Trouble Getting Going

[ducpainter]

Then the red/white was connected to the pickup that was really far away from the flywheel lump.

So I'll take a close look at the forward pickup and it's black/yellow wires and hopefully find a break in the wires. If not, I'll replace the pickup and proceed to set timing and gap as in the manual.

Can one of you gurus comment on my question about whether or not I should replace both pickups or just the faulty one?

Thank you for your help everyone, truly a cool place, isn't it?

I think the forward pickup is actually physically damaged from hitting the flywheel based on what I see in the pics.

I'd just replace that one.

[ChrisK]

Good news for me! Started inspecting that front pickup, tugged on its wires slightly and pop! Wire came apart. I soldered it back together and wrapped it, now I've got spark on both cylinders!

Aligned the pickups with the dots and set the clearance to .6mm.

Now I've just gotta reassemble and go for a test ride.

DP, when I had the pickup unbolted I looked closely at it and it didn't appear to be damaged.

[ducpainter]

Good news for me! Started inspecting that front pickup, tugged on its wires slightly and pop! Wire came apart. I soldered it back together and wrapped it, now I've got spark on both cylinders!

Aligned the pickups with the dots and set the clearance to .6mm.

Now I've just gotta reassemble and go for a test ride.

DP, when I had the pickup unbolted I looked closely at it and it didn't appear to be damaged.

Go with the force...

[Speeddog]

~~~SNIP~~~

Aligned the pickups with the dots and set the clearance to .6mm.

~~~SNIP~~~

You did that with the horizontal cylinder at TDC, yes?

[ChrisK]

make the beast with two backs, I honestly don't know if I did or not Nick.

If I didn't, would that explain why I have spark on both cylinders, it idles fine, and then bogs down again when I try to get underway?

[Speeddog]

It may, but I've not done that as an experiment, so no FHE.

[ChrisK]

So what I should have done is line up the TDC marks on the flywheel, then stick a screwdriver in the horizontal cylinder to make sure the piston is there, then proceed with mounting the pickups?

Does it make a difference whether it's on the intake or exhaust stroke? If so, how do I differentiate between the two?

[ChrisK]

Well I just did what I said above. Aligned the TDC marks, made sure it was the horizontal cylinder, aligned the dots on the flywheel with the pickups, and set the clearances to .6~mm. I'm now running the DCPR8E's. I have spark on both cylinders. Still no luck.

Bike runs fine at idle, even revs up great in neutral. Then as soon as I try to take off it bogs down and dies. When I try to take off there's quite an airy noise that comes from the airbox, almost like a whistle. But that could just be me not used to the sound of the FCR's. Any other ideas?

I had the clutch basket/pack out at one point so I could paint the cover. I reinstalled it the same way it came out but could I have messed something up there? Could the jets be that far off? I would hope the stock jetting from cycleworks would at least get me down the road.

[Speeddog]

As far as the ignition is concerned, no difference between which TDC.

You need to find an accurate TDC; either piston stop and degree wheel or a dial indicator in thru the plug hole.

The big problem here is you've done a ton work in many different areas.
So it requires a methodical elimination of suspects and perpetrators.

[ChrisK]

The fact that I've had my alternator cover off twice in the last 6 hours and I'm sick of doing it might be influencing what Im about to say but here it goes...

It seems to me that because the bike will rev up to 4 grand in neutral and sound good doing it, it should be able to at least pull out of my driveway. I would think that the difference between finding TDC by using the marks on the flywheel and by using a specialized instrument wouldn't result in this behavior.

Why would it be able to rev up like that but as soon as it gets put in gear it can barely rev over 2 grand and then die?

[Speeddog]

I understand your frustration.

But finding the perpetrator doesn't get easier if you're not locking up the suspects.

Baseline stuff like valve clearances, cam timing, ignition timing have to be confirmed correct, and thus ruled out as perpetrators.

Then you can approach getting the carbs squared away.

The engine running and sounding good under no load does little more than confirm only that.

[brad black]

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

you need to do as nick says.  just plod through it, one step at a time.

all fcr come from ca cycleworks with the std sudco jetting afaik, which is the same for both 39 and 41.  pilots are way too rich ime, maybe not over there.  needles and mains in 41 are a bit lean it seems.

[ChrisK]

The engine running and sounding good under no load does little more than confirm only that.

I still don't understand why the engine could rev up great in neutral if the timing, cams, and valve clearances were out of whack. But again, there's a lot of things I don't understand about motors, which is why this thread has gone on this long.

I have an old timing light I will dig out and give a try.

This might be silly but did these things have a kick-stand safety mechanism? If it does, since I've owned it it's never been an issue. I know there's the kickstand switch, which would turn on a light on the OEM gauges. Just kind of wondering if maybe the safety mechanism was never working correctly this whole time and now it's working?

[Howie]

The switch on the '98 only turns on the light.

[ChrisK]

The switch on the '98 only turns on the light.

That's what I figured.