Are my valves supposed to be white?

[Skippii]

Just took off the exhaust headers

[AustinJake]

From a google search on "white exhaust valve stems":

The area that is white receives the most heat from the exhaust, if you look downstream behind the valve guide and guide boss you will see a nice black color. The heat from the exhaust is "heat scouring" the deposits off of the upstream side. This heat is one of the reasons that exhaust valves and guides usually fail first. As previously stated as long as the bike isn't pinging you should be all right. You could probably richen it up a little and see some performance gains though. Hope this helps. __________________

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[Skippii]

I really think I'm running TOO rich, not too lean. I can't be certain, since I've changed jets, air filters and exhausts multiple times each, but it runs well now but gets 38mpg highway--which is WAY too low for a Ninja 250. I've got it jetted 2 main jet sizes higher than stock and 3 shims under the needles, so being too rich makes more sense than being too lean, even though there are some other symptoms that also could indicate leaness.
But thanks for the link, it definitely helps.

[kioti]

Originally Posted by Skippii

I really think I'm running TOO rich, not too lean. I can't be certain, since I've changed jets, air filters and exhausts multiple times each, but it runs well now but gets 38mpg highway--which is WAY too low for a Ninja 250. I've got it jetted 2 main jet sizes higher than stock and 3 shims under the needles, so being too rich makes more sense than being too lean, even though there are some other symptoms that also could indicate leaness.
But thanks for the link, it definitely helps.

Post a pic of the sparkplugs.

[OldPete]

Normal.
In fact it does insulate the valve from no small degree of heat.
Thin hard deposits(a coating) on the piston crown and combustion chamber offer the same insulation.

Thick deposits on the intake valve caused by large valve guide clearance will kill breathing.

[S2P]

Originally Posted by Skippii

I really think I'm running TOO rich, not too lean. I can't be certain, since I've changed jets, air filters and exhausts multiple times each, but it runs well now but gets 38mpg highway--which is WAY too low for a Ninja 250. I've got it jetted 2 main jet sizes higher than stock and 3 shims under the needles, so being too rich makes more sense than being too lean, even though there are some other symptoms that also could indicate leaness.
But thanks for the link, it definitely helps.

If it is in fact lean after all the above.I would be looking for an air leak between the carb and cylinder.

[fritzcoinc]

Your valves look normal. I have seen a lot of them.
Here's my Lawn Boy two stroke mower exhaust. Even with premix the area around the exhaust port is light tan.
Note how clean the rings are. Thats from a steady diet of Yamaha Ring Free.


A mower has hell in southern grass!