Motorcycle Repair: sparkplug gap, spark plug gap, air intake system

Question
what is the spark plug gap for a 1994 xr80r and will the exhaust leaking where it going in to the block make it bogg down. thanks greg

Answer
Greg, the spark plugs come out of the box at about .026-.028" which is fine for your bike.

Any leaks in the exhaust system disrupt the exhaust pulse waves that enhance the fuel metering system calibrations. Changes to the exhaust system and/or air intake system require re-jetting of the carburetor. The whole system needs to be air tight from air filter to the tip of the exhaust pipe for best performance.

I have found a lot of these little engines don't get proper service as far as oil changes and valve adjustments (only .002"), which leads to hard starting and low compression... i.e. poor performance.

Bill Silver