Topic: a few questions to start

[Queeg]

Ok this is my first non single cylender bike! Its a 76 cb550f
I can't get #4 cylender to fire. It gets spark and I adjusted the valves. The cam chain was loose so it retentioned it.
Could it be carbs?
It has a kerker 4to1 on it

 Next: the right side cover is diffrent then any other I can find/have seen! The top forward tab is verticle not horizontal.
It idles great still and I rewired everything!(Starter wire freid and shorting etc)
Want to try to ride it this weekend!
Not working right now so I have plenty of time! Thanks Q

[Grumpol]

 If its getting spark and air then i would guess its the carb.
Theres other blokes here that would know more than me, listen to them
Just dont let that white whale get ya!

[Queeg]

Just dont let that white whale get ya! ;
Is that like that pesky pterodactyl?

[SteveD CB500F]

If it's just #4 that won't fire (cold exhaust header?), take the plug out and have a look at it.

Is it wet? If so, fuel is getting through so clean/dry it and try again.
Is it fouled? If so, get a new one or clean the carbon off it and try again.

Does it spark against the head when unscrewed?  If so, the wire is OK but this doesn't mean that the plug fires when under compression, - I've known them fail like this.

[Grumpol]

Just dont let that white whale get ya! ;
Is that like that pesky pterodactyl?

Maybe i was wrong, but i thought queeg was a character from Mody Dick

[ev0lve]

Sorry I don't have any bike knowledge to pass on.  My bike had a cold cylinder but it came back of it own volition after engine and carb reassembly. Wish I knew why My guess is the carb. My low-tech test was to put my hand over the intake with the air-box off. If you get a handful of gas maybe that's not it. Now I gotta go find who stole the strawberries! You're all out to get me!

Caine Mutiny

[mark]

...... naw it was Bogart in The Caine Mutiny.

Lt. Barney Greenwald: Doctor. You have testified that the following symptoms exist in Lieutenant-Commander Queeg's behavior. Rigidity of personality, feelings of persecution, unreasonable suspicion, a mania for perfection, and a neurotic certainty that he is always in the right. Doctor isn't there one psychiatric term for this illness?
Doctor Dickson: I never said there was any illness.

 
 

and Iggy types fast.

[Johnie]

What throws me is you say it idles great.  It should not idle "great" if #4 is not firing.  Follow the clues above...my guess is a plugged jet in #4 carb.  Do you know if the carbs have ever been cleaned?  Did the bike sit for a while before you found it?  Is the gas tank clean?  How many miles on it?

[Queeg]

Ok! I got the bike 3 months ago! It was sitting for a while, how long under a year! I cleaned the carb bowls, everything looked nice! Justa tad of corrosion in #4. But I mean barely any.
The sparkplug is dry and clean , fires when touching the head!
Guy I got both b ike from was working on them then wife got sick of the projects and got him a harley and a new suzuki!
So they started sitting.
Pulled about half a sandwich bag of rust and crap out when I cleaned and coated the tank!
Never ran it with that tank as the one off the 2nd bike was perfect inside and out.
I guess ill rebuild the carbs, maybe something got in there from the tank?

 And thanks for not bringing up red dwarf! I hate that show.
 Greenland is a barren land, a land that bears no green!
Where there's ice and snow and the wild fishes blow.
And the daylights seldom seen!

[ieism]

Start it up and leave it idling for a minute, don't rev it. Is the no. 4 pipe as hot as the others?

If not...check for spark. Check if the rubber boots attached to the carbs (on both sides) are on tight. Check the slowjet to see if it's clogged. The slowjet is the most work, so you want to leave that for last.

[Queeg]

Pipe is cold, that's how I figured its #4
  Like I said it gets spark! Wire is getting old but in good condition.

No ideas on the side covers? Anyone?

 Thanks for the help!

[SteveD CB500F]

You need to post a pic of that.

[dusterdude]

how bout tight valve/s on #4

[mlinder]

Almost surely carb. Clean the jets and all of the little orifices.

[moham]

Just dont let that white whale get ya! ;
Is that like that pesky pterodactyl?

Maybe i was wrong, but i thought queeg was a character from Mody Dick

I believe it was queequeg from the Dick...