'86' V65 Magna build

[roboto65]

have you addressed spark yet as in switching coils you have elminated the cylinders so on to the next thing coils they have been known to go out thats all I can think of.

Keep the chin up she will be right soon and your hands will burn from trying to hang on to the beast 

[ToolBoxPop]

When I get back from the doc's office today, I'll switch them out just to see if the problem transfers to the other side or not.  Thanks for the idea!

[ToolBoxPop]

I swapped out the coils and the problem still lies in the #2 cylinder.  Now with everything checking good, can it be as simple as carb sync and setting causing this?  I don't see how the carbs, even if they're not adjusted correctly, could cause the #2 exhaust not to heat up like it's not even firing, but maybe(hopefully) it is that simple.

[John Luttrell]

Glad to hear the compression is back to where it should be; one problem solved, on to the next.  As far as the carburetor being the cause, it's very possible; a cylinder running very lean can cause the header pipe to glow red, as it runs too hot and a cylinder that's running too rich can cause the header pipe to be noticeably cooler than the others.  Read the spark plugs to see if there is any indication of that cylinder running richer or leaner than the others and go from there.  It still sounds like a fuel ratio or sync problem to me; I've seen a lot of them idle on three cylinders due to a clogged idle feed, but run pretty good off idle where the primary feed kicks in.  How does it idle? Is it idling on all four or does that cylinder drop off at idle?

[TLRam1]

If the plug is dry dump a little gas in the plug hole and fire it up, see if there is a change, better if you can do this through the intake on the carbs and keep feeding it gas, that will tell you if it's a gas issue.

This is simple to do and can rule out a lot of questions.

[dgc67]

If the plug is dry dump a little gas in the plug hole and fire it up, see if there is a change, better if you can do this through the intake on the carbs and keep feeding it gas, that will tell you if it's a gas issue.

Good idea.  Maybe put some gas in a squirt bottle of some sort and steady (as needed) squirt a little in through that carb while it is running and see what happens.

[guywheatley]

If the plug is dry dump a little gas in the plug hole and fire it up, see if there is a change, better if you can do this through the intake on the carbs and keep feeding it gas, that will tell you if it's a gas issue.

Good idea.  Maybe put some gas in a squirt bottle of some sort and steady (as needed) squirt a little in through that carb while it is running and see what happens.

[dgc67]

OK, DON'T douse yourself with the gas and then fill your mouth and spit it into the carbs like Guy did.  How are the skin grafts going Guy?

[ToolBoxPop]

LOL!
  I got my carb sychronizer gauges yesterday.  I got them all hooked up and got the bike to normal op temp.  The #1, which cannot be adjusted, was sitting at about 20hg and the rest were all over the place.  The #2, the one that I'm having trouble with, is only reading 2hg.  I tried to adjust them around to get them all to be equal and the only time I got all four close to each other is when they read about 10-12.  On my gauges, that zone of only 0-10, describes that amount as bad timing or vacuum leak.  If I run all the carbs, #2-#4, down to about 5 hg then the #1 goes back up to the green zone of about 20hg.  Any of the adjustments I made does not allow the bike to run well.  It idles perfect allways, but has nothing when I try to drive it.  Not really missing, just not going anywhere.  There is no valve noise at all at idle or on the gas so I'd like to think the valve adjustment is good but I don't know.  I might just have to take it to a shop and let someone else with more knowledge than me fix it I think.  I just don't have the money for it right now though.

[John Luttrell]

Might sound silly, but what is your charging system putting out?  Man I just went through hell on my big Kawasaki Voyager, I've been a professional mechanic for almost 30 years and would have bet money it was a fuel related problem; pulled the carbs and went through them, synced the carbs, bench checked my fuel pump and replaced my fuel filter before I realized I was actually fighting a charging problem.

While this was going on, the bike idled ok, but would miss and act like it was starving for fuel during acceleration and higher RPM's.  Turned out my alternator was bad and the bikes ignition system requires the charging system to be in tip top shape or it will supply a very weak spark; causing poor acceleration, bucking and even back firing during anything much above idle. 

[ToolBoxPop]

I know that I've checked basically every wire on this bike when I was trying to figure out my fuel pump and fuel pump relay problem.  All the hot wires were reading around 11.5v-12v.  I'll have to check the alternator.  I think that with the vacuum irregularity with my carbs, I must have an air problem with the bike.  But I'll check the alternator just incase. Thanks for the info!

[John Luttrell]

All the hot wires were reading around 11.5v-12v.  I'll have to check the alternator.  I think that with the vacuum irregularity with my carbs, I must have an air problem with the bike.  But I'll check the alternator just incase. Thanks for the info!

If that voltage reading is while the bike is running, it's way low; even at idle it should be above 12 volts.  This may be the direction you need to be headed in.

[lragan]

John, you make a good point here.  

ToolBox, when you get to 3000 rpm or greater, the voltage should climb above 13V, as high as 15.5, depending on the age and condition of your battery.  

I know the regulator/rectifier modules are not cheap, so what I suggest you try is to charge the battery with a charger to full charge, then measure the voltage -- should be 12.6 to 13 volts.  With a voltmeter attached, try running the bike and see if the problem is improved any, or if the voltage drops again to 11-12 volt range.

This would not, of course, explain the difficulty you are having with synchronizing the carbs...

[ToolBoxPop]

Thanks guys for the input!  I will check that when I get home.  The battery is brand spanking new and far too expensive lol.  Should I check the Voltage directly from the wires that come out of the case where the Alternator is, or just any hot wire on the bike?

[John Luttrell]

Thanks guys for the input!  I will check that when I get home.  The battery is brand spanking new and far too expensive lol.  Should I check the Voltage directly from the wires that come out of the case where the Alternator is, or just any hot wire on the bike?

You can check the alternator out put at the battery, however, it's good to check it at the alternator as well; if it's got good out put at the alternator but low at the battery, you need to check that circuit for security and or corrosion.