650 firing on 3 cylinders

Ok, right now there are 2 main problems with my project...

1) Cylinder #1 header pipe is only getting warm. The plug was wet. All the plugs are black which is odd because I am running pods and 4-1 with stock jets... Oh yeah and I need the choke on for the bike to run. I used carb cleaner to try and find an air leak but did not hear a change ( but it's hard to tell as the idle stumbles).

2) This belongs in electric, but I don't want to post two threads right now... My blinkers don't blink!! They come on and stay lit. Is there a way to test the blinker assembly? I switched the blinker assemblies (the bike has 2, is one for the hazards? they don't work either...) and that did not fix anything. I was trying this without the bike running, but has 12.25v at the battery and 10.5 at the lights...



Any help?

are you getting fire to the plug, and do you have new plugs in the bike.
these bikes take a while to warm up also

have you checked all the bulbs to see if they are good

What spark plugs are you using? I had same problem with #1 plug fouling and others black until I switched to a hotter plug. I now use only ND W22ES-U.

I fixed my blinker problem by replacing the stock flasher unit with a Tridon Stant #552 (2 terminal)variable load unit. Bought it at a local auto parts store and now the blinkers always flash. Ed '77KZ650C1

The plugs are new, they were bought a year ago and this is the first time they have been run.

I will go out later and check to see if there is spark to #1, I think I will also pull the float bowl screw to be sure there is fuel making it to the #1 carb.


the lights are all good, I replaced the stock turn signals with cheapy smaller units. I will try the blinker unit you mentioned, hopefully it will cure my problem.

well, over a year later, i started the bike up today and #1 is not firing.

any idea as to what could keep #1 from working?


Thanks

Are the stock plug caps still on it? If you swap caps with another cylinder, say # 2, does the problem follow? The caps can be unscrewed from and screwed back onto the plug wire.

Alternately, are the carbs assembled correctly? I ask because I found a jet needle installed incorrectly, with both plastic spacers under the e-clip after I bought my SR which was causing that cylinder to flood out.

Well i am hoping it is not the carbs... I will spray fuel into the carb to see if it picks up...it may be the low range jet because when i rev the bike it smooths out (like that cylinder picks up)

the plug wires are new they were installed with my dyna coils... I will check the connections but I am sure I did it right.



valve clearance should be good (i checked it when I put the head back on....)

hardr0ck68 wrote:

well, over a year later, i started the bike up today and #1 is not firing.

any idea as to what could keep #1 from working?


Thanks

If not already done, would swap #1/4 plug wires to determine whether misfire stays on #1 or moves to #4.

This could aid diagnosis.

Would also install 4 brand new spark plugs and visually inspect spark quality on each plug before installing it.

If spark is all good with new plugs and misfire continues, would consider possible compression issue, often resolved by valve adjustment.

Good Luck!

Yup. Check compression. In some troubleshooting guides that is one of the first steps, but we often (myself included) want to jump elsewhere first.

well i will check, but my only compression gauge is my thumb.... maybe this is when i pick one of those tools up.

ok sooo

compression seems good to my thumb, on Monday i will get a gauge on Monday and see what it is for sure.

spark is strong when i pulled the plug cap it was sparking through the rubber 2 inches away to the case... i switched plus and plug wires with #4 and nothing changes.


carbs, i pulled them and checked everything, i found a blockage in #1 (the tube that runs next to the main jet..) i cleared it and put it all together, it ran poor so i adjusted the idle... I don't know if #1 started firing for a bit or not, the pipe seemed to get hot but when i pulled the plug wire it ran the same.

I think #1 ran for a minute or two but the carb may have re-plugged up or something. the odd thing is spraying starter fluid into the carb did not change the idle of the bike (spraying it into the other carbs would make the idle drop and stumble.... so i don't know

The carb for the #1 cylinder will usually clog from sitting a long time, especially when the bike is stored on the sidestand. If you found trash and varnish in the jets I would clean each carb while they are off the bike. Clean and poke the jets again and then make sure the passages are clear. I would clean the tank and petcock also so you don't get trash in your clean carbs. As mentiond before check your plug cap and wire for that cylinder