right side not firing?

borjawil · Posted: July 30, 2009, 1:36 pm Post subject: right side not firing?

ok so i believe my right side is not firing as the pipe does not get hot and the exhaust on that side has not heat to it.

the left side gets warm, etc.

So how do i figure out why its not firing? the plugs are new but i supposed they could be bad out of the box. if i switch the plug caps would the right side then fire and not the left if its the coil pack?

Not sure how to go about testing things.

chef.tay · Posted: July 30, 2009, 2:37 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

I had this same problem awhile back( and still a little bit now)

my right exhaust pipe would get hot right from the start but my left would stay cold until i rode the bike for about ten minutes. I don't have any idea what it was from, I changed the points and now they are both hot but my right cylinder is a LOT hotter still...

borjawil · Posted: July 30, 2009, 3:38 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

right side is always hotter. or so ive heard. i dont have point. i have a tci ignition. i have an 81 xs650

Joseph · Full Member Joined: May 22, 2007 Posts: 767 Location: NY

Is it ok to change swap wires from side to side on factory tci ignition. I can't imagine why not and it will help for trouble shooting. Anyone know for sure?

borjawil · Posted: July 30, 2009, 6:28 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

got it to fire...didnt get hot as fast as the other side though...oh well at least its firing?

jayel · Posted: July 30, 2009, 8:24 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

if it is noticable colder than the other side you have a issue with either fuel, compression, or ignition

borjawil · Posted: July 30, 2009, 9:31 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

i dont think its ignition. switched the plugs caps around. same thing...

i checked compression but ill recheck....

what am i looking for as far as fuel goes? the spark plug is the right color last i checked.

twowheelinjim · Posted: August 1, 2009, 1:24 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

After purchasing my 78' XS, I also dicovered that one side was getting hot while the other side could be held while the bike was idling. I too began with a spark check followed by a look at the ignition. I determined both cyliders were getting fire so I narrowed it down to compression issue, or fuel delivery. My compression gage is broken so I moved on to checking fuel delivery. After the bike purchase the former owner explained that this bike had sat dormant for many years and will require a good cleaning and oil change. I first pulled the carburators and when I cleaned the carburators I possibly didn't get one of the two thoroughly enough.
After finding out that it seemed I was only running on one carburator, I decided to clean them again focusing on the one carb that was giving trouble. The funny part of all this is after the second cleaning, the carb that was giving trouble seemed to run and heat the cylinder while the other one is now acting like like it won't fire. I'm now leaking fuel from the float bowls due to nasty gaskets that are rotted.

borjawil · Posted: August 1, 2009, 5:59 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

hmmm...well i supposed ill run a compression and if thats looking ok, which is should, ill re-clean the carbs for the 6th time. or is it 7?

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

deleted

borjawil · Posted: August 2, 2009, 3:35 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

yep using compressed air. From a can though, dont have an air compressor.

Sailun · Posted: August 2, 2009, 9:21 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

Mine was the left side not firing. On the kickstand, thats the downhill side, so it collects even more water and alligators.

I had to go through mine several times, too, until I got under the rubber plugs, removed and cleaned the pilot jets. That cleared up most of that problem. (also the bad bog/hesitation from idle to 2500 rpm). Then I checked the float levels, with the bike running up on the center stand.

put a length of plastic hose on each fuel drain, and secure it to the side of the carb, and run the extra between the seat and the tank, just to hold it.. Open the drain screws, goose the gas a few times, tap on the bowls, see where things settle out. You want the fuel level the same height as the top of the bowl, within a mm or so. Adjust floats as necessary. (I know, remove/install, AGAIN !!) My right side was too low, therefore leaner.

You want to do this after the bike is warmed up.

These two items really evened things out.

I hear John has good jetting and needle cures for the uneven temps.
I be contacting him shortly, cuz now that I'm running clean, I'm runnin lean.

Just rebuilt a set of 4 carbs for a '79 Honda GL1000, the old naked Goldwing. Wow, you should be glad you don't have one of those !!

Anyone who has carbs that need cleaning, but don't have time, I'm doing it on the side now. PM me.

schtipp · Posted: August 3, 2009, 9:22 am Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

when I was cleaning mine, it just didn't seem to help until I got a rubber tip for the air compressor. i just couldn't get any pressure through the channels without that rubber tip. also used a lot of sea foam when running it.

5twins · Full Member Joined: Aug 05, 2006 Posts: 1616

Jack · Full Member Joined: Mar 15, 2005 Posts: 411

5Twins .............where did you get the needle air tip at........I likes that Wink

schtipp · Posted: August 4, 2009, 12:28 am Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

is that the one to inflate a football?

borjawil · Posted: August 5, 2009, 3:44 pm Post subject: Re: right side not firing?

quick question just took the carb tops off to check the diaphrams. Should the tops be wet? they seem to be lightly wet... just wondering. gonna check for tears and such in a sec here.

What Happened to 650rider.com?

Yamaha xs650