Tried everything, still no VROOM

[liloaty]

OK - posted a thread a week or so ago about starting woes and the most popular comment (as is always in these threads), was clean your carbs. Well, I completely stripped them last year and dipped them etc etc and all was well. This year, I left some gas in them for a month or two and decided a strip down and spray would be sufficient. So, I listened to the thread and tore them down, once again, dipped them and blew them out and replaced o-rings.

And now we're at today when I put them back on. Before I cleaned them I got nothing except a faint pop every once in a blue moon. Now, I get after firing and back firing (pshh pshh from the filters and BANG from the exhaust pipe). Valve clearances are good and set on the high side and I haven't screwed with timing (the bike ran last year). All of the pertinent info on the bike should be in my sig. Let me know if you guys need anymore info, and thanks in advance for your help once again.

[Billy Ricks]

Have you had the coils off? Might have the leads from the ignition crossed up on the primary side of the coils.

[liloaty]

Have you had the coils off? Might have the leads from the ignition crossed up on the primary side of the coils.

I did replace the coils over the winter, but I double and triple checked the wires when I did it. Not saying that I couldn't have made an error though, so I better check.

If that's the problem, I'm going to be too ashamed to ever show my face here again

EDIT: I checked my electrical diagram, doesn't say which signal wire should feed which cylinders. Anyone know this off the top of their head?

[liloaty]

Occam's Razor now applies to motorcycles.

When I replaced the coils over the winter, I switched the signal wires around on accident. Not a huge deal I said to myself, "I'll just remember that the left coil now powers 2-3, and the right powers 1-4". Only problem is, I forgot I said this to myself 5 months ago! I replaced my valve cover gasket a few weeks ago, plugged the wires in like they USED to be and went along my merry way.

Well, good news is I got a good carb cleaning out of the deal (pilot circuits had to be clogged, before the cleaning I wasn't getting any popping or firing at all). Switched the wires around this afternoon and one push of the button and she ROARED to life. Yes, I'm an idiot. Yes, I should have switched the signal wires around when I realized I messed up. And yes, you should always check the most simple things first. But....


I DONT CARE BECAUSE SHE'S RUNNING!

[Big T]

Good for you.

I'm sure most members (includung yours truly) have done something that sucked up hours of their time, until that little lightbulb goes off and, shazam, it's fixed.

Occam's razor indeed

[liloaty]

Good for you.

I'm sure most members (includung yours truly) have done something that sucked up hours of their time, until that little lightbulb goes off and, shazam, it's fixed.

Occam's razor indeed

I'm just glad Billy said something, and to think I almost got offended that someone would suggest something so OBVIOUS. You know, because I could never be THAT stupid, right?

Thankfully I didn't go replacing parts all willy nilly to find the problem and it only ate up a few hours. Thanks Billy.

[Billy Ricks]

The backfiring you got was a dead giveaway. You're not the only person that ever did it.

[omaharj]

At 10:04 the original post aired. At 10:07 Billy Ricks had the correct answer. Is that some kind of record?

[SqDancerLynn1]

We have all been through it at some time, it's how we learn!!
At least now it runs and you know the carbs are clean

[liloaty]

We have all been through it at some time, it's how we learn!!
At least now it runs and you know the carbs are clean

Yeah, gotta look at the silver lining. I figured there was something obvious I was overlooking when it was after AND back firing. I've since labeled my plug wires

Billy, I think you may have set the record for the "quickest fix" ever.