number 2 -cold

[BOYZSBLUE]

anybody near Fredericksburg,va can help me get my bike back on road? Number 2 cyl is cold when running. I think it's the head gasket. have parts no experience doing a tear down and no time . don't have a lot of cash but have a lot of parts to give up. even a xj motor that needs valve job. let me know or point in right direction. I miss my bike.

[GLoweVA]

Leon, DPotter is probably less than an hour from you, plus there's a new guy in Ashland just south of you. There's also a few XSives just up near the DC area too.
If I wasn't so busy the next few weeks, I'd drive up from Virginia Beach to help, but it's just a little to far.
Check the zeemaps: http://www.zeemaps.com/map?group=153721

Do you have a compression tester? the autoparts places may let you 'borrow/rent' one (or harbor freight cheap) and then you can see if your compression is bad, or if it's something else like spark or carb fouling.

We here on xs11.com can usually talk you thru stuff like this as long as you have some mechanical skill and some patience.

[jjz28]

You might just have a carb problem, unless you've already checked for that. I hope you get some help and get it back on the road.

[DGXSER]

These engines have been described as "Bullet Proof" and some of the things I have seen them do and still run has shown me why.

Chances are better than average you have a bad plug, plug wire/boot, or a carb problem. It is extremely rare that anything engine related goes bad without some type of noise and vibration that lets you know it is FUBAR.

[dpotter58]

boyzblue?

do you have a truck? my zip is 20650, about 30 minute from the 301 bridge

[fredintoon]

anybody near Fredericksburg,va can help me get my bike back on road? Number 2 cyl is cold when running. I think it's the head gasket. have parts no experience doing a tear down and no time . don't have a lot of cash but have a lot of parts to give up. even a xj motor that needs valve job. let me know or point in right direction. I miss my bike.

Hi Leon,
here's the "usual suspects" checklist.
1+4 or 2+3; ignition.
1+2 or 3+4; fuel feed.
Any one cylinder; carb.
To check for blown gasket, burned valves, holed piston etc use a compression tester. If you don't have one an automotive parts store that rents out speciality tools will rent you one.
Remove all the sparkplugs.
Thread the tester hose into the plug hole.
Make sure all the plus are hooked up and grounded so's they'll spark.
Hold the twistgrip wide open.
Crank the motor over for ~10 revolutions with the starter.
Optimum reading # 150psi +/- 10%
Anything over 90psi +/- 10% is good enough she'll still get you a major ticket.

[motoman]

anybody near Fredericksburg,va can help me get my bike back on road? Number 2 cyl is cold when running. I think it's the head gasket. have parts no experience doing a tear down and no time . don't have a lot of cash but have a lot of parts to give up. even a xj motor that needs valve job. let me know or point in right direction. I miss my bike.

With that symtom, obviously an ignition issue. No need for an engine tear-down of any sort. Simplest first: uncrew than plug boot from the wire, clip off end of existing wire(1/4") and re-screw back into plug wire, eliminating that as an issue FIRST.

[fredintoon]

With that symptom, obviously an ignition issue. No need for an engine tear-down of any sort. Simplest first: uncrew than plug boot from the wire, clip off end of existing wire(1/4") and re-screw back into plug wire, eliminating that as an issue FIRST.

Hi moto,
perhaps I'm prejudiced seeing as I once fought with my iggy for a week before spending the one hour cleaning #4 carb that the bike needed.
I reckon that only one cylinder out is more likely to be carb than iggy but we are both just guessing here, eh?
I'm sure we agree that a blown head gasket is not at all a likely cause.

[GLoweVA]

I'm sure we agree that a blown head gasket is not at all a likely cause.

Fred, I kind of agree with you, but having had a blown out head gasket, I know what some of the symptoms are.
He may have some of these symptoms, but hasn't told us about them.
Of course you'll lose compression in that bad cylinder, but you should get at least some oil leakage or at least some puffing from the joint where the bad gasket is. If it's leaking into the engine (vice outside) then there may be enough pressure to blow out a cam plug on the right side. DAMHIK (scared the crap out of my wife when that went!)
If it's not that bad, the breather tube will have more oil fog to deal with and the air box may start to seem oily/foamy.

