High altitude issues.

[3Phase]

Yeah, you can see ash hanging on the #3 ground strap and the threads are starting to get oily so it's mostly burning off the oil. You should fix that. Someday. Really.

#4 just looks lean. The insulator would be darker if there was an ignition problem that wasn't lighting off the fuel but that puppy is slick as a whistle, even the ground strap is cooked off almost all the way back to the shell so it's running a hair or several hot.

Is the insulator white all the way down to the shell too or is there some color down there somewhere?

.

[DiverRay]

I'll have to agree with 3Phase, you are running WAY too lean. The plugs after 2K miles should be a light tan, NOT bright white! You may need to look at your jetting, and see if you can't bring that out at full throttle. I would go up one size on the main, and then go from there if it were my bike...

[trbig]

Hey! I know! Let's sit and debate what-ifs for days instead of taking 5 minutes to pull the carbs... 3 more seconds to cover the air port with your thumb and see if the slide drops, indicating a pinhole.. Or take a few minutes and swap plug wires 2&3 to see if it's electrical.

Naw.. that'd be too easy...

[BA80]

I went up to 1 size over stock on both the pilot and main when I went through the carbs last time. I have a spare set I'll order another size over and redo them.

[BA80]

Hey! I know! Let's sit and debate what-ifs for days instead of taking 5 minutes to pull the carbs... 3 more seconds to cover the air port with your thumb and see if the slide drops, indicating a pinhole.. Or take a few minutes and swap plug wires 2&3 to see if it's electrical.

Naw.. that'd be too easy...

Hey smartazz! I would have to remove the carbs then the airbox then reinstall the carbs to even get there.

I plan on doing that but I want some OTHER ideas too if by some slim chance you might be wrong.

We are all too slow for you anyway, just go on ahead and we'll find you later by following the oil trail.

[DiverRay]

Usually you go up 2 sizes in main for 1 on the pilot jet. That's probably why it tunes and runs well at low altitude, and low to mid range throttle. I think you ride like I do, and when not getting awards for it, the bike would be just on the verge of lean to burning aluminum.

[3Phase]

Tod, I sort of assumed he'd done all the usual stuff without the normal noob needs and handholding to get him to the sandbox -- my bad.

Greg, does your mom know you're playing with that motorcycle again? You're going to break a leg or poke your eye out. And put down those scissors!

.

[BA80]

I would have to remove the carbs then the airbox then reinstall the carbs to even get there.

Strike that part, misunderstood what Tod was saying.

[trbig]

Usually you go up 2 sizes in main for 1 on the pilot jet. That's probably why it tunes and runs well at low altitude, and low to mid range throttle. I think you ride like I do, and when not getting awards for it, the bike would be just on the verge of lean to burning aluminum.

I'd always heard you go 3-4 sizes main before a pilot jet jump.

[DiverRay]

I'd always heard you go 3-4 sizes main before a pilot jet jump.

Either way, you do not go 1 to 1......

[motoman]

I'd always heard you go 3-4 sizes main before a pilot jet jump.

Okay....I've seen enough...likely get flamed(ain't the first time.
I LIVE and ride these altitudes daily(when I ride). Had the same issue.....not too long ago if you all remember.
Greg ask me while here about the issue. If voltages and spark are all good, the idle circuit mixture is set TOO rich. Bowl fuel levels are a tad too low, and I DO mean a tad. Unaware compensation was done with idle mixture settings.
Your way low elevation there in Okie mask it well, using and burning the extra fuel with the DENSER O2 content. Not particularly noticable up to 5-6,000ft. 8,000ft. and above, wonderin' if it'll get you over the hill. Like I said, BTDT! .....least that's why you aked me in the first place. Scott's early explanation falls in line with what I was trying to explain last year while I was in Georgia, but got flamed, so shut-up. Eventually when wife and I got home and I did some checking and measuring running fuel levels....exactly what I previously thought....too low. Sure, out on the open road, that thing hummed in high C.....hit the grades and bump it above 7-8,000ft.....whacked out tottally and would hardly run(just ask the ones that were at the rally).
THAT now resolved, but a mm to high(fuel level, NOT float setting!) now, and stinky rich and black plugs(all four identical black), but smooth as silk off idle, low rpm cruisin'(3K) and throughout ALL rpm ranges.

Greg, without getting flamed, your flat gonna have to check input voltages TO coils(pri. ign.) at those coil wire plug-ins in order to eliminate ignition voltages as an issue....or your pissin' in the wind and chasin' your tail, as you would say.
If that checks out all good, my above stated IS suspect issue, along with 'highest in. vac.' mixture setting IS to rich and correct setting procedure IS 'lean-drop' method, just like any and ALL other carbs, auto or bike. Highest in. vac. I guarentee will NOT be gotten away with at 5,000ft. elev. and above, car or bike, as auto carbs rebuilding and 'setting up' for ALL applications(street,strip, and off-road) WAS and somewhat still is my specialty. Side draft bike carbs ARE way more finiky to 'wrong-doings', even as slight as that may be, as I well have learned.
A tad low fuel level requires more air flow velocity to lift/draw the fuel, requiring more throttle plate opening......and wa'la....it comes full flow(pilot ALREADY maxxed flow and mains added in), too much at once and can only be somewaht controled at a steady throttle(bettin' those plug colors were cruisin on flat readings).
As Tod stated, that would be my first check, and only takes a few seconds, cause you gonna have the airbox off anyways, for peace of mind if nothing else.

[BA80]

I had one cylinder drop out for a minute sitting at a stop sign on the way home from work today. A couple of revs and it came back. I'm starting to think I've got a coil going south. (Further south than Ok. )

I have an 81 in the garage with supposedly good coils. I'll ohm them out and install them on my SG. That way I can eliminate the ballast resistor too. I'll do that first just to see how much difference it makes.

I have a spare bank of carbs I'll go through and up the mains one more size. I haven't touched the carbs in 3 or 4 years so it's time anyway.

And Tod, I will check the diaphragms. But, I really don't think that's what it is. Seems it would be an issue all the time, not just at altitude if that was it.

[Rasputin]

Just want to ask how your fuel mileage acted while this was going on? Better or worse? Cv carbs are supposed to compensate for altitude differences.

[BA80]

Mileage remained the same, give or take.

[motoman]

I had one cylinder drop out for a minute sitting at a stop sign on the way home from work today. A couple of revs and it came back. I'm starting to think I've got a coil going south. (Further south than Ok. )

I have an 81 in the garage with supposedly good coils. I'll ohm them out and install them on my SG. That way I can eliminate the ballast resistor too. I'll do that first just to see how much difference it makes.

I have a spare bank of carbs I'll go through and up the mains one more size. I haven't touched the carbs in 3 or 4 years so it's time anyway.

And Tod, I will check the diaphragms. But, I really don't think that's what it is. Seems it would be an issue all the time, not just at altitude if that was it.

Test across the two poles of those coils first for 3ohms. IMO, the 'comdem' point is 2 -3 tenths....low. Higher a few tenths is okay. If their good, unsolder your old original connector wires and resolder them on the 3ohm coils. Besides, the connectors are different on the 3ohm coils.