18 MPG.... Yuck.. 1985 Vt1100

[Dartmech]

What? I already pulled the filter out.

I checked the pilot screws.
The left cylinder screw was all the way in.
Right was 1-1/2 turns out.

Now I'm going to try and find a way to tell if fuel is getting to that carb.
This is where I'm at.

[Dartmech]

Thanks, John Hopkins. I'm just looking for help here not personal insults.

I already said I've got spark. I'll do as you command and replace the plugs.

8 years experience heavy diesel/ industrial mechanic. First shadow. Please excuse my ignorance.

[Inferno]

Originally Posted by John Hopkins

OK so you bought a bike that only fire on one cylinder, and because you couldn't tell that I'm going to guess that you have no mechanical ability..

what do we know..

the basic electrics work because the bike starts and runs..

only one cylinder fires..

You need a stick of wood and a spare spark plug..

unplug one of the plug caps and fit the spare sparkplug to the cap..then press the thread of the plug against the fins of the engine with the stick of wood.. start the engine and watch the plug for a spark..mark on a piece of paper if it sparks or not..replace the cap on the fitted plug that you removed it from and repeat the procedure with the next plug...

did the spare plug spark on all four cylinders..if yes that is the electrics sorted..replace all four plugs with new ones and see if the bike runs on both cylinders..

If no move on to the carbs..

post the answer here and we can continue..

John.

I'm going to disagree with you here. I think we aready established that the spark plugs are firing because he swapped them and it fired on one cylinder.
I think we need to bypass your step and go straight to the carbs.

_________________________________________

OK, time to look at the carbs.
With air cleaner off, start the bike.
Look inside the carbs to see if the slides go up when you give it throttle. If both do then it's a clogged float bowl or jet in the dead cylinder. If only thie live cylinder slide goes up then you have to rebuild the carbs.

If you want to do the backyard mechanical test on the carb, this is what you could do.

With the engine running, everything but the air cleaner hooked up, take the palm of your hand and pulse over the intake of the dead cylinder carb. See if it changes anything.
With your hand covering the opening you will essentially be forcing the piston to pull carp through the carb. That's 14PSI of force going into the fuel system.
When you remove your hand it will let air mix with any fuel that the engine just pulled in and should do "something" if there is any gas at all in the float bowl.

[Snow Shadow]

Originally Posted by Dartmech

What? I already pulled the filter out.

I checked the pilot screws.
The left cylinder screw was all the way in.
Right was 1-1/2 turns out.

Now I'm going to try and find a way to tell if fuel is getting to that carb.
This is where I'm at.

Pilot screws should be 3 turns out from bottom as a standard start setting.
Can check to see if fuel in the carb by loosening the fuel drain screw on the very bottom of the float bowl on each carb. hope this helps.

[Dartmech]

Ok thanks guys.

I'll peak in the filter houseing first then I may drain enough fuel out so the main tank is empty and remove it. The fuel is pumped from the secondary tank if I'm not mistaken, right? Afterwards, check the drain just to see if there is actually fuel in the bowl then cover the dead carb as Inferno suggests.
I'll get after it tomorrow when I have free time and give the results.

[gordo2472003]

John Hopkins is like dr.house....he speaks his mind..but still always manages to get the job done. Works for me!

[Dartmech]

I ended up pulling the carbs tonite. Fuel gets up to the "T" just fine. A lot of fuel has come out of the line since I took them off but when I took the float/bowl cover off it seemed a tad dry on the dead cylinder. Damp, but not wet...
I need to read up on how to clean them out and check everything. Let me know if there are some tricks of the trade I should know about.

[Inferno]

If the bowl was dry then just check the float valve. It will unscrew from the carb.
Clean it, flush out the port between the inlet and the float valve opening. Reinstall the float valve and adjust the float. Reinstall and you might find the problem is gone.

It sounds like the float valve is just clogged. No other reason for the bowl to be dry.
And a damp bowl won't fire the engine.

[tcanthonyii]

While you got them off just clean them all up. Plus take a look at the diaphragms. Mine were ripped to shreds.

[Dartmech]

I cleaned the float valve, jets, inline filter to the float valve. Everything is working as it should now. Still no cylinder. When I cover the intake fuel starts going all over my hand so we have fuel flow now.
The spark from the "Left" cylinder, which I mentioned was weak, is now gone. All the plugs have been replaced, I swapped the coils/ plug wires for each cylinder and switched the RED and WHITE connectors under the seat. The Left cylinder coil will fire the right cylinder. Coils are good.
Whatever part sends the signal must have been getting weak, and now that I've messed with it, finally went dead.
The Red connector, plugged in or not, makes no change.

It looks like I had a couple of problems here. Fuel is solved. Cylinder is wet.
I need to find where the RED connector gets it's signal and go from there.

Thanks for all your help guys!