Think I have figured out my problem.

[Air Ready Auto]

Have been having cylinder 2 problems. All of the normal checks seamed normal. Then I got zapped today. Left cylinder 2 unplugged and she ran like she always does. Hooked my inline spark tester up and she ran like a dream and the exhaust pipe heated up like the rest. I'm guessing it is shorting out when plugged in. Cylinder 1 is wrapped the same but I'm guessing is not shorting because the pipe is heating quick like the rear 2. So, where can I get a new set of wires? And wow do these things run good on 3 cylinders. I'm guessing this has been a problem since I got her and never noticed. Lucy is also my first Venture so I had nothing to compare to.

[BlueSky]

The wires are copper core spark plug wires. As far as I know, you can buy wire from O'reillys auto parts that will work. The caps screw onto the wire.

[Flyinfool]

It looks like you have blue spark wires, this would indicate that the wires have been changed. It is very easy to replace just the caps with new ones. I bought this spark plug cap.

 

You would not be the first person to ride a LONG time on 3 cyl just because you did not know the true potential. These Ventures do run quite well on 3, some people only notice a dip in MPG when one cylinder drops out. But hang on when you get all 4 running, it will feel like you added a turbo.........

[Air Ready Auto]

Thanks @Flyinfool , I have 4 comming. Anybody have a write up on how to replace them or even a video @cowpuc ? I have seen stuff about how they just screw on and off but for the life of me I can't figure out how that would work. This one absolutely does not want to come apart.

[videoarizona]

Let me try to set this up for you without visuals...

 

The coil has a screw type nut that screws onto the coil. There is an O ring as well.

 

You push the screw type nut onto the spark plug wire, then push an O ring onto the wire. Visualize the end of the spark plug wire with a nut then an O ring on it. In this order...the end of the wire, the O ring, then the nut. Nut threads facing toward the end of the wire.

 

To assemble:

You push the end of the wire into the coil. Push hard as its going to be pushing against a pin inside the coil. This pin gets pushed into the middle of the wire, making contact with the center conductor. Then you push the O ring up to the coil, then push the nut up to the coil as well. Now, by pushing and turning the nut onto the end of the coil, once you get the threads engaged, then nut will pull in and seat the O ring...compressing the O ring which now will hold the wire snug in the coil.

 

It's a simple but effective system. Nice part is, if you live in an area where wire corrosion is a given, you just loosen the nut, pullo the wire out of the coil, snip off about 1/2 inch of wire...or enough to where the wire is clean and not green colored....then push the wire back in, the O ring in and the nut in...tighten nut and done again for another year!

 

I wonder if a little dialetric grease on the outside of the cable would help slip the cable in and at the same time provide corrosion resistance...I don't know..just thinking out loud.

[Marcarl]

Just some clarification I think.

-The o-ring has 2 sides, so ot's not a normal rounded o-ring. Check to make sure you have it placed rightly.

-I wouldn't use any lube of any sort, just makes everything slippery and hard to handle.

- It you want you could put a wee bit of DE on the inside of the plug boot, but it shouldn't be necessary.

- Install new plug boots. you can go resistor type or not, your choice. If you don't new sounds might show up on your radio is all.

- Put new plugs in while you are at it.

- Pull the front wires first, then the rear wires. Install the rear wires the the front wires. Can all be done without faring removal if you don't have meat fists.

- To route the new wires, tape the new wires to the old to slide in the new ones as you pull out the old ones.

[Flyinfool]

Those are both great explanations for replacing a spark wire in the coil. But he already has aftermarket spark wire and is just replacing his damaged caps.

 

If your caps were replaced at the same time as the wires then it is very possible that you do not have stock caps and we can not guess how they might come off, but the new caps should just screw onto the end of the wire. After you trim it back 1/4 to 1/2 inch to get to fresh center conductor.

[Air Ready Auto]

In guessing that the existing caps do not screw on/off or easily come off the wires as I can find no way to remove them without cutting the wire. The new caps are due to arrive tomorrow. The plan is to trim off the old caps and install the new ones.

[Patch]

Looks like an easy fir for you.

 

2 unmentioned items: 1st there seems to be a minor oil leak? Next is, whenever an engine is run with a miss or as in this case a constant no ignition - the vacuum generated by the intake stroke of that piston will still draw fuel from the carb. So this means the oil in the crankcase has a reduce viscosity, and should be changed... true story(:

[Air Ready Auto]

Looks like an easy fir for you.

