Now it won't start

[Lbrown311]

cleaned the carbs and put em back on. it ran but when i tried starting it just 5 mins ago all I get is a clicking sound....dead battery all of a sudden? ran it about 15 seconds before it died.

[TopCatGr58]

Yep, battery voltage is low.

The charging system is weak at best, and at idle the engine and alt are not spinning fast enough to keep the battery charged, and will actually discharge it. Throw the battery on a charger, take a break and go after it again tomorrow! PS, when voltage drops below 10.5 volts, the TCI shuts off and no sparky, no run!

T.C.

[Lbrown311]

Spark Plug issue

I took my plugs out and put them back in. None of them went in hard or anything but no.3 cylinder spark plug(inner one on right side) won't come out for the life of me. It is tight at every position I turn it to. Need help!!!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Brown,

Did you start them back in with just your fingers, or did you use a wrench, easiest way to cross thread them if used a wrench. Even though it went "IN" easily, could have still cross threaded it? Get some PB Blaster or equivalent penetrating fluid to squirt around the plug base/threads.

You may have OVERTIGHTENED it when you snugged it up, also possibly damaging threads. Once you do get the plug out, inspect the threads closely in the hole as well as the plug, however, I don't think the plug threads will look bad..they are steel, whereas the engine/head is aluminum.

Napa sells a thread chaser tool for a few bucks, get it and slather some grease on it to help catch the filings/bits that may come off. Others may even recommend rotating engine to put #3 on exhaust part of cycle, remove headers, duct tape a shop vac hose to it and reverse the vac so that it is BLOWING into the engine to help blow particles OUT of the spark plug hole...a big extreme IMHO.

If the thread chaser doesn't fix the threads so you can easily screw a plug into the hole, then you may need to get a heli-coil kit and install to ensure that the threads are strong enough to keep a spark plug secure!

T.C.

[Lbrown311]

Wow!

A simple carb clean gone comepletely wrong. I am 100% frustrated now, and am worried about the $ of the repairs. I used penetrating oil to get it out, and looked like there was something that got caught in the middle of the threads somehow. I hand tighten always and then snug the plug tight, but somehow that didn't work for whatever the reason. Threads in the head are wacked out from about the middle up and there are definately metal chips in the cylinder. Went from dirty carbs to not starting to a funked up cylinder now. WOW. I am killing myself, and can't ride. How upsetting!
Had enough for a day. Will check out my issues tomorrow. For sure need to get the chips out and the threads cleaned. I will try some things tomorrow. Very sad and worried right about now

[natemoen]

Stripped spark plug holes happen. Clean out the shavings with a straw taped onto a vacuum cleaner hose. Get a spark plug thread Helicoils coil (usually under $30) and follow the directions. Revacuum the cylinder and you are better than new (these threads won't strip.

[DGXSER]

Yep, take a break, drink a cold beverage. Tomorrow, find the plug helicoil, clean up as much as you can. Trust me, I understand the frustration. Your making progress even if it seems like your going backwards.

[CaptonZap]

Threads in the head are wacked out from about the middle up and there are definately metal chips in the cylinder.

One thing, that, whoever put the plugs in, forgot, was Never Sieze. Or Anti Sieze.
So when you get the threads repaired, be sure to put a light coating on all the plug threads.
And use a torque wrench, to avoid future problems.
CZ

[Lbrown311]

Feeling better

Thanks guys for the support. I just went out and tried to vacuum out some of the debris. I will try the thread chaser and heli-coil it if necessary then vacuum out the debris and use anti seize (which I have already). Then we will be back to the carb syncing. Need to get either olive oil bottles or a vacuum bar so I can sync the carbies. What is the best way to get the idle mixture screw set correctly? I had it running but it sounded a bit rough. Carbs are definately clean tho. Took 2 days and I sprayed everything twice and soaked over night. Just will need to replace parts when I get them ordered. Feeling like its not so bad after all. I watched some videos on the heli coil and it doesn't seem to shabby. hopefully by the end of the week and long days of hard work I will have this thing back on the street for the weekend, and running like it is supposed to. My battery was definately dead before. So some beers and some rest will do wonders I think.
Thanks again. So sad seeing it like this.

[DGXSER]

A good synch and tuning will do wonders for the idle smoothness. Remember to warm it up good before you synch and tune. I typically take it out for a brief 10 mile ride and then synch and tune.

[Lbrown311]

Sync

I will be fixing the spark plug hole today and possibly getting some new float gaskets? Is it adviceable to get them from yamaha or is it cheaper elsewhere? I bought the Syncpro carb sync tool last night so hopefully sometime this week i will be getting that. Also waiting on stainless allen bolts for all 4 carbs. What is the best way to get the mixture right. The carb sync tool just gets them all on the same page correct? Also if anyone knows of a 80 sg float that is "floating" around i could sure use one. Some knuckle head put one in no.4 that doesn't really fit. works but not how one would like it to. thanks for the tips.

[DGXSER]

As for the gasket, I'd get some gasket paper rated for fuel and make them, but I'm cheap like that.

The synch has to be right before you want to try to get the mixture set. Most folks start with the mix screws out about 1-1/2 or 2 turns from seated. After you synch, either use a colortune plug, or use the tune by ear method, or just run it a little while and check plug color. After your tuning looks or sounds good, re-check the synch.