Tuning Help!!

[sargergp]

Ok guys,

I've searched and searched threads on this site and have gotten some good ideas (like setting the floats from V7Goose), but one thing I suspect and haven't been able to find any info on is testing procedures for the coils. The problem is after syncing the carbs my gas mileage went down and it still seems like the cylinders aren't all firing evenly. It's got new plugs in it (original NGK#) and all vacuum lines and plugs are good. I also run a can of Sea Foam regularly. Can anyone help with more suggestions?

[Squeeze]

Hey sargergp, what Bike are you talking about ?

[Squidley]

Hey sargergp, what Bike are you talking about ?

 

G2 '05 Lutz

[sargergp]

Hey sargergp, what Bike are you talking about ?

It's a '05 midnight RSV.

[GeorgeS]

for 1st gen, is 2.4 to 3.0 Ohms thru the Primary winding,

 

And-- 10.6K to 15.8K Ohms thru the Secondary.

 

 

A 2nd gen coil should be about the same. All you need is an ohm meter.

 

Go to the Service manual in the 2nd gen maintenance library, Electrica, section, the go to the Ignition System Section.

[V7Goose]

There are two relatively simple things you can do to see if all plugs are firing without any special equipment or technical testing.

 

First, withing about 30 seconds of starting the engine, briefly touch the header pipe near each exhaust valve (the real pipe, not the heat shield). You will be able to tell instantly if one of them is not heating up like the others.

 

If that test shows all seem to be firing, but you still suspect some type of intermittent coil that isn't pulling its weight, pull the plugs and read them. None of them should be wet at all, and if they are all the same color, they are all firing the same (and the fuel mixture is the same). If one or two look significantly different, then you can do a bit more research on possible causes.

Goose

[sargergp]

There are two relatively simple things you can do to see if all plugs are firing without any special equipment or technical testing.

 

First, withing about 30 seconds of starting the engine, briefly touch the header pipe near each exhaust valve (the real pipe, not the heat shield). You will be able to tell instantly if one of them is not heating up like the others.

 

If that test shows all seem to be firing, but you still suspect some type of intermittent coil that isn't pulling its weight, pull the plugs and read them. None of them should be wet at all, and if they are all the same color, they are all firing the same (and the fuel mixture is the same). If one or two look significantly different, then you can do a bit more research on possible causes.

Goose

 

Thanks Goose, I don't why I didn't think of that already. Just gotten too used to working with fuel injection and diesels at work on the job I guess. I used to use that method to check older cars all the time. I'll give it a try.

I did find your post about float levels not being equal on these bikes. Is it fairly common to see that problem?

[V7Goose]

I did find your post about float levels not being equal on these bikes. Is it fairly common to see that problem?

The float issue is that they are all set too high. On the three RSVs I have personally done, all the floats were set close to the same level, but all were way too high. I have heard from several others that they found the same thing. I have yet to hear from anyone who checked the float levels on a 2nd gen and didn't find them high. This is not scientific, of course, but that at least suggests that the problem might be common. And it might also explain the very common complaint of poor fuel mileage on these bikes.

Goose

[sargergp]

Ok, I went out and started her up and checked the exhaust warm up. I found out that both front cylinders were slower to warm up than the rears and the right front (#3 if memory serves me right) was slowest of all. After about 3 minutes of idling I could also detect a small difference in the rythym of the pipes from one side to the other. I guess from here I will proceed with checking the plugs and testing the coils. If I find a considerable diffence in the coil on #3 they are covered by the warranty aren't they?

[BradT]

I believe they are covered and I think Stardbog had one go out on him.

 

Brad

[Squeeze]

#1 is rear left, #2 is front left, #3 is right rear and #4 is front right Cylinder

[RedRider]

#1 is rear left, #2 is front left, #3 is right rear and #4 is front right Cylinder

 

 

I never knew that. Thanks Squeeze.

 

RR

[sargergp]

#1 is rear left, #2 is front left, #3 is right rear and #4 is front right Cylinder

Thanks Squeeze. I had the evens and odds grouped, just got the engine backwards. #2 & #4 were slow with #4 being the slowest. I've just gotta find more time to finish my tests.

[OutlawRider]

Thanks Squeeze . Never knew that. I'll put that in my records.

[Ace]

Ok guys,

I've searched and searched threads on this site and have gotten some good ideas (like setting the floats from V7Goose), but one thing I suspect and haven't been able to find any info on is testing procedures for the coils. The problem is after syncing the carbs my gas mileage went down and it still seems like the cylinders aren't all firing evenly. It's got new plugs in it (original NGK#) and all vacuum lines and plugs are good. I also run a can of Sea Foam regularly. Can anyone help with more suggestions?

 

I had the identical problem last summer. Each time I synced the carbs the bike seemed to run worse an milage dropped. I thought, "couldn't be my carbtune" but I ran a test on my morgan carbtune and found it to be way out of calibration. How I performed the test is by warming the bike up totally then putting one of the lines from the cabtune on the #1 carb, then checked the rest of the lines on the same carb. I adjusted the carbtune so they all read the same off the #1 carb, then resynced the carbs and BLAM the world was right again. I have friends with the same carb syncronizer and have noted the same problems.

 

Ace.