Opinions???

[dasuchbe]

Okay, I finally got some time to do some more with the bike. I got a hold of a compression guage and this is what I found:

#1 118# and the plug looked good.

#2 112# and the plug was slightly blackish but flaked off fairly easily with a finger nail.

#3 110# and the plug was the same as #2

#4 125# and the plug was black.

Now I am still getting a bit of smoke but ever so slight. The bike is also getting hard to start again.

Now the Clymer book says 142# +- 14#. SO I am a bit below, but I do not see this as a problem. I think that is due to the sitting. What concerns me is the plugs.

The Clymer book says oil fouls are black and wet, these are not wet so I am assuming that they are carbon fouled. I have only ridden the bike 4 to 5 miles since cleaning the carbs and installing the new plugs.

I know that I really need to get the bike out and really open it up, I am just a little afraid until I am reasonalbly sure that it won't leave me stranded.

Now as far as the starting, I get the impression that these beasts are very cold blooded.

So am I just overly paranoid or, should I look at something else?

David

[Ken Talbot]

Your compression may be a bit low, but is pretty consistent. Time now to get into the carbs and evened up and leaned out a bit. Once you get the pilot circuits cleaned, the needles set right, and the carbs resynced, the choke will also work properly and you'll find they're not all that cold blooded after all.

[Shack]

Compression check? I ran a check on the 79 I have now and it was also low>>>>then I realized I didn't have the throttle open when I was checking, If you are already checking the compression with the throttle just disreguard this... mine was reading around 100 psi then i put a charger in the battery while opening the throttle and my compression was 168,170,165,162m respectively...I hope this is some help.
Shack

[TopCatGr58]

RIDE IT!!

Hey there Dave,
Comp levels aren't too bad, fairly even, okay!! New plugs and cleaned the carbs, but black plugs....not wet, like you said probably carboned. Only driving it for 4-5 miles is only adding to the carbon buildup. Put a half a bottle or so of techroline in the tank, take you cell phone, pick a road/highway with lots of exits, and take it for a long ride, will help burn off the carbon, clean out the cylinders, and perhaps free up the rings if they are stuck which might help the smoking, then again the smoking could be carb vs. oil??

Take your spark plug wrench with you, after driving it for 30 minutes, then sustain a 2/3 or so throttle in a gear that allows you to stay in the speed limit, preferably up a hill, then after a minute of that, hit the kill switch, coast to a stop, check the plug color then!

Main thing, get on it and RIDE IT!!!

PS, this is my 100th post, Hey Mike and JP, does this make me an honorary moderator????

[Mike Hart]

It makes you Truly XSive

[kenkrieger]

Cold Blooded

My 81 Special was only cold blooded before I did the triple clean three times,after that it started no problem,,,,even down into the 30' s,,,,,,,,,,Once it got into the twenties though it was cold blooded,,,,,,,huh,,,,,go figure,,,,,lol,,,,,,,,,,,,Ride on folks.