Topic: Help please! Running on 2 cylinders

[zombeegrant]

Hi everyone, I have a 77 CB550F. started getting warm out, so I pulled her out to start her up, and the battery was dead. ordered a new one. installed it, and it started right up, and then died while idling. Left it at that point for a few days later.
Tried to start it again, and it was rough, but it started if i held the throttle open but it was apparently only running on 2 cylinders. the middle 2 were cold.
Checked here and thought maybe the plugs were bad. Tried to change them only to find out I needed a special tool for the middle 2 cylinders. Order that and changed the plugs when it came(NGK DE7A). Same thing. But now it pops loudly while trying to start. backfiring i guess.
Not sure where to go from here. I checked the carbs only as far as making sure there was gas on the bowls. I don't know much about the carbs so i'm a bit reluctant to do anything with them. When i parked it up for the winter it was running fine.  Also it has an electronic ignition and coils and all the plugs have spark. just checked that. nice and bright with the new plugs.
Any ideas on what to check next?

[BobbyR]

When pair of cylinders 1-4 or 2-3 go out it is ignition. That is how they fire. If you have a Dyna they are know to fail. Before spending more money, trace the wires from behind the points plate ak the way up, I have seen them wear out rubbing on something. Next, unswcrew the plug caps and just clip off a tiny piece at the very end, and screw them back in so the screw bites into cleaner copper.
Run the bike in the dark see any arcing. If all that fails and you have the points plate put it back in and see what happens.

[Tews19]

If you need to, trim 1/4" of spark plug wire then put on the caps. Make sure you have spark. You can use a spare spark plug and attempt to crank with the spare spark plug. Make sure your connections are good by the coils.  The yellow and black w white stripe wire.

If you have a metal file, give the points a good skim over and brush off.

[zombeegrant]

I'll give that a try, though it does get spark on the plugs. I pulled one plug after unsuccessful starting and it does smell of gas.
Don't have the original points though.
I did check the wiring at the coils and it all seemed good aside from dirty, but still no corrosion or anything.

[BobbyR]

Look down further down all the way to the points cover I had wire rubbing and it wore through and would short out occasionally, drove me nuts.

[zombeegrant]

If I went back to the points instead of the Dyna, will this be what i'm looking for?

http://www.dimecitycycles.com/vintage-cafe-racer-caferacer-bobber-brat-chopper-custom-motorcycle-electronic-parts-honda-cb500-cb550-breaker-assembly-20-1483.html

[BobbyR]

Before I spent a lot of money I would do some more tests. We had a situation like this a month or so ago. Turned out to be a defective plug. Try swapping your plugs around. It is a point by point exercise. If your unit is bad, a lot of guys like PAMCO units. Direct replacement for the Dyna.

[zombeegrant]

well i just went out and checked everything, and its all on the up and up. all plugs are getting spark.
before I changed the plugs there was no backfiring, so it seems they are working, and maybe the timing was off, so I connected my test light, and checked the timing. When the 1-4 mark lines up, its on like it should be. for the 2-3 side, the light is on no matter what. i can rotate the engine completely and it stays on.
would it be safe to assume that the 2-3 side of the ignition is bad/stuck?

[Tews19]

Can you post a video?

[zombeegrant]

I'll see if I can get a set of extra hands.
What would I be getting a video of exactly?

[jamesbekman]

I had that happen to me.  I just happened to have another bike with a points plate, good points and condensors...  I put that plate on and everything sparked the way it should and timing tested perfect using the test light and the F mark on both 1-4 and 2-3.  Id say if you could change the points and condensors, or at the very least switch the condensers from 1-4 to 2-3 and vise versa.  Then use the test light and see if 1-4 is now showing the symptoms that 2-3 originally showed before you switched the condensers.  If it does then you need new condensers.

[zombeegrant]

Sound like a simple enough way to test.
Would the part in the link above be what I need if I go back to points?

[jamesbekman]

Ahhhh... Sorry I didnt read all the way through your original post about having an electronic ignition.