the long ride!

[fredintoon]

A simple test

Hi Jazzrat,
there's a very simple first thing to try if you are not sure it's running on all 4, do the touch test.
Start the thing from cold and touch the exhaust headers one by one. The one that stays cold ain't working.
If you try this on a hot engine, it's called the smoking glove test.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[jazzrat2000]

I am going out right now to check it, thanks!

[John]

You'd be better off to use a spray bottle with some water, or at least use the back of your hand. Burns on your palms, or fingers is hell.

[jazzrat2000]

I just tried, and they all got hot, at pretty much the same rate... so are the carbs next?

[thumperjsa]

Hey Doc. As I recall on the ride from the west coast, the power seemed pretty good. Except for the smoke on the one side and the brakes, it was running farily well.

We looked at the plugs the last time you dropped by and I recalled them being pretty dark. If all exhaust pipes are hot (water should sizzle when sprayed on it), then next is to check the floats in the carbs and see if they are set OK. I would bet the dark plug cylinders are running rich and need a float adjustment.

Hardest part is getting off the carb bank. Everything else is pretty easy from there. Only need a screwdriver and a metric ruler. measure without the bowl gasket and bend the little metal tang till you get to about 25 mm. Start with the carbs that have dark cylinders.

I did it on mine already. If you want to take it back up by me, or maybe I can make it up to you, we can take a look at it again together. Hopefully this time we won't have to do an emergency change of a throttle cable to get you home. I have no more spares.

[jazzrat2000]

Sounds great to me... either way is good, if I go there we can work in the shade... if you come here I can show you the new bike... can we put my new carb boots on during this process?

[thumperjsa]

If we pull off the carb bank, that would be the best time to change the intakes.

[fredintoon]

temperature testing

Back of the hand indeed, phooey.
You guys obviously never watched your mothers doing the ironing. What worked for mom checking the iron's heat will work for you doing the same on an exhaust pipe, the temperatures are much the same.
Lick your finger and just quickly dab it on and off the pipe. If that cylinder is running there will be a polite farting sound and you will feel the spurt of steam as you pull your finger away. No pain, no blister, you just gotta be quick.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[jazzrat2000]

I did check them, with a spot of spit on my finger, they all sizzled... say, John, could we do this in one day? If not we should do it over here, don't you think? PS I never did hear from anyone about the shims I need, is there a special place to ask for them?

[thumperjsa]

No special place. Just start a new thread called "valve shims needed" Hopefully, you can get a response. Which were the ones you needed?

[John]

Re: temperature testing

Originally posted by fredintoon
Back of the hand indeed, phooey.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

Fred, As you may (or may not) know, I am a mechanic in real life, and it sucks trying to work with burned fingers and hands. At least if the back of the hand is burned, then it won't affect my ability to start a bolt or twist a wrench. It's something I learned in Navy fire fighting school. I have been badly burned (badly) and it sucked, so I am a kind protective about things of that sort. My Mom did the same thing, but she wasn't a mechanic either.