WAYWARD 1998 944SS - NEEDS HELP

[koko64]

 
Pity you didn't take a pic of where the pick ups were adjusted on the case brackets. Hopefully that does the job. They are prone to being over torqued being so delicate.

If you want to get the most out of these mods once its all sorted ignition wise try opening the airbox lid (top of the lid cut off at least half removed, but you can just leave enough to hold the filter down) and for an easy baseline 165 main jets, 50 slow jets, and using the EMT needle supplied start with notch 4 or 5 and play with that to get a good balance between smoothness and economy and acceleration. If you can get the needles for a good price just install speeddogs baseline setting. Depending on the state of the bikes heads from the factory and local weather you may change the slow jet a size each way.
Cheers.

[Brid]

Pity you didn't take a pic of where the pick ups were adjusted on the case brackets. Hopefully that does the job. They are prone to being over torqued being so delicate.

If you want to get the most out of these mods once its all sorted ignition wise try opening the airbox lid (top of the lid cut off at least half removed, but you can just leave enough to hold the filter down) and for an easy baseline 165 main jets, 50 slow jets, and using the EMT needle supplied start with notch 4 or 5 and play with that to get a good balance between smoothness and economy and acceleration. If you can get the needles for a good price just install speeddogs baseline setting. Depending on the state of the bikes heads from the factory and local weather you may change the slow jet a size each way.
Cheers.

Hey Koko64, First thing is to pray I found the worst of the problem! I strobed it after the repair, and it's exactly where it was, about 2 degrees retarded. One thing I noticed is, it jumps to full advance pretty quickly, around 3krpm or so. I realize the retard is just for starting, and occasionally work on bikes with no dynamic advance (RD400 for one) Main bugbear is having to remove all the coils/igniter assy/airbox, just to get to the carbs, which makes a needle clip change over an hours work, and a pilot jet around 90 minutes or so. Still, after all I've done on the bike, I guess it deserves jetting correctly 
Thanks for all your thoughts so far,and let's pray it wants to play ball tomorrow!

[koko64]

The Kokusan boxes have a pretty crude advance curve. The term curve is being generous, more like an angle graph. They hit max advance too early with high comp but understandable with the stock 9:1ish pistons. Built down to a price I guess.

Fair enough. Just get it running ok and think about performance tuning later after all those late nights. I separate the battery box from the airbox for easier servicing. You can make a little quick release bracket that connects them for support. Since I use lithium batteries I just cut away the bridge that joins them giving me access to the tops of the FCRs without moving anything except maybe the battery.

[koko64]

Ignore the airbox mod (only helps on more modified, ported motors).

This is an example of separating the airbox from the battery. I trimmed the airbox area above the tops of the carbs with a dremel to give good access to the carb tops making needle changes easy. Main jets are easy via the big drain bolt and slow jets just mean removing the bowls with the carbs in place. Next time the lot comes off you can do this and subsequent needle changes are easy as is synching with a manometer.

[Brid]

I'll certainly be giving any updates on the progress. Strange how the job started so innocently - make run & a set of tyres, then morphed into chasing all sorts of things. In all though, we've addressed electrical problems which were just about to manifest themselves. The stock coils were right at the raggy end of the specs, and the spark was suffering. Fitting new igniters was then more a necessity than not, as there's no test for them I could find for the stock Kokusan's. I road raced for many years, and used Taylor Spiro Pro plug wires on all the bikes I built/raced, and never had a problem, and - they look quite the part on the red SS! It seems just when you think you've seen it all (I've been at this for around 45yrs) something new turns up - like in this case. I guess it makes life a lot more interesting!! 

[koko64]

Cheers

[greenmonster]

Fuel starvation?
What do the plugs say when you hit the "stop"?
Semicollapsed pump diaphragm can cause this type of behaviour.
Does it accept full throttle up to 5k?

[Brid]

Fuel starvation?
What do the plugs say when you hit the "stop"?
Semicollapsed pump diaphragm can cause this type of behaviour.
Does it accept full throttle up to 5k?

Greenmonster - It wouldn't take full throttle at all. Checked pump actuation (no adjuster screw on the duals), and it appears to be squirting just fine, but of course no way to know how much. Will be road testing it this afternoon.

[Speeddog]

I'm pretty sure Greenmonster was talking about the fuel pump.

The FCR's will work just fine without the accelerator pump, I've tried unhooking it on my M750's 39s.
As long as you don't snap the throttle open like a crazy person, there's no difference.

IME, most diabolical jobs start innocently.

[Brid]

OK - As per original posts, the pump is new, tank cleaned and pump supplying & returning to tank. I've not checked what the supply rate is, but did try running it off just gravity, and it didn't help. So, I don't think the pump is suspect. I hear you about most 'diabolical' jobs starting innocently, and of course that can often be caused by someone looking for something the bike really doesn't have. I raced BSA singles (B50) for a number of years, and unless everything was optimized, they just didn't run great. That being said, due to persistence (and wanting to beat Honda's!!) we ended up with a pretty reliable 42/3RWHP bike, which is almost double what the factory ever got    With this bike, it's owner and his Dad were doing a few track days, and fancied they could squeeze a few more 'gee gee's' from the engine. If the plan had been a little better executed, from the outset, we perhaps wouldn't be in this situation? Suffice saying though, we feel a good part of the problems have been created from 'others'  misinformed actions, trying to unsuccessfully put sticking plasters on a wound that wasn't healing without some major surgery!!

[Brid]

Best Laid Plans? Just modified the airbox lid, and road tested it -- not good  

So - I clearly found a fault yesterday, and that's put to bed -- but? One thing I'm noticing now (minus box lid) is a sort of squeaky noise when the throttle is blipped? Not sure it means anything, but it's something I never heard before. So - what next?  
I marked the throttle, and it is right at 1/4 opening it does its biz. Try to roll through it, and it just bucks & coughs, but if you hold it over half throttle, it will sort of clean out a bit - and takes off like a scalded cat.

[koko64]

You raise the needles and run 165s with the open airbox? Its too lean otherwise.

Does it sound like little birds tweeting in the intake ? if so its normal with FCRs. As long as its not pinging.

[koko64]

If the plugs get fouled the 60 slow jets are often the cause. Bike start easy?

[Brid]

You raise the needles and run 165s with the open airbox? Its too lean otherwise.

Does it sound like little birds tweeting in the intake ? if so its normal with FCRs. As long as its not pinging.

Yeah - sounds a bit like a couple of hoarse canaries tweeting, no pinging though  . EMT Needles are in 5 right now, with 155's. I have few jets on hand, only a pair of 160's, and 185's and 65 pilots. Bike starts first turn, from cold --- if you can call high 90's air temps cold (with heat index at around 100) and idles nicely. Speeddog suggested EMS's in 3, but I don't have any 

[koko64]

It will go better with 165s. 155s were intended for stock. Curious what your plugs say. I reckon too rich down low a d lean up top ime.  If you think the bucking is midrange play with needles, but it could be an overlap from too rich a slow jet. Run 165 mains or risk damage. If riding slow and it starts fouling then change those slow jets to speeddogs baseljne. Throw in the 160s in the meantime.