81 GS 650L Poor performance/ gasket for cylinder head cover.

[steve4mc]

It's still a problem of #2 fouling.

It took a while but I finally got the shims replaced and the stock air filter in. It ran but not well. So I figured the plugs were still fouled from before all this work so I looked at all four. A little dark but not bad. But number 2 was wet. So I put in a new plug of the hotter variety. It felt like it was acting like its old self and trying to run smooth when I had it up above 4K RPM. But when I lugged it down on some of the curvy hills, I lost even that bit of peformance. I pulled number 2 spark plug and it's black with a heavy gas smell. I don't seem to be losing oil and I don't think I over oiled the new filter. So do I assume it's gas and take the carbs off again? I have the original boots and o-rings still installed. Where do I look next?

[gspaul]

Putting in a hotter plug is really just trying to cover up the real fault.
Eliminate any spark problem first, its easy.
One coil powers 1-4, the other 2-3, so swap 2-3 leads around, if the problem is now in cylinder 3 you have a spark plug cap/lead problem , not hard to fix.
If the spark plug caps are old I would probebly change them anyway.
If the problem continues number 2 cylinder, yes it has to be the carbs,could just be dirt.
You could try this first, with the carbs on the bike,disconnect the fuel line and the vacumn line from the tank, block off the vacumn line and run the bike till the float bowls are empty.
Now useing a very small funnel or a syringe,put some carby/injector cleaner down the fuel line until the float bowls are full, just use the stuff you woul put in the gas tank of your car.
Leave it for a couple of days and then drain it out and see if she runs any better.
If not ,then you will have to pull the carbs to give them a full clean & set up.
By the way, are your pilot mixture screws exposed or do they still have a cap over them?
If the caps not there someone may have adjusted them badly, just a thought!

[gspaul]

By the way ,well done for getting this far, your nearlly there!....('')

[steve4mc]

Fouling of number two.

After my last post, I went out to look at the plug and check the spark and compared it with number 1 cylinder. It sparked about the same, once over to the side instead of the middle which I would expect for a fouled plug. So I put it all back together and let it idle for a bit. It died after about 30 seconds. Then I pulled plug number two. It was dripping wet with gas. So....

I'm thinking I will try your suggestion about the cleaner soak.

By the way, Thanks a boat load for all your help and for sticking with me on this. I long to have my bike back to full strength.

[steve4mc]

It wasn't the aftermarket air filter.

Now I'm reallly curious about whether the old paper pleated air filter would have kept going. Oh, well. Now I have a new foam one.

[gspaul]

I am certain you will be back on the road shortly!...........''