3G Runs rough!

[Chad in Michigan]

what could have went wrong after you parked it for the winter? most likely stuck jets, probably not likely you did major damage to it during the winter. i think he's trying to get you to sell him your bike for cheap sounds like it could have plugged a jet over the winter, ran rough and not fired, got flooded, may have ignited some of the gas at the wrong time, could have backfired, that soot could be from anything. i've noticed that on mine from time to time, and i've had my carbs off more times than i can count on my hands. clean the carbs up, clean the slow jets, the main jets, the jet passageways, the fuel screens under the float seats, make sure the little springs that are on the needles for the floats all work and are not sticky. make sure to put the float bowl covers back on correctly, all the drain screws must point inward to the center of the carb bank.

[Damn Yankee]

So I got the carbs back, nice and shiny clean, looks totally different. Lack of maintenance records does not tell me if they were cleaned before I bought it 16-K miles ago. But they're clean now...

Put them back on, seeded properly, clamps tightened, all the tubes checked for any cracks, plugs or leaks prior to re-installation, everything put back together, hit the starter...turns over and over and over...like it's starved for gas...@#&*!!

Unscrew the carb drains, gas comes out of all four. So it's getting fuel. What's left?
No air...? Clogged air cleaner? Last replaced @ 24-K...we're now at 37-K...overdue for a new one, admittedly...a K & N filter now being ordered...But even then...would that be enough to choke it off completely?

Feeling like Bob Seger...workin' on mysteries without any clues...

[roboto65]

I am sure you are close to using the Hammer !!   

Ok have and please not take this the wrong way have you charged the battery and is it trying to fire or is it just spinning?  How long did you try turning over before the HAMMER came out LOL  Sorry trying to lighten the mood for you I know it is frustrating so you have fuel at the carbs and you have pulled a plug or two to check for spark. 

Magnas are finiky about voltage and turning over might try pulling the tank and squirting a little gas now the throats and trying it. Sorry for the problems she will run !!!!

[guywheatley]

This is what happened. I don't know what it means cause I just ain't that good a wrencher. But this is what happened.

I was heading home for lunch last Tuesday when Maggie suddenly gets real sluggish. She'd almost die every time I tried to pull away from a stop. I'd have to hit 4K on the tack and slip the clutch to get moving. She'd hit 9K in neutral, but just didn't have any power. I was on the second half of a can of seafoam with this tank.
When I got home, I started checking and it looked like she wasn't firing  on her back two cylinders. They were cold. I just figured I'd lost the back coil. I had another bike to ride so I planed to switch off and look at Maggie Saturday. (That turned out to be different sad story.) The battery was a little low and I was only showing 12.5 volts at 4K. It would actually jump up to about 13.5 volt when I dropped the engine to around 2K. Anyway, the battery seemed sluggish so I hooked up the charger and gave her a good deep cycle 2 amp charge overnight.
(Side note here. Both battery and regulator are only about two years old.)
Saturday I go out to look at Maggie. The first thing I want to do is confirm that I don't have fire at the back two cylinders. I fire her up and sure enough she runs rough, just like she did on Tuesday. But when I check to see which two cylinders aren't hitting, it's now the left rear and the right front. WTF!! I pull the back plugs out and check for fire. The plugs look good. Dry with a little black residue. Not chocolate, but dry with no clumps, and I have fire at both plugs. Those front plugs are rough to get to, so I decided to give it a try again and make sure which cylinders weren't firing. (I'm thinking the seafoam loosened something that's plugging up a gas line.) But before I start pulling the carb off, I want one last check to be sure. Those plugs on the back cylinders looked good to me. Also, I'm smelling gas at the tail pipe. Doesn't that mean I'm getting gas, but no fire?
I put her back together and light her up. When I run her up to 8K, she starts to backfire and blow black smoke. The tach starts to jump every time she backfires. I just hold her there for a while while she spits and pops and blows smoke. She eventually settles down and holds rpm without backfiring. The smoke cleares up too. I grabbed a helmet and put a couple of miles on her right then. She fires off the line and hasn't missed a lick since. I've been riding her as much as I can since. Shes running as well as I ever remember. Additionally, the battery seem to be holding the charge.
I haven't really "fixed" anything so I'm still a little skittish, but she's running good at the moment, and I don't want to start monkeying with her.
I'll keep riding her to work and the store until she either starts acting up again or until I trust her again.

[Fitzgerald]

I've been having some similar issues since taking mine out of hibernation from the winter.  Charged the battery, let her run for a little while.  she ran a little sluggish but I figured it was from not running for a couple of months.  I washed her, let her sit for a while then went to start her up......nothing.  Not even a click. Long story short, the starter switch had corroded a little inside and wasn't conducting.  I still have a little trouble with all cylinders firing when first starting it.  After it warms up a bit then i can tell all 4 are firing.  I'm going to put a fresh tank of gas and some seafoam and then see what happens.

[Damn Yankee]

thanks for all the feedback, really...we haven't brought out the hammer...it's probably one little thing I'm overlooking.

Battery's kicking out 12.66 v without engine running...

Starter's good and strong, I can hear the engine popping, but it's not firing...

pulled the plug out of the back cylinders....hmmm...black and sooty, smells of gasoiline....interesting.

Make a quick run to Auto Zone for some new plugs and see what happens.

[guywheatley]

.

[Damn Yankee]

Replaced the plugs...Fired it up! Went for a quick shakedown spin.

A mile down the road, at stop sign, ready to take off, open up the throttle...

Dies.

Will not start. Again. Again. No matter how hard I cajole it, swear at or sweet talk it.

Good cardio workout pushing it back to the garage.

Mechanic picks it up Thursday.

I'll try my luck with the lawn mower.

[Charles S Otwell]

Any possibility the ign module is going out?

[guywheatley]

Any possibility the ign module is going out?

I had a Nissan Sentra years ago that did that. Come to think of it, it had the exact same symptoms.

[tmds3]

Replaced the plugs...Fired it up! Went for a quick shakedown spin.

A mile down the road, at stop sign, ready to take off, open up the throttle...

Dies.

Will not start. Again. Again. No matter how hard I cajole it, swear at or sweet talk it.

Good cardio workout pushing it back to the garage.

Mechanic picks it up Thursday.

I'll try my luck with the lawn mower.

Glad you didn't resort to the hammer

[Damn Yankee]

I've put too much into it already.  Not going to trash it...yet.

Ignition module....always wondered if it wasn't an electrical issue from the start...not getting spark...curious.

[Chad in Michigan]

Check and clean the three pin connector under the seat. Mine died last year and that is the connector from the pulse generator. I had to cut mine out and reconnect it with other connectors but has been running great since then, except a faulty regulator this spring. The spark pulse is generated then sent to the ignition module then into the coils.

[Chad in Michigan]

For reference, there are two, 3 pin connectors under the seat. The three yellow wires are for the alternator and the other connector, two wires go to the pulse generator and I forget what the third does off the top of my sleepy head, lol. I have another ignition module to try if you need it.

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[Damn Yankee]

Will check...thanks, Chad!