More bad news.

Ok guys I did another compression test today. Now remember this is with a cold engine as I have the carbs currently removed. I am getting the same readings at roughly:
120-110-30-120

I put a little oil in each cylinder and did a wet test and got:
130-125-40-130

So, I fired up the compressor and moved each cylinder to TDC and did the leakdown test.
Cylinder three is leaking through the exhaust valve. Now remember I just had these valves in spec. before running the bike the last time.

Is there anything I can do (spray carb cleaner into valve) to see if there is just some carbon build up on that valve before having to readjust the valves???

Thanks!

Dumping carb cleaner in there isn't going to do much to clear the carbon off a non running engine if that's whats holding it open,you could try checking clearances again nothing to lose but a little time

But what if it is something sticking the valve open and not the clearances? Doing a valve check wouldn't help would it. :S

Well youll know as soon as you put a feeler gauge in there,if that valve has a lot of clearance and its not sealing the valve could be bent/carboned up really bad/valve and seat need ground....
On the other hand if it has no clearance it might just need shimmed.

Alright, looks like it's time to get dirty again. :evil:

valve cover gasket vs not knowing why you have little compression is well worth it, as it may be bad weather and there is no sunshine in sight it is difficult to do anything in a hurry without knowing what the result will be if you can't go out.

I'm not familiar with the 1000cc engines. Can't you pull the exhaust off on that cylinder and see the valve pretty clearly? That is a easy, free check. You should be able to tell if the valve is gummed up or bent from looking at it.

Would check valve clearances, and adjust if necessary.

If desired, could use some "de-carbonizing" spray (such as PJBlaster or comparable product) squirted through the carbs while the engine's running, and following the directions on the can.

Some folks use water mist, which supposedly helps remove some of the carbon.

After the de-carbonizing operation, would re-check the valve clearances.

Good Fortune!

Ive used the water/spray bottle trick in the past,basically steam cleans the carbon out of the motor! :woohoo:
If you think its just carboned up dump a big can of sea foam in the tank and find an open stretch of highway and run it like hell through the gears for a few miles,if you do it at night youll see little carbon fire balls coming out of the exhuast :woohoo:

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationNo eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationYou use a Hogan's Heroes miniaturized camera to check them valves and seats -- only tricky part is getting the dang thing in position inside the bore

THE CAMERA IS SMALLER THAN A 9-VOLT BATTERY only costs $23 on Ebay
- it is a color camera
- it has audio as well
- resolution is only 380 tv lines (TVL) but shouldn't matter if you're up close




On the more expensive side, $150 for this one, it is smaller than a peephole you find in the front door of a house, to help you figure out if the valve seats are burned (= leaking valve seat) or maybe avoid pulling the head again is this guy
- 4000 (thousand) TVL -- very very high resolution, super clear images
- 15mm in diameter
- it is a color camera
- 180 degrees view angle.....wow. Only $150.

The generic peephole mounted in doors is on the left in this picture, the camera's on the right -- tiny





This one's a Sony, gotta be good, and only $53, look how tiny it is, smaller than an RCA jack in the picture there
- 420 TVL of resolution
-





I've been debating getting one or 2 of these to see if it makes my life easier, I have a kz900 right now with a compression issue, I alos have a Honda Nighthawk that might have thrown a small-end bearing and was gonna put a small camera down there to see if the piston drops or is there 'play' as I rotate the crank.....

stuff like that. Lots of reasons to want a tiny camera inside sometimes.

Search on "mini camera" on ebay, lots of 'em.

If you burned a valve seat (running lean? is your exhaust pipe blueing on that low-compression bore? maybe it ran too hot and scorched that exhaust valve seat; are you running individual pod filters and a less-restrictive pipe and did you re-jet for that?)


I gotta stop procrastinating, get me a tiny camera like the one my dentist uses to scare me into getting more fillings and other works. Lots of reasons to have a tiny camera in the engine sometimes.

They're cheap too, the first time a mini camera saves you from a tear-down of the motor, it has paid for itself.

Buy your self some easy off oven cleaner spay and wait and rinse off.I have used it for years on carbon build on and cleaning head and such.

I have checked the valve clearance on the exhaust valve in that leaking cylinder and it is good at .15mm so there is something holding it open or it is bent. I took the exhaust off and have spayed carb cleaner into valve and turned the motor over by hand a few times and have not got any progress. I also looked into the exhaust port and the valve doesn't look bent and I can't see anything on it. Is there anything else I can try.