 

2 unmentioned items: 1st there seems to be a minor oil leak? Next is, whenever an engine is run with a miss or as in this case a constant no ignition - the vacuum generated by the intake stroke of that piston will still draw fuel from the carb. So this means the oil in the crankcase has a reduce viscosity, and should be changed... true story(:

 

Yes, Lucy leaks oil... I'm thinking I will be doing a complete gasket job this winter.

[videoarizona]

In guessing that the existing caps do not screw on/off or easily come off the wires as I can find no way to remove them without cutting the wire. The new caps are due to arrive tomorrow. The plan is to trim off the old caps and install the new ones.

 

 

I would install new wires too.....

[Air Ready Auto]

No caps today... They're telling me now maybe Tuesday.

[Patch]

Well if you're pressed, you can always old school and do without for now.

Remove the cap and carefully push it onto the spark plug conductor, secure with a tie rap. Straight down no side to side!

 

Don't forget to change the oil.

[Air Ready Auto]

Got the caps and installed them. Cylinder number two exhaust (left front) is still heating up slower than the others but significantly faster than before I installed the caps. There is also no performance difference between riding with all four plugged in and cylinder number 2 unplugged. Any ideas oh masterful ones?

Edited July 26, 2018 by Air Ready Auto

[BlueSky]

You may need to clean the carbs. I'd put a bottle of Gumout for high mileage engines with PEA in the gas and run it for a few minutes every day and see if it clears up. Most members like Seafoam but I've found that Gumout does a great job.

[dna9656]

In guessing that the existing caps do not screw on/off or easily come off the wires as I can find no way to remove them without cutting the wire. The new caps are due to arrive tomorrow. The plan is to trim off the old caps and install the new ones.

I would ditch the old caps and ignition wire then put in new plugs, new everything. When you get the new caps you see what the other guys were explaining much better.

[Patch]

Got the caps and installed them. Cylinder number two exhaust (left front) is still heating up slower than the others but significantly faster than before I installed the caps. There is also no performance difference between riding with all four plugged in and cylinder number to unplugged. Any ideas oh masterful ones?

 

 

Did you get Lucy running on all fours yet?

 

The trick in understanding CV carbs is the circuits. You may still have power over a 1/4 throttle which may explain why you feel no increase in power. However and because you likely have 3 jugs pumping well you may not notice the transition when accelerating. Meaning if your pilot circuit is blocked and you accelerate she should stumble because, you are missing that low rev fuel circuit, this is a common problem!

 

This assumes that the spark plug is firing.

 

Soft tough fixes don't always work, the problem is that the chemical needs to pass through the jet in order to clear away the junk in it. If the jet is blocked not just restricted the cleaning chemical can't do its job, then you rely on luck.

 

If the jug is still not warming equal to the others you will need to remove the carb set and clean that very easy to find pilot jet with wire.

I am sure I have pics of blocked jets I'll look and see, if so I'll post one for you.

 

Patch

[Air Ready Auto]

Haven't had much time the last week to tinker with Lucy. Been preping for our family trip to Mexico to see the inlaws. Two weeks in the hottest part of the country at the hottest time of the year... This northern boy is going to melt.

[Patch]

Enjoy!

We'll talk about the lack of attention to Lucy when you get back..

[Flyinfool]

At least they use Celsius down there so when they report the temperatures it will at least sound like it is cool out.

[uhfradarwill]

It looks like you have blue spark wires, this would indicate that the wires have been changed. It is very easy to replace just the caps with new ones. I bought this spark plug cap.

 

You would not be the first person to ride a LONG time on 3 cyl just because you did not know the true potential. These Ventures do run quite well on 3, some people only notice a dip in MPG when one cylinder drops out. But hang on when you get all 4 running, it will feel like you added a turbo.........

 

I'm buy no means an engine expert, but it seems any engine producing power for 3/4 of the time it should be would exhibit some performance symptoms? No?

From a 4.5K RPM 2nd gear rap of the throttle if you are not careful it will hang the front wheel, and hang it in third if you shift near red line. Will a dead cylinder Venture do that?

Thanks

Will

[Patch]

I'm buy no means an engine expert, but it seems any engine producing power for 3/4 of the time it should be would exhibit some performance symptoms? No?

