running on one cylinder! help! so close to get her running!

[panzer]

alright folks. just had my carbs off for a VERY good cleaning, i know people say it takes a couple times, and this is my second but i find it hard to believe my problem is coming from the carbs.

with that said

I put on my newly cleaned carbs and the bike started first kick, on ONE cyl.

i checked the other cyl. and
1. it is getting fuel (after running for a while, a drip will come down the header tube)
2. it seems to be getting air (if i remove the spark plug and crank it, air wooshes out)
3. i have tested the plug, put it on the other cyl. it runs. made sure it is gapped, put it back, made sure i have a good wire connection, cleaned the plug hole.
but a couple concerns, a
a) when i touch the wire i get zapped (shorting causing not ENOUGH spark?)
b) the coil always seems to be extremely hot, even when the key is just in, the other coil ( to the working cyl) does not seem to do this.

I had a friend who is pretty mechanically inclined check out the points as i have never dealt with them. he said they seem to be right.

i have not checked the compression, but iirc that cylinder has worked before
(had the bike all summer can never seem to get everything working at once )

if anyone has anything to offer please help me out!!

 

[panzer]

just watched a timing video by a fellow xs400 member, probably going to recheck timing, i want to be sure, after watching the video idk if the kid i used really new what he was doing.

 

[HoughMade]

I have used this one and it works. Be advised that if your compression is below about 140 psi, it can take a little more advance and run well, but set it to stock settings first.

 

[panzer]

yeah thats the video i saw, and im working on setting the timing now.

 

[panzer]

going to check compression and timing over the weekend. any other ideas? i find it weird only one coil gets hot...

 

[HoughMade]

Take the plug on that side out, snap the cap on and lay the plug so the threads are against the cylinder- crank it over, does it have spark?

 

[panzer]

yes it does spark

 

[hmusket]

Switch coils and see what happens.

 

[panzer]

i put the plug wires on opposite plugs, wouldnt start. should i switch the wiring too?

 

[hmusket]

Yes, you should.

 

[panzer]

cool, i will try that

 

[panzer]

i switched the coils and the bike started but the problem cylinder did not fire, i believe the timing is the issue, i was watching some videos but im still not sure when my timing lightbulb is supposed to turn on or off. there are alot of little tick marks im not sure which ones its supposed to turn on and off with

 

[panzer]

anybody able to elaborate?

 

[hmusket]

Have you downloaded the manual? View attachment 3882
Starting on page 8 of the pdf going to page 9, is where points and timing are covered.

I forgot to ask, did the same symptoms in a and b of your original post repeat themselves? Also, what are the conditions of your spark plug wires and caps?

 

[panzer]

sympton a, the sparking, still happens when i touch the cap. b, i havent checked to see if it gets heated, will do though.

on the cylinder that runs i haven't checked, but he cylinder that won't fire I pulled off the cap and it didnt seem like it had a good connection so i cut off the about a half inch of wire, to get to fresh wire, and then reconnected the cap. otherwise no visible damage.

 

[panzer]

oh, and i've just downloaded the manual, and it just mentions "the mark", i see 1 before LF and 2 after, im assuming it should light up at the first one but i just want to make sure.

 

[hmusket]

Review the video in the reply by Houghmade.

 

[panzer]

right cylinder timing seemed to be way off so i adjusted it to be correct. fired up the bike the left cylinder ran gpod as usual the right....nothing, after a minute of idling normal the bike went crazy and started revving really high, dipped a few times then died

 

[hmusket]

Keep working at it. I think you're making progress. The sudden high rev could have been the right cylinder kicking in. Was the bike choke/enrichment pulled out, or perhaps the idle adjustment is too high.

 

[panzer]

i figured out the high revving was the engine being starved for fuel, aka a lean mixture, i noticed my clear inline fuel filter was empty, so i switched my petcock from the "on" position to the "prime" position and then the engine settled back to normal idle speed.

do you guys think that my right cylinder could be starved for gas because the vacuum petcock is malfunctioning? my fuel line goes directly into my left carb, then they are linked, any way i could hook up a fuel line directly to my left carb? i think when the petcock is on the prime position i start to feel the exhaust being a bit more warm. although not as hot as the fulling functioning cylinder