Dead cylinders ?

[buddy]

We came back from our trip to St. Charles MO. and all seemed well. Bike was getting 37mpg hwy. Went over 2,000mi hit some rain at times but all seemed OK, Let the bike sit for a few days in the garage and went out to ride to town noticed that it had no power and at one point it felt like it was going to die but went ahead and rode it to town.

 

Went by the shop and picked up my Temp.gun and did some readings on the exhaust side and here are my readings.

 

EXHAUST READINGS

#1 410'F

#2 135'F

#3 89'F

#4 130'F

By the readings I'm running on one good cylinder?

I bought some more plugs and changed them out, all four plugs were black with carbon but not wet looking. Even after new plugs installed still have same reading on exhaust.

 

I would appreciate any help you guys can give me as where to go for further diagnostic.? Carbs - wiring - ?

 

Buddy

Edited May 30, 2009 by buddy

[muffinman]

Buddy the first thing I would look at is the Kill switch then the ignition switch. and dont forget to check the main relay that is under the battery.

one of the guys I worked with had a not wanting to run problem after it rained all day and the daignosis was a bad contact in the kill switch.

Jeff

[Eddie Fulmer]

I assume that this is the RSV you're talking about.

 

1. Is there any spark

2. Is there fuel in the carb on the cylinder that's not running

3. Is there any compression on that cylinder.

 

1=Pull plug wire off and connect to a good spare plug and start it up. Check for spark

2=loosen drain on bottom of carb bowl. I had some water get in one of my carbs and just doing this cured the problem. Catch the fuel/water when you open the drain so you can see what you caught.

3=test the compression... let's hope it is good.

 

here's a good start for you.

 

Hope this helps

[buddy]

After I took a break from this night mare I remember my first Gen was doing the same thing, the pick up coils were not getting good connection?. It would only fire off of one or two cylinders, found the pig tail for the pickup coils was not getting good connection.

So now I'm looking for the pigtail for the pickup coils on this Second Gen. Where to start is another story. Can any one tell me where the pigtail is located for the pickup coils?

Buddy

[GeorgeS]

If I understand this correctly, only one cylinder is fireing properly. ???

 

I would think maby the Rain got into the TCI, or, Pull the Plug out of the Reg/Rec Unit, ( this is the 2nd gen bike, right ??)

Check the pins for Moisture, or over heating damage, causeing a voltage drop to th entire system.

 

This is a strange one, Running good, parked for two days, then only run one cylinder, do I have that correct ??

[buddy]

If I understand this correctly, only one cylinder is fireing properly. ??? Yes

 

I would think maby the Rain got into the TCI, or, Pull the Plug out of the Reg/Rec Unit, ( this is the 2nd gen bike, right ??) Yes Second Gen.

Check the pins for Moisture, or over heating damage, causeing a voltage drop to th entire system.

 

This is a strange one, Running good, parked for two days, then only run one cylinder, do I have that correct ??

Yes

[GeorgeS]

Well, logic would indicate that the only thing that can take out 3 cylinders, and leave 1 running OK, would be the TCI.

 

Most likley moisture got into it. Remove unit, take cover off, put in oven at 110 deg. F for about 2 hours to dry it out.

 

Find the Regulator Unit, Remove plug, check for water in the Plug, and any sign of Burnt pins.

( I recall sombody else talking about this on 2nd gens )

 

Also, Check the Run Stop Switch on the right handlebar for moisture/water, Spray it down with electrical contact cleaner ( CRC 2-26 ) and blow out with compressed air.

 

Also find the plug going to the Ignition Switch, use ohm meter, read the Resistance thru the ON-OFF contacts, might be high resistance there. ( but that should keep the engine from running at all ?? )

 

Another item: Might show some clues. Find the " Ignition Fuse " 15 amp I believe. With engine running, measure the Voltage on the Output side of the fuse.

Thats the voltage feed to the TCI, AND the Ignition Coils. If there is a problem there, you Might see low voltage on the output side of that fuse.

 

--- IT also, feeds the fuel pump on 1st gens, I'm not sure on 2nd gen bikes. ???

 

Another Angle, start opening up Any Electrical plugs, that might have gotten a bath in the Rain Storm, and Apply CRC 2-26, and hit them with compressed air.

Thats a witch hunt, as they say. But you just might fix it that way.

[Neil86]

Buddy...

did you refuel at end of trip before parking bike....maybe bad fuel?

[Sailor]

Had a problem with my bike. After picking it up at the dealership where I had gotten it serviced it ran out of power and felt like it was running out of gas even though it had half a tank. When I opened the gas cap it became obvious they had crimped the vent line when they had put the tank back on. Runs fine now.

