean the plugs, which contrary to what many think, can be done. I grew up around old farmers and mechanics that use a lot of methods many no longer know about. Part of the reason I loathe throwing money at a problem.
I would have done it already, but everything on this bike is so tight, that it's a massive pain to get to most anything. For me, it will mean a coolant drain. Of course, I wear xxl gloves and feel like the grips are too narrow on the handlebars.
 

Gary in NJ

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Well yeah, if you clean the plug first you can read the recent history on the plug. But just pulling a plug with 12,000 miles on it will tell you little about the a:f.
 
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