idling/stalling issue...

[Fare]

tomorrow morning, i'll spend more time making sure theres fuel in the carbs.


coil clarification: completly unplugged, decapped.
coil two (spark plugs 2-3) = 11.58 kohms
coil one (spark plugs 1-4) = 11.56 kohms

::EDIT::

Just looked at the primary terminals (dunno why i didn't check last nite, frusterated?)

both coils are ~4, so that is good ( i think).

off to check float bowls (really hope i don't have to take the carbs apart again...)

[chef1366]

tomorrow morning, i'll spend more time making sure theres fuel in the carbs.


coil clarification: completly unplugged, decapped.
coil two (spark plugs 2-3) = 11.58 kohms
coil one (spark plugs 1-4) = 11.56 kohms

Gas in the bowls is pretty important to the starting process. :-D

[Fare]

When the petcock (it is brand new btw) is on prime, and the tank is on the bike, no fuel flows. when i suck on the vaccum tube, no fuel comes out (when on the bike). when i take the tank off, both work they way they should. the tank is a little less than half full. this is a tube routing problem, foat level problem?

THank you

[slugsride]

It's easy to kink the main fuel line when putting on the tank. The OEM line had a spring covering it to help prevent that, but they often get discarded or don't fit over aftermarket fuel hose. With everything hooked up right, even on prime, there should only be flow while the carb bowls are filling.

[Fare]

I can get a few puffs of exaust, but nothing optimistic. Time to dismantle and look at the float levels =/

[Fare]

Float height was a little low so they were adjusted (when the bowls were dismantled, theres was gas in it, maybe a little too much). Cranks, but still...doesn't...start...

what now? starting to get reeeeal discouraged... hate to quit riding before i got to start...

[nabrams]

Hang in there!!!
You got your compression back up to spec with a valve adjustment and the bike was running before, so you're almost there!!
First off, verify that fuel actually flows out of the tank when on prime (disconnect the hose from the carb).
Second, use your car battery (car NOT running) to boost for the initial start. Your starter may be stealing so much current from a weak battery that you're not getting sufficient spark - remember: when your plugs are all in, the starter motor has to work much harder against full compression.
Also, try different choke settings and brand new plugs - your plugs may be fouled from all the starting attempts.
After re-assembling everything on my CB750 (had a blown head gasket), I had to experiment for about 30 minutes of cranking (while hooked up to car battery) with different choke settings to start the bike. I also had to change my severely wet plugs. The final conclusion: the very same bike needed only half choke on start-up (I used full choke for months before the blown head gasket), because of the huge improvement in compression (I adjusted the valves to spec when I replaced the head gasket).

[Fare]

once again Nebrams, thank you for replying. You can't fathom how frustrated I was this weekend.

After I drained the bowls and fixed the height, and reassembled everything, I put it on prime and watched the fuel flow from the petcock into the carbs. that should be fine.

I've had to charge the battery twice since the beginning of the weekend from excessive cranking. I'll check the plugs (when you say a plug is fouled, is it no longer usable, or does it just have to be cleaned?).

Does it mean anything to say that when I have the bike in 1st or 2nd, it rumbles a little bit, as if it wants to start? don't experience the same thing in neutral.

For the car battery thing, do you just connect it as if you were going to jump it (but don't), positive from one battery to the other battery's positive or do you connect it to the wire leads?

btw, when I changed the springs and clutch cover gasket, I noticed it was quite dry. there had been no oil in the bike from when I got it... now its not so hard to use the clutch...


Thank you again,

Fare

::EDIT:: maybe this is a nono, but when everything was off, I decided that i ought to clean up a bit, so I removed the tensioner to clean it and the surroundings. Would this have a negative impact on the situation? I didn't play with it though, just some simple green and some wiping....

