Trouble Getting Going

[ChrisK]

Well I just hooked up the timing light. You know how when you're finding TDC, the manual shows two dots on the flywheel, with the dot to the right lined up with the arrow? Well when the light is flashing the dot on the left is lined up with the arrow.

Does that mean I found TDC using the wrong dot? I could have sworn I didn't... but that obviously doesn't mean anything lol

[ducpainter]

There is some advance at idle...

[ChrisK]

There is some advance at idle...

My timing light doesn't have a programmable advance or anything like that. It's old school, just a trigger. Can I use that to accomplish what I need to accomplish?

Someone's going to have to walk me through this... 

[ducpainter]

I'm saying there is some advance built in to the system at idle, so it doesn't surprise me that the left dot is lined up when it's running. I'm not certain that is where it should be because I've never had the need to put a light on mine.

If you raise the rpm does the dot move to the right?

[ChrisK]

I can try that here in a couple hours and let you know.

Sort of hard to hold the light, look through the window, and twist the throttle.

[ducpainter]

I can try that here in a couple hours and let you know.

Sort of hard to hold the light, look through the window, and twist the throttle.

I hear you.

[ChrisK]

get a timing light and check the timing.  it'll be right or wrong, and then you'll know.  simple.

Brad, how do I know if it's 'right or wrong' based on what I've said above?

The only other way I can think to describe it's behavior is like it's over-heated. It overheated on me one time a couple years ago in heavy traffic and I had to wait on the side of the road for it to cool down. I remember that being the same way, where it could idle but then couldn't take off in 1st. Don't know if that helps any of you with diagnosing this.

[silas]

Chris, have you checked the clutch...is it fully bled? My '98 has consistently died before each time it was put in gear- or soon after- due to air in clutch lines. good luck..this is all over my head

[ChrisK]

Yeah it's operating correctly, thank you for the suggestion though.

[ChrisK]

Just reading through the whole thread looking for things I've covered and/or forgot to say.

Back right before I found out I didn't have spark in one cylinder, I was able to get the bike to go down the road, by revving it really quite hard to get it going. I ran it up to 4th gear and it ran like dogshit the whole way. Eventually it started bucking and heaving and bogging down and quit on me going down the road. I pulled to the side, inspected everything, then started it back up and ran it no higher than 3rd gear back to my house.That was when I noticed the gauge and turn signals not working correctly.

I obviously attributed the terrible running to only one spark and proceeded to address that problem.

Today, the gauge and signals are working perfect again. Don't know if those are related to this problem.

Could running it that long on just one cylinder ruin one or both igniter boxes? I know that they're both still producing spark, but could it be that they're not producing the "right" spark at the "right" time, if that makes sense?

[ducpainter]

My experience with the boxes is either they work or don't. I never had one that was making a spark cause any issues.

Maybe Brad has had different experiences.

[ChrisK]

I'm starting to think its as simple as jetting.

Once the bike warms up at idle I can accelerate the throttle quickly and it revs up great. But if I try and hold that throttle after accelerating quickly for example at 5000rpm, it sputters, burps, and bogs down. Also, if I try and do a slow roll on it seems to sputter.

[brad black]

3 dots.  if you turn the engine in the direction of rotation, you will see 1 dot, 30 degrees later another dot, then 6 degrees later another (larger?).  first is max advance, second idle advance, third tdc.

get it to tdc and look through the glass at the flywheel.  it should become clear.

ignition should work right or it won't. 

[ChrisK]

Yeah, I believe I have all of that right.

Is it possible my fuel pump isn't keeping up with the carbs? I can jab at the throttle because it has fuel in the line, but then when I try to hold throttle at one position or accelerate slowly it cuts out.

A reason I don't think that's the problem is I can repeatedly jab at the throttle, on off on off.

[koko64]

Be interesting to see what color your plugs are now.
IME I would concur with Brad.
I haven't tuned a W 900, only Vs, but my 900 couldn't get down the street with 60 slow jets without clagging the plugs and stalling. I have used 50-55s.
With an open airbox, 155 mains are lean and you might want needle po-n #4 or #5. I have used up to 165 main jets with an open airbox.

Since you're way up there (and our fuel could be different), speeddog should have some baseline jetting tips as he's been playing with these carbs lately.