Topic: Not out of, and maybe far from, out of the woods yet.400f 75

[Redline it]

strangely.after the smooth valve timing before starting, and not quite getting the part about having to tighten #4 close to what it was??? anyway strange as it is to me. start from adjusting #1 from either position of the cam shaft/lobes up or down,180degree either direction, lobes up or down.. made no difference, hard to start. like lack of fuel, choke on and eventually starting from electric start-no, then kicking it, yes only with throttle off. but cold of course 20 or 30 yrs cold. but wiggled the choke and it runs, struggling and then dies and is hard starting. get's ok revs like 6k or 7k, but puny. and dies and is hard to start again. lack of fuel or out of ignition time, at this point, i usually put a dwell meter and a strobe. but maybe fuel level is too low and this time around instead of setting a full bowl, that usually ends up in leaks, overflows, i started 1/16 to 1/8inch low, but of course it'd hold that fine.

[Mark1976]

   Ok, I gotta ask, why start a new thread, you have one already going?

   1st.  Are the valves adjusted properly or not, use the service manual if there's any doubts about them. No guessing...
   2nd. Do you have a fully functioning ignition, I'm under the impression there's questions about that, if so go back and make sure everything works as intended. Again, no guessing.
   3rd.  Put an adequate amount of fuel in the tank , if the carbs are clean and full and not overflowing, you're in a good place.
   4th. I mean no disrespect when I say this, but you have to break your posts down, so they're just easier to read and interpret. One problem at a time. In order to become proficient at anything, you have to be successful at it first. If you have fuel, compression and ignition, it ought to run... it's not rocket science,  it's basic gas engine science...
   You'll get it figured out, one thing at a time...

[Deltarider]

Redline, I find all your posts very difficult to read let alone understand. I hope you will succeed in presenting your topics more clearly. Like Mark, I mean no disrespect, but TBH, I've stopped reading quite a few of your posts halfway through.   

[HondaMan]

strangely.after the smooth valve timing before starting, and not quite getting the part about having to tighten #4 close to what it was??? anyway strange as it is to me. start from adjusting #1 from either position of the cam shaft/lobes up or down,180degree either direction, lobes up or down.. made no difference, hard to start. like lack of fuel, choke on and eventually starting from electric start-no, then kicking it, yes only with throttle off. but cold of course 20 or 30 yrs cold. but wiggled the choke and it runs, struggling and then dies and is hard starting. get's ok revs like 6k or 7k, but puny. and dies and is hard to start again. lack of fuel or out of ignition time, at this point, i usually put a dwell meter and a strobe. but maybe fuel level is too low and this time around instead of setting a full bowl, that usually ends up in leaks, overflows, i started 1/16 to 1/8inch low, but of course it'd hold that fine.

By chance, did you just change the points plate out with a new one? If so, there is likely the problem...

[Redline it]

i'm sorry you guys about my abnormal postings. i'm still just happy being able to contribute to this awesome site, while getting the best information and some of the best, yet misleading, unintentional of course, but i'm bearing with it. the overall project has given me more trouble than the other 400f bikes i have. time isn't pressing, another and the last friend i had died last night.

anyway like mark was saying follow through on the systemic processes, lately it's been anything but. so put more gas in and it was running better, and i didn't change anything other than paint the frame. every is stock and i'm trying to keep everything as it was. i put a timing light on it tonight and checked first one #4 float level and it was very close so i went to the ignition side and after putting more gas in it was cleaning up some, so i put a timing light and dwell meter on it and 1and4 are not producing spark, no dwell, on 2and3 those points weren't even closing. so i put them closer together, it was still hitting 6000 rpm not real smooth, and the ignition i pretty much guessed at it, and if anyone caught the distressful thing of the valve lash problems i was having, i was ready to hang it up. i have some pretty good testing techniques that i could contribute in the how toos, but the bottom line is if any size quorum here decides that redline it should get off the site, i'd respect that and close the account, i have had my one 400 f 20 years before internet, i made it ok, i'll be alright without it now. one thing i learned recently is I'll never chime in on any particular thread regarding any member's questions. because i'm not a moderator, nor am i regarded as paid professional. by personal experience i see how that can get confusing to site members asking questions and down time losses from random suggestions that might not be answering the problems at hand. due to the complexity of system operations. tell me even the best there is here, doesn't constantly learn new approaches on subjects they thought were nailed down in solutions.

[Redline it]

tonight was the first time i heard anything about continuing on the same thread. all the time, or at least until a thread with one problem solved i didn't read any site directions on that, but i'll comply fully if i can.