[nabrams]

1. Cam chain tensioner must be installed properly - see other posts.
2. Jump the bike by connecting car battery positive to bike battery positive and car battery negative to bike's frame ground (I use the the gear shift lever) - car NOT running. You should see hugely improved cranking speed/strength.
3. Leave the bike in neutral, on the center stand.
4. USE NEW PLUGS - I've wasted so much time with bad plugs.
5. Like I said above, experiment with different choke settings.

By the way, I'm assuming you've got the airbox and air filter installed and that there are NO air leaks anywhere (see other posts).

[Fare]

bah, I just bought these plugs, oh well...

I have a new filter and I went a little overboard with the yellow snot stuff, so it should be good and airtight

looks like I'm removing the carbs+ airbox...again...

just step 13? http://bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html


Thank you again,

Fare

[Fare]

Still no go (tho i like the idea of cranking w/o recharging the battery)

At mid range of the choke, i got a couple of puffs (back fires?), like it wanted to start.

Does anyone have a picture of what the spark should look like? theres spark one 1,3,4 (didn't check 2, assumed there would be if 3 had a spark). the sparks looks small, but i have nothing to compare it too. the spark plugs are stil white white white (but thats to be expected, they're brand spanking new... right?) Does it sound like a coil issue? a starter motor issue?

Again, like always, any comments welcome.

[nabrams]

Are you saying you DID boost from your car battery? - and you STILL had miniscule spark? If so, then you've got some ignition issue - do a search.
Also, if those plugs are not igniting the fuel/air mixture they should be wet-wet-wet, regardless of whether or not they're white-white-white.
Even a fairly weak spark should ignite a proper fuel/air mixture ratio, so if they are wet then your spark is super-weak, or the mixture is super-lean (since you say they're white-white-white). Now, if they're SO white it could be severe air leaks or severely mis-tuned carbs (jets, mixture screw, etc.). Are you SURE everything in the carb/airbox/boots is to factory spec and there are NO air leaks. I can tell you from experience that when I thought I was sure, I found out I was WRONG.

[Fare]

Screw in the main jet and pilot jet until snug.

Are you SURE everything in the carb/airbox/boots is to factory spec and there are NO air leaks.

everything is screwed in all the way. the screw outside the carb is like one turn out (figured it wouldn't be that big a deal, would have to tune it anyway when I got to the sync part). The filter was changed to K&N, i though I wouldn't have to rejet.

The plugs aren't dripping or anything, they seem dry (could check though).
gas doesn't SEEM to be reaching the plugs...the idle screw probably isn't configured correctly, but I pull on the throttle when starting... (the carbs were bench synced)
Is there a way to test a severe air leak?
or perhaps the filter is jammed in there and is somehow not letting any air through?
perhaps the air filter was oiled too much (I hope not, I was real careful to only dampen it with the oil provided).
the intake boots have new o rings, that shouldn't be the leak.
the boots all seem like they are snug and properly camped with the o clamp.

should I throw down more money on new coils, or does it seem like thats not the issue?


Thank you,

Fare

[nabrams]

You still haven't answered my first question:
Are you saying you DID boost from your car battery? - and you STILL had miniscule spark?
We can't help you if you don't answer the questions.
Also, where do you live? - There may be a member close by who can come to your house to help.
Also, if your plugs aren't wet and the bike is not firing then obviously fuel is not reaching the cylinder. Try turning the mixture screws out another turn - If you don't know what the mixture screw is, then you've got to re-read the manual.
Also, do NOT twist the throttle a lot when starting - an eigth of a the travel at most - see other posts.

[Fare]

You still haven't answered my first question:
Are you saying you DID boost from your car battery? - and you STILL had miniscule spark?

I'm sorry, I thought it was more of a statement than a question.

(tho i like the idea of cranking w/o recharging the battery)

I guess I ought to be a little more literal. yes, used jumper cable to connect my SUV's battery to my bike's.

the screw outside the carb is like one turn out

as long as this is mixture screw (or air screw as referred to in the carb cleanup images).

Also, do NOT twist the throttle a lot when starting - an eigth of a the travel at most - see other posts.

I was testing all ranges from no pull, to slightly and progressively more