[V7Goose]

We came back from our trip to St. Charles MO. and all seemed well. Bike was getting 37mpg hwy. Went over 2,000mi hit some rain at times but all seemed OK, Let the bike sit for a few days in the garage and went out to ride to town noticed that it had no power and at one point it felt like it was going to die but went ahead and rode it to town.

 

Went by the shop and picked up my Temp.gun and did some readings on the exhaust side and here are my readings.

 

EXHAUST READINGS

#1 410'F

#2 135'F

#3 110'F

#4 89'F

By the readings I'm running on one good cylinder?

I bought some more plugs and changed them out, all four plugs were black with carbon but not wet looking. Even after new plugs installed still have same reading on exhaust.

 

I would appreciate any help you guys can give me as where to go for further diagnostic.? Carbs - wiring - ?

 

Buddy

This post intrigued me, as I a have often recommended that folks check how fast an exhaust header heats up by using their finger tips within the first 30 seconds of starting the bike, but I never thought of using my IR thermometer to compare them.

 

So today I tired it - from what I found, you absolutely cannot rely on comparison of those temps for troubleshooting! As far as I know, my engine is running perfectly right now - I just got back last night from a 4,000 mile trip through New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, and my fuel mileage remained normal the whole time. Running two-up and heavily loaded at an indicated 83 MPH (just about 73 MPH actual) for hours on end coming home, I had no problem getting 170 miles before getting a bit nervous looking for gas. Of course I got much better mileage when I'd slow down a bit!

 

Anyway, after riding about 70 miles this morning, I checked the temps on the header pipes with my IR thermometer. I found that the temps varied wildly with even very minor changes in the exact point the thermometer was being aimed (my IR gauge has a laser dot for precise aiming). The rear cylinders are much easier to access for getting a reading off the header pipe right at the exhaust valve, and the highest temperature was always from the chrome clamp holding the pipe in place - about 550 degrees. If the gauge was aimed just above the clamp on the head, the temps were around 480, and if aimed right inside the clamp on the actual bare header pipe, the temps were always under 300! When I tried to get readings from the front cylinders, I was never able to get anything over 300 degrees, no matter where I aimed the thermometer.

 

In general, both rear cylinders read similar temperatures to each other, as did the two front cylinders.

Goose

[JerryK]

I ran a 2000 Venture and lost 2 coils running in water cover street.......their are 2 under the bike and 2 elsewhere.....I forget where the other 2 are....but my bet is coils under bike......I think they are the 2 rear cylinders. Maybe a plug boot ?

Hope this helps JKerry K

[RoadKill]

Any chance my wiring of the trailer lights, being I am not an electrician, got wet and is causing the problem? I sure hope not. I'm feeling awful about this since its my former bike. Buddy my offer still holds!

[buddy]

Well I finally got around and played with the Venture today with a bad right knee, hurt it at work so I been walking around like a old bull rider. I go in June 3 for an MRI. Anyway I checked the module and it seems OK see no hot spots in the backing plate and all connections seem OK. checked all wires that I could and found no problem, I did find that my #3 coil is dead and my #4 seems a bit weak so it sounds like my coils are taking a dump. From what I read this Sounds like a common problem with these Second Gen? rear coils going out...

So Now I'm looking at replacing the rear coil so I can get this Venture going and sell it to pay doctor bills and get out from under another cycle payment.

 

I will let you know how things turn out with the coil replacements...

 

Buddy

Edited May 30, 2009 by buddy

[GeorgeS]

Two bad coils ?? Thats a new one,

 

I wonder, if all the bad ignition coils on 2nd gens reported on this web site, could be narrowed down to one or two model years ?? Just a thought.

[HGWT]

Sorry but I seem to be having the same problems. the bike has always started never a problem. Recently I went to start the bike and noticed a hard start, I probably cranked 3 seconds more than usual. I also attributed it to the bike sitting more than usual. The next day I go to start it and nothing, zip, zilch nada. Lets start with the easy stuff first, changed fuel filter, then fuel pump as I already had purchased one in casr the oem died away from home. Then check the left rear spark plug, no fire there. Then I called in for dinner. I have a TCI on order should be here mid-week. anyone here got any other big ideas?

 

thanks

[bkuhr]

Tracked down 3 dead cylinders on my first gen was resistor plug caps. Internals were rusted and dirty and likely any humidy casused problems. Tried to clean and repair only 1 of 3 worked after repair. Suspect spring lost required oomph. Ended up putting on 4 new plug caps for about $2.50 each and problem solved. I also replaced my plug wires at the time.

 

Just suggestion