But I do also agree that it's more likely an ignition or carb issue.
Swap plugs and see if follows to the other cylinder.
Swap plug wires 2 with 3 and see if the problem follows.
Do an ohm check from plug cap to plug cap thru the coil (~20Kohms if I recall)
If not those, then time to pull the carbs.
Could be something as simple as some junk clogged up in the fuel inlet or one of the jets.
Or the diaphram may have a big enough hole to prevent the slide from going up, thus no power at load.

Heck while we're grasping for straws here, it's #2, so is the vacuum advance hooked up correctly to the #2 carb nipple?
If he's still got the octy, is it hooked to #2 carb holder nipple?
Are these 2 vacuum lines got any cracks/splits in them and thus have a vacuum leak to #2?

[TopCatGr58]

Lots of info already posted. Is the plug wet or dry after running and still cold? If wet...could be ignition...could be carb flooding. IF dry, definitely carb...float/fuel supply.....but could also be vac leak...intake boot itself...George had one of the screws that hold the boot in place vibrate and back out....major vac. loss! Also intake boot cap...dry rot=leak!

Snipping of the end of the plug wire COULD help, but could still be problematic if the plug cap itself is damaged...that's why an ohmmeter is important...to check the cap when it's off. If over 5K...or infinite then excessive corrosion built up on the internal resistor....they can be disassembled to inspect, clean....even measure the resistor inserts resistance. If still way over 5K, like 10 or +, then bad resistor and get new cap...you can temporize the cap with a small SPRING larger/longer than the resistor and spring combined put back in.

While removing the #2 plug cap, remove # 3 also, and then check the secondary resistance... should be ~15k +/- 10% WITHOUT the plug caps. If well out of spec, could have failing/weak plug coil...enough to fire 1 plug, but not both! It's rare but can happen since the spark energy flows thru 1 plug wire, cap, plug, engine, other plug,cap,wire back to coil. Low voltage to the ignition coil can also cause weak spark.

Lots of things to check out, good luck!

T.C.

[BOYZSBLUE]

cold #2

checked all those things guys . good fire new plug, not wet after running, and before putting away out of frustration had compression over 90. front of motor has a oil leak at adjustment cam area that's why I thought it had a bad head gasket. I would be willing to haul this thing anywhere's in va. I will pay someone for their time if you will allow me to send money order payments to you bi-weekly. oh it's nice to be back on here with a bunch of good guys. haven't been on for three years because I have been fighting our wonderful corrupt judicial system in va for a step son that got railroaded by a sheriff dept and prosecutor. lets just say they never expected for me not to back down and good enough to dig up and prove the dirt on them.lol.

[dpotter58]

checked all those things guys . good fire new plug, not wet after running, and before putting away out of frustration had compression over 90. front of motor has a oil leak at adjustment cam area that's why I thought it had a bad head gasket. I would be willing to haul this thing anywhere's in va. I will pay someone for their time if you will allow me to send money order payments to you bi-weekly. oh it's nice to be back on here with a bunch of good guys. haven't been on for three years because I have been fighting our wonderful corrupt judicial system in va for a step son that got railroaded by a sheriff dept and prosecutor. lets just say they never expected for me not to back down and good enough to dig up and prove the dirt on them.lol.

see post #5. no money needed. pull the air box and shoot some starting fluid or 2 +2 into the questionable carb. Did it pick up speed?

[TopCatGr58]

see post #5. no money needed. pull the air box and shoot some starting fluid or 2 +2 into the questionable carb. Did it pick up speed?

Hey there Dwayne, well at least he could spring for a little B'day present, albeit it will be a little late, but Happy B'day.

Boyzsblue, congrats on beating the "corrupt" system! Welcome back.

BTW, 90 psi is a bit low...was the test done with Wide Open Throttle, and how did the other cylinders compare....you want them to be within 10% of each other. We know it won't necessarily be as accurate with a cold engine, but if it's not firing, then it can't warm up can it!

If you're sure that the electrical is correct, then it does point to the carb, but also still could be a vac. loss.

T.C.