cutting out

[apolloant]

o.k. here we go. I got a little road test in, still cuts out, even with fresh gas. I didn't go far, it's raining. When I got back to the house, I let it warm up more, and I decided to check the spark. When I disconnected 1, it slows. 2 or 3 little change, 4 it slowed a bit. So I checked wire condition, seem alright. I touched the pipes, 1- hot, 2- hot, 4- hot, 3- I can hold onto it while it's running. Were it the coil, it'd be 2 and 3, right? so I figure I got a vacuum leak or 3's diaphram is toast or????? I switched 2 and 3 plug wires and 3 is still warm, but 2 is still hot, so I can rule out the coils at least.

[apolloant]

....and then, I decide, well, it'd be good to check the slide diaphrams... they all slide easy, and when I do the vacuum test, they all creep slowly down, nice and smooth, no hitches. Get this carb 1 and 3 are jet 142.5, 2 is 140, and 4 is 145. what the heck?!? A little big? and uneven? with my headers, I was thinking 140 all across, eh? I should check needle height too, huh? Then I'll get all new vacuum plugs and then try to figure out how to get this all back in the bike. Anyone know where to get jets without buying a whole rebuild kit or the jet-o-rama kits with 5 dif sizes? Thanks again.

[TopCatGr58]

Three's so Cold!

Hey ApolloAnt,

Well, it sure sounds like you've ruled out the coil, cause if #2 is firing, #3 should also be firing. Have you checked the plug cap's resistance on #3, removed the cap and inspected the wire end for corrosion, possibly trimming it back 1/4" and reinstalling the cap!

Does sound like #3 isn't getting any fuel? Did you try pulling the plug to see if it was Wet or Dry? Wet, getting fuel, no spark, Dry, probably spark but no fuel!?

Probably need to pull the carbs, and reinspect the float/needle valve for sticking, also check the filter screen under the needle seat. Also, check the fuel inlet port, the "T" fitting, folks have found corrosion in both, so that fuel would flow to the OTHER carb, but not the suspect one!?

Do the vacuum slide test on #3. Blow into the arced port on the inlet top side of the carb, and the vacuum slide should pop up! IF not, check to see if it's STUCK. IF it's not stuck, push up the slide, and hold your finger over that arced port, the slide should NOT slide down much at all, or very slowly. IF it drops quickly, then it's the diaphragm....holes in it!
Happy Troubleshooting!
T.C.

[TopCatGr58]

Didn't see your second post while I was typing my reply!

BikeBandit sells main jets in sets of 4 for a good price, and only $6.00 standard shipping!

With stock being 137.5, with headers alone, at least 2 sizes up, so 142.5 or 145 would probably be about right! IF you have Indy filters, you could possibly need even more!?
T.C.

[apolloant]

Cleaned the carbs up good. Noticed that there was no fuel shooting out of #4 when I shot cleaner into the jet. Took care of that. Decided to leave the jets for now. Put the carbs back on, fired her up, no heat from 3 again. So, I sprayed starter fluid around the intake boots and such to see if there was any change. None, really. So then I decide to check the spark plugs for spark again. How long do you think I waited between the starter fluid and pulling the boot off the plug? NoT long enough! POOF! Fire!. Damn good thing I have an extinguisher right there. So no biggy, except my wife calling "are you alright out there?" I'm all "yah no prob". Sure. Get to wash all that crap off the motor now. So cleaned up. I try the plugs again. Pulled 3 and.... No spark, at least between the electrode and ground. Lots between the plug and engine. Cleaned it up again, and got lots of heat off of 3 now. Plugs are bp7 and sooty, so I think I'll switch em back to bp6 and go from there.

[apolloant]

New plugs, and the bike is all together. After playing with the timing a little, I got a bit of a stumble off the line, then at about 2000, pow! see ya! I messed with the idle jets a bit, turned em in to seat, then out 1 1/2, then out 1/4, a 1/4 more. Seems to be smoothing out the bottom end. I'll get a freeway run in this week and see what else lies beneath.

[xj11john]

Apolloant,

Looks like your on the right track, as soon as you get your new jets all the same straight accross-per jetting recommendations,

and a new set of plugs you should be in good running shape.

Keep it up, it'll be purring like a kitten soon

[apolloant]

Still stumbles really hard off the line, up to 3000. After it's warmed up, I'm getting a little backfire/miss on the left side. Lean? I talked with a bike guy here, and he seemed to think it was that the headers have no back pressure, same thing happened with his wives chopper. They put headers on, and it stumbled all the time. Put some kind of aftermarket baffel in the header and it cured it. This is after trying to rejet a few times. So, I'm thinking of trying that, at $20.00 a pair, and switching over to pods and 145 jets. I want pods cuz the airbox boots are so bloody tough to keep putting on after a carb fix. Any tricks?

[motoman]

Spray silicone inside the boots, makes it all pop on very easy.

[apolloant]

Took the mufflers off, already have baffles, so.... If these are relatively new, and the inside is coated with so much soot that I can tap em on the floor and soot falls out, isn't that a bit rich? Would an over oiled k&n have caused that? O.K. #2 carb had a 140 jet in it, 1 and 3 had 142.5 and 4 has 145. I'm getting a pop on the left side when warmed up, so I can only assume that it's lean #2. I've got the idle screws out 2 turns, seems excessive? Also, when riding, anytime she slows to less than about 3000 rpm, she stumbles, so I downshift to get her back up in the higher range, and she smooths out. Would having the timing too advanced do that? One last ?. If I go to 142.5 all across, which pilot jets should I use? Would 45's do? I found a sight with all the jets I need, Bike bandit only has small round jets, and I need large round.

[DiverRay]

IF you go to 142.5 mains, keep the "stock" pilot jets, unless they are all different as well.
As long as the carbs are apart, verify the floats are all the same, within .5 mm. Then put it all together, pre-adjust the air screw to 1 1/2 turns, and fire it up. You WILL need to syncronize the carbs, but once your done, it should be running well.
Ray

[motoman]

I'm with Diver Ray........run stock pilots. By what your saying, that thing is way,way to rich....not lean.....leave timing alone. Know where your line of thinking is taking you.......but go in the other direction, trust me, it's way too rich. When having these problems, it's way too easy to 'over think' the fix process to the simplicity of the problem.......back to square one, and only make one change at a time, then go back before making another.

[apolloant]

i'm going with 42.5 pilots, 142.5 mains all across. I still get the pop from the left side on a longer ride, I think it's the 140 in #2. I see 142.5 as conservative with headers and k&n. One question, how do I remove the needle from the slide so I can check the setting? I think the last shop that was in the carbs was going for a performance thing, and I'd like a reliablility thing.

[apolloant]

Pop from the left side was broken pilot screw on 1. I took the carbs apart again, got the broken tip out with the push-pin method, and decided to check needle jet height for kicks. See what the shop did. I went on a 120 mile ride around Lake Couer d' Alene yesterday and was smiling the whole time. Ran great, cut out at low, due to the pilot screw, cut out a little at full on, passing the slow pokes. The needle jet clip had been moved up one notch, and a washer was set between it and the spring, effectively leaning it out half a step. So I put it back in the middle and left the washer, so half a step richer over stock should clear up the mid to high buh buh buh wahhhh. So, all told 142.5 mains, 42.5 pilots, needle up half a notch with 4 into 2 and a k&n, that should be about 105 - 110 horses, and my bro in law doesn't really want to ride it, he's used to his 750 twin. And around 39 mpg, by the way. I make a long term update. Thanks to all, couldn't have done it without you.