running on 3 cylinders KZ 1000ST

KZ 1000ST

Went for a ride ~ 200kms felt great until I hit city traffic and noticed there was a lack of power. More like my 650.

When I got home I did the h2o spary test, instant steam on 1,2,3 but it ran down the #4 exhaust pipe.

My question is - Could this be the result of a fouled plug? or is it more likely coil or plug wire related.

Shold I ground the plug on the valve cover and look for a fat spark?

Any advice would help.

It could be result of a fouled plug, i would ground the plug and look for a spark. But if the plug looks fouled, i would take some starting fluid and spray the tip in an effort to clean the elecrode of carbon.

Change the plug. Start it up. Pull the wire. If the idle speed changes you have your answer. Check to see if the plug wire pulled out of the boot. I doubt it is the coil...Russ

KOOL RYDER wrote:

...Should I ground the plug on the valve cover and look for a fat spark?....

Yes, using a brand new plug. Poor spark quality indicates an ignition problem.

If spark looks okay, would check floatbowl fuel level using clear tube test. Especially to assure it isn't too high, which can cause excessivly rich mixture in otherwise perfect carb.

Would also perform compression test and assure valve clearances being to specs.

Any issue with the above components should be corrected before further addressing carbs.

Good Luck!

ah this sounds very familiar. just got mine running on 4 again. thanks to some very useful advice from patton.
yea after putting in a new plug ground it and see what the spark looks like. then report back here if you dont know what to do next.

if you do have a fouled plug chances are pretty high that changing it will only fix it temporarily until it fouls again.

Thanks dudes.

I will swap it out and ground it. One question though....

How do I ground the spark plug without blowing myself up?

Would I start the bike with the plug out and then bring it in contat wih the valve cover?

Just insert the plug into the wire end and set it on top of the engine. You really shouldn't even have to start it up, just crank it over and that should give you the answer.

While testing #4 plug to visually observe spark quality, should leave #1 plug screwed in and connected as usual, but okay to remove caps on middle plugs #2/3 during the test.

Good Luck!

I figured that my bike was running on 3 cylinders and did the spray test. Sure enough when I pulled he plug on #4 it was all gummed up with what appeared to be grease. The oil had built up that bad.

After taking a closer look, the shop that did the safety inspection on my bike had installed BR8ES plugs rather than B8ES. (This is one more in a long line of screw ups that I have experienced at bike shops.)

Anyways bought new plugs and installed. $12.00 later that bike is running as it should, a follow-up inspection of the plugs show a little carbon build-up, but not enough to cause any concern.


Thanks for the help

KRB)

the only difference between those two plugs is that the br8es is used to cut down on radio or electronic interferance in your bike you should be able to use either one. the r stands for resistance.