Reading a plug for jetting is pretty much useless,it takes quite some time to get color on a new plug. Example: Put a used plug in there that has time on it with color and check it.It will be the same color as before not white. Reading a plug up by the insulator to fine tune jetting will have you walking in circles. You can be 4 steps richer on your main jet, and when pulling a fairly new plug,it will be white. When I say white, I mean stock color porcelain white,not grainy shiny white.The magazine and websites explaining how to check sparkplugs for jetting are totally off . If you have a fairly new plug with a couple rides on it ,and it is still white, that is fine. Jetting without dynos etc. the best and only way is by moving the jets and needle ,listen and feel your motor,it will tell you which way it needs to go.
If you are lean on the needle, power will be very thin.You will shoot right through the power and rpms,power will be weak and thin. If you are lean on the pilot or fuel screw, you will get a bog or slight hesitation when cracking the throttle open from the closed position or idle hang up. The main jet believe it or not,this is the first time you probably heard this. It is very tough to tell when the main is lean,it will run good and strong pull hard etc. I like to go rich on the main just to see ,if I move 2 richer and it still pulls strong and all the way through,then I was lean. I will move another 2 richer, the power now feels dull,the power and rpms start to climb then it hits a wall,it sounds dull and it will have a slight skip sound to it. If you are unsure about going 2 richer to begin with, and you know it is rich already,then move 2 down on the main ,and see if the power is better.If it is better, move another 2 down,same thing, the power did not improve go back. Do not be afraid to move jets,you will not seize,you will know you are rich or lean way before seizure,ESPECIALLY ON A 4 STROKE. Use good terrain to put a load on the motor especially testing your main jet,if you are testing on flat hard land ,the rpms will climb too easily and the motor will not labor!