Topic: broke down in lake havasu. help!

[jpfrk2001]

Spoke w/ Ken at Cycle Exchange. He believes that my points plate thingy is bad and is overnighting one to me at cost w/ discounted shipping. Oh, well. Another day in paradise. I'm off to the lake to see the sights.

There you go. Try to seek the positive in a bad situation. I hear there are some great bars there? Post some pics of some pretty smiles if you can.

[Stev-o]

Spoke w/ Ken at Cycle Exchange. He believes that my points plate thingy is bad and is overnighting one to me at cost w/ discounted shipping. Oh, well. Another day in paradise. I'm off to the lake to see the sights.

Sorry to hear but we need pics!

[fatmatt650]

Sorry, no pics till I get home. I'm using the hotels computer and the connection is really spotty. The part arrived this morning. I installed it and she started right up! WooHoo! Still ran kinda crappy but I found a bad spark plug connector, replaced that and she's running great. Well, pretty good. I think this trip has finally made me certain that my valve guides are going bad. Ken tells me I'm blowing black smoke when I get on the gas and white smoke when I downshift and I can hear the valvetrain clatter when I give it accelerate under load. Hope I get that taken care of in time for next years ride. Meanwhile, one more night in Havasu then heading back towards home.

[Stev-o]

Good news....

[TwoTired]

Ken tells me I'm blowing black smoke when I get on the gas and white smoke when I downshift and I can hear the valvetrain clatter when I give it accelerate under load.

Black smoke is usually unburned hydrocarbons (gas), probably from the accelerator pump gas shots.

White smoke is usually from water condensation vaporizing. 

I would think a true valve train issue would show as blue smoke.  If clattering, I'd check the valve adjustments, and look at the valve stem tips for gouging/ruting.  If they are gouged, you must use a different method other than a feeler gauge to correctly set the valve adjuster clearance, or overhaul the head.

[scottly]

I can hear the valvetrain clatter when I give it accelerate under load.

Valve-train clatter doesn't vary with load. Re-check the ignition timing: if too far advanced, the sound you are hearing may be "pinging", which WILL be affected by load.

[scottly]

Hey Matt, how do you have the blue and brown sensor wires connected? If both are connected to ground, the power arc is set for maximum advance, blue grounded  with brown open is the next step down, blue open with brown grounded is another step down, and both blue and brown open is the least advance.

[Dave Voss]

Meanwhile, one more night in Havasu then heading back towards home.

Did you guys make it back home okay...?

[Stev-o]

Meanwhile, one more night in Havasu then heading back towards home.

Did you guys make it back home okay...?

And where are the bikini pics??

[fatmatt650]

Home safe! Thanks for the excellent advice/information. I'm definitely having multiple issues that need to be sorted before I go ahead and pull the engine. My #4(far left) carb started dumping gas at the end of the first day out from Havasu so I spent the next 2 days turning the petcock on and off, brown and blue wires are connected, I'll have to play w/ that plus I haven't really played w/ timing at all while the engine is running properly. I'm not really sure about the smoke color, I'll have to have someone else ride it while I follow. I did my valves very carefully yesterday morning and the clattering under load is still there. Hopefully I'll make the time to get all this sorted out now instead of storing it until next year and heading out on a wing and a prayer again.

[Schnell]

Valve chatter under load is a result of pre-detonation solved with higher octane gas, or timing too advanced possibly caused by weakened centrifugal timing advance springs.

[TwoTired]

If the top of the valve stems are cupped, you can not accurately set the valve lash with feeler gauges.  You have to seat the adjusters for zero clearance and then use the specified outward turns according to thread pitch, to get the proper clearance.

[Hon3ybadger]

Broke down in Lake Havasu? Go party with some half naked drunk girls. Doesn't sound like the bikes going anywhere.

[Don R]

The gas dumping carb will cause the smoke, I'm a big fan of new float valves and checking the float level with a clear tube.
I'd double check the timing and the advancer springs.

[fatmatt650]

Scroll down for pics -
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=126750.275