compression diminishes to nothing from 1 to 4

[chef1366]

Keep us posted!

[Paul's Zuki]

I don't want to leave the doubt of leaving something out. I have the whole top end reassembled. Compression is good, about 120. Fuel is going to down to float bowls. I dipped and clean the carbs of all kind of build up, bench synced the carbs. So I try to turn on and I can hear it want to turn over. nothing really happens. I spray some carb starter fluid and and a few seconds of turning the starter the bike fires up for about 3 seconds max and then just dies. It will always start with some starter fluid, but won't stay turned on. oh, and when it does turn, I have throttle wide open so its revved up high. Any suggestions or do I just need to continue to work at getting it going? here are some other tidbits..........I do no have filters installed, the top of the carbs are not installed( the top covers where you would adjust to sync carbs, tops), tank is not installed, but fuel line has fuel in it, vacum hoses (this part I'm not sure what needs a hose or a plug. I running an aftermarket petcock with no vaccum line. also, when it does turn on for the few brief seconds, it sounds awesome.

[Nessism]

The bike won't run without the airbox, unless you rejet for pod air filters.

Sorry, I'm too busy to read back though this thread...did you replace the intake boot O-rings and rebuild the carbs?

[TheCafeKid]

These are VM22SS carbs I'm assuming (mechanical slide carbs) with the accelerator pump (I think it had em on the 550? But maybe not) yes? If so they're a little less susceptible to the airbox being off and not starting thing. But even still, as Ed said, it wont run worth a crap off idle without the box or a rejet.
But, what you didn't mention are your air and fuel screw settings on the carbs.
For a start, the fuel screw (the one on the bottom) needs to be about 7/8 turns out. The air screw (the one on the side) should be about 1.25-1.5 turns out. I'd try it more on the 1-1.25 turns out side without the airbox on. You also need to assure that you bench synched the slides (they should all have roughly the same amount of gap when closed. I use a paperclip as a feeler gauge. Adjust the sync screw so that it's just closed on the paper clip for each slide). And your idle speed adjustment screw needs to have a touch of pressure on the spring. With choke the bike should start without the box, it may even run off choke without it, but it probably won't accept much throttle without it. And I wouldn't try much as you're going to be lean and hot and that's bad for the valves.
And as Ed said, if you didn't replace the intake boot Orings, you NEED to do that as it will suck air around the boots.

[blowerbike]

These are VM22SS carbs I'm assuming (mechanical slide carbs) with the accelerator pump (I think it had em on the 550? But maybe not) yes? If so they're a little less susceptible to the airbox being off and not starting thing. But even still, as Ed said, it wont run worth a crap off idle without the box or a rejet.
But, what you didn't mention are your air and fuel screw settings on the carbs.
For a start, the fuel screw (the one on the bottom) needs to be about 7/8 turns out. The air screw (the one on the side) should be about 1.25-1.5 turns out. I'd try it more on the 1-1.25 turns out side without the airbox on. You also need to assure that you bench synched the slides (they should all have roughly the same amount of gap when closed. I use a paperclip as a feeler gauge. Adjust the sync screw so that it's just closed on the paper clip for each slide). And your idle speed adjustment screw needs to have a touch of pressure on the spring. With choke the bike should start without the box, it may even run off choke without it, but it probably won't accept much throttle without it. And I wouldn't try much as you're going to be lean and hot and that's bad for the valves.
And as Ed said, if you didn't replace the intake boot Orings, you NEED to do that as it will suck air around the boots.

watch this guy...he rides a green motorcycle and we all know green is an unlucky color for motorcycles!

[Paul's Zuki]

I have accomplished what I set out to do. To get the bike started. It started and stayed on, I think it still has some issues to be resolved, but b/c I'm entering this into a bike show in about 5 weeks, I will be taking the rest over to a local bike shop that knows how to work on old zuki's and it sounds freaking great.

[Paul's Zuki]

Not everyone's cup of tea, but to me this is my shot of scotch.

http://youtu.be/fafjlaoF4GY

[Nessism]

Glad you got it running. Now take it out and ride that thing. Lots of throttle, but don't lug it, to seat the rings. Do some plug chops too to check the mixture.

Good luck

[Paul's Zuki]

yeah, well before i got out and run it. I noticed that piston 1 & 4 which are tied to the same ignitiona coil aren't firing. Here is the weird part. last night i go and check each one and see spark on each plug. when I got it on this morning and then felt the pipes 1 & 4 were warm but not hot like 2 & 3. I checked to see if power was getting to each one and yes it is. any ideas?

[Paul's Zuki]

I think I found the culprit. one of the screws that holds the ignition points was stripped and possible making the gap between the points off. took it off and to make matters worse the thread that hold the ignition point stripped as well. So, off to hardware to get heli-coil thread fixer. sigh. But, I got it on.

[Paul's Zuki]

So check this out, need your help once again. I found that my 1 & 4 spark plugs weren't sparking. after dealing with stripped thread and such and having to heli-coil the damn things i went back to bolt everything together and setting proper spacing between the points. I turn the ignition on and check to make sure all the cables were getting power all the way up the ignition coil. So I assume there is no short. for some reason i started to spin the crankshaft while the igntion was on and noticed that my 2 & 3 point would spark as the points would seperate, but when making that motion on 1 & 4, the points would not spark at all. I've read the book, but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. Do any of you have an idea what it might be?

[mike_of_bbg]

noticed that my 2 & 3 point would spark as the points would seperate, but when making that motion on 1 & 4, the points would not spark at all. I've read the book, but can't seem to find the answer I'm looking for. Do any of you have an idea what it might be?

The condensers are supposed to be there to keep the points from sparking. They can work like that but won't last. Is it possible to swap the condensers to see if the conditions swap pairs?

In the end, if you're planning to keep the bike, you're probably best off replacing the points with the applicable Dyna S ignition.

[Paul's Zuki]

Not sure if I can swap those little bastards, but would condensors, cause my 1 & 4 not to spark.

Does anyone think i think i need to swap out contact breaker, igniter unit, or what?

[mike_of_bbg]

You shouldn't have an igniter unit if you have points.

Are the points for 1 and 4 opening and closing?

The condensers provide an "apparent" alternate path for current, to have a preferred path for electrons instead of arcing across (and thus burning out) the points. The condensers should not actually pass current, they just look to the electrons like they might so they all rush that way instead. If the condenser fails such that it's actually passing current, then yes that would prevent 1/4 from sparking, because the current will never be pulled. It's when the points open and the current stops that the coils fire.

[Paul's Zuki]

1 & 4 are opening and closing and I made sure the space was between .30 & .40 mm as the book states and did the same for 2 & 3.

Could it be as easy as replacing the condensors?