naughtyG
Well-Known Member
So today I'm riding along, in town and a little highway, maybe 30-40mns altogether. I stop for lunch, get back on 1/2 hour later and ride on. It's really hot and sunny, and everything's fine. Then I stop for ice cream and the engine just dies off idle. :ummm:
After my ice cream I get back on, and it's really difficult to start. It does eventually by giving it a wristful of throttle, but it's idling really low (<700) and keeps dying unless I keep gassing it. I can smell gas a lot again. Riding off, it's really lumpy (typical of running on 3 cylinders) until it gets up in revs (maybe 5k ish) at which point it picks up and flies.
When I get home, I disconnect cylinder #1 and it makes no difference. I knew this is the culprit because I've been having this problem intermittently and the #1 plug has looked most fouled last two times I pulled them. I think maybe I have a mad COP, so I swap it but it makes no difference. I also start noticing the fuel pump is clicking an awful lots, even after just stopping the bike and starting it again.
After trying to start it on 3 cyl. a few times, I notice a leak under the left side. It's coming from the left exhaust, where the headers meet the slipons, and it smell like gas, but it looks a tiny bit creamy. I just changed oil recently and it was fine, and the coolant level hasn't moved in ages.
So to me it sounds like the #1 cylinder is getting flooded. I couldn't troubleshoot any more as I ran out of time today, but I will check if I have a decent spark next. I assume it's there because the motor seems to go great once up in revs. Consistent with flooding, right?
Now, how can a needle valve suddenly start sticking on a hot bike? Is that even possible, or should I look somewhere else? I have a feeling I'll need to tear into the carbs again, what does anyone think?
After my ice cream I get back on, and it's really difficult to start. It does eventually by giving it a wristful of throttle, but it's idling really low (<700) and keeps dying unless I keep gassing it. I can smell gas a lot again. Riding off, it's really lumpy (typical of running on 3 cylinders) until it gets up in revs (maybe 5k ish) at which point it picks up and flies.
When I get home, I disconnect cylinder #1 and it makes no difference. I knew this is the culprit because I've been having this problem intermittently and the #1 plug has looked most fouled last two times I pulled them. I think maybe I have a mad COP, so I swap it but it makes no difference. I also start noticing the fuel pump is clicking an awful lots, even after just stopping the bike and starting it again.
After trying to start it on 3 cyl. a few times, I notice a leak under the left side. It's coming from the left exhaust, where the headers meet the slipons, and it smell like gas, but it looks a tiny bit creamy. I just changed oil recently and it was fine, and the coolant level hasn't moved in ages.
So to me it sounds like the #1 cylinder is getting flooded. I couldn't troubleshoot any more as I ran out of time today, but I will check if I have a decent spark next. I assume it's there because the motor seems to go great once up in revs. Consistent with flooding, right?
Now, how can a needle valve suddenly start sticking on a hot bike? Is that even possible, or should I look somewhere else? I have a feeling I'll need to tear into the carbs again, what does anyone think?