From a 4.5K RPM 2nd gear rap of the throttle if you are not careful it will hang the front wheel, and hang it in third if you shift near red line. Will a dead cylinder Venture do that?

Thanks

Will

 

The OP was looking for his issue, and is why we don't see the complete picture in this thread.

 

But to answer your question, one of the most common complaints we see with these 1300s is 5th gear is lacking power, can't accelerate, 5th is too high and therefore...

 

This is often when we know there is a cylinder under performing or dead.

Lots of things can cause this and its not always an obvious problem when, you can't compare the performance say to last years/seasons ride.

 

And we don't all see the answers the same way with regards to 5th gear, and that's ok too. But for myself I here 5th gear problems I think torque is missing a player.

[uhfradarwill]

The OP was looking for his issue, and is why we don't see the complete picture in this thread.

 

But to answer your question, one of the most common complaints we see with these 1300s is 5th gear is lacking power, can't accelerate, 5th is too high and therefore...

 

This is often when we know there is a cylinder under performing or dead.

Lots of things can cause this and its not always an obvious problem when, you can't compare the performance say to last years/seasons ride.

 

And we don't all see the answers the same way with regards to 5th gear, and that's ok too. But for myself I here 5th gear problems I think torque is missing a player.

 

I should have a compression tester tomorrow, but if I'm cursing on the divided 4 lane road in 5th at 70 Mph and I need to pass someone, all it takes is a moderate twist of the wrist and I'm doing 85 before my front wheel is past the cars front bumper!!

[Air Ready Auto]

Enjoy!

We'll talk about the lack of attention to Lucy when you get back..

 

I'm buy no means an engine expert, but it seems any engine producing power for 3/4 of the time it should be would exhibit some performance symptoms? No?

From a 4.5K RPM 2nd gear rap of the throttle if you are not careful it will hang the front wheel, and hang it in third if you shift near red line. Will a dead cylinder Venture do that?

Thanks

Will

 

I'm back and Lucy will be getting some more attention now. So some backstory. I have had Lucy for 2.5 riding seasons now. She is my first Venture. When I got her I had to replace the starter clutch, clutch slave cylinder, do a clutch basket repair, repair the clutch master cylinder, and starter. Since then I have flushed the coolant, done 2 oil changes a season and changed the brake fluid. I have put on just under 20k miles. I am what most would call a lazy rider. I enjoy the long gently winding country roads at 45 to 55 mph. I am not a speed seeker nor am I prone to twisting the wrist very hard. When I first started riding her I thought all was normal as she had what I thought was a lot of power. After reading the posts and deciding I was going to just start checking everything over, I found that the exhaust pipe off #2 was heating slower than the rest from a cold engine. I have been assuming that the problem is not in the carbs because I know for a fact that the carbs were professionally rebuilt 2 months before I bought her. I know the guy that rebuilt them. I also am assuming that the plug cap on #2 was bad because it shocked me when doing the spark test. I will be replacing the plugs this week and going from there.

[Patch]

I'm back and Lucy will be getting some more attention now. So some backstory. I have had Lucy for 2.5 riding seasons now. She is my first Venture. When I got her I had to replace the starter clutch, clutch slave cylinder, do a clutch basket repair, repair the clutch master cylinder, and starter. Since then I have flushed the coolant, done 2 oil changes a season and changed the brake fluid. I have put on just under 20k miles. I am what most would call a lazy rider. I enjoy the long gently winding country roads at 45 to 55 mph. I am not a speed seeker nor am I prone to twisting the wrist very hard. When I first started riding her I thought all was normal as she had what I thought was a lot of power. After reading the posts and deciding I was going to just start checking everything over, I found that the exhaust pipe off #2 was heating slower than the rest from a cold engine. I have been assuming that the problem is not in the carbs because I know for a fact that the carbs were professionally rebuilt 2 months before I bought her. I know the guy that rebuilt them. I also am assuming that the plug cap on #2 was bad because it shocked me when doing the spark test. I will be replacing the plugs this week and going from there.

 

Well seems like you're on top of things. Certainly I check the pipes more than most guys will and, I am prone to touring and tuning, it just always been a part of the sport for me.

I respect your speed discipline something I have not practiced when outside of the city. I will mention this for your consideration, the 45 - 55 with the v4's do require more shifting to keep the engines from carbonizing up. You probably know this already tho.

Have a safe season