back firing only on one side

[Guest]

I put a good petcock valve on isn't sucking gas through the vacuum line.
I checked the float height and it was off a little. put the carbs back on ,tried to make sure nothing was sucking air. Still was running bad up and down the alley,low speed. Got back to garage and the idle was all over the place I would turn it up to 1200 and it would go to 3000 then I would turn it down and it would drop and die. I pulled the plugs and found a spark plug end just fell off. I cut the end of the wire back and took the whole plug end apart. I thought I heard something hit the floor but did not see anything. There was a shaft inside the brass screw that plugs into the spark plug. I checked the plugs and they had a dry black coating on them. They all looked the same. It then seemed to idle better but the thing was backfiring out the same side that the plug end fell off. I didn't do anything after that just gave up. It is starting to drive me up the wall. What should I check first? I was thinking that the high idle was from a air leak? I am not sure if it will quit with the high idle problem but it wasn't doing it the last time I ran it. what about the backfire thing? I though it did that from being lean? I thought black was rich on the plugs? any ideas????

[dr_fosg8]

Scrapper,

I read through some of your previous posts and it seems you have the carbs sorted out, dipped and new o-rings and new o-rings for the intake boots right?

Air filter is in place and properly sealing and oiled?

One thing that I didn't remember seeing in the maint. was a valve adjustment. If you havn't looked at that yet I would do it as soon as possible.

The hanging idle and such definately sounds like and intake air leak.

[scrapper]

yea, I am trying to get everything done but only have time right now for weekend work. So every Saturday I work on it. I got to get a gasket, po used something on it. It looks like sealer I hope not. I should try to find the post on the valve shim club and join. I just don't see any place for a air leak. I will spray it again and see if it stops But it may not be doing it? Will the valves cause it to backfire? Off and on?

[dr_fosg8]

I think that the backfiring could be valve related. If your valve clearances are too tight then your valves will not seal well.

Someone more engine savvy will be along to explain the why on that.

If you havn't got them yet, get yourself a valve cover gasket and some feeler gauges and get after those valves. There is a very good how-to on Basscliffs website.

[scrapper]

Yes it is a very good place to get info. I already got gauges just for the valves and a excell spread sheet for valve info, just a little chicken I guess. I am worried the bike might run worst than it does now. That would be not a good thing. I will get to it maybe next weekend?

[Ghostgs1]

Hi scrapper, Adjusting the valves isn't very hard and could save you a bunch in head work. If you are interested in the shim club, the thread is in my sig. Ray

[BentRod]

given the condition of your plugs, you are likely running a bit rich, but the proper way to read a plug is to get the bike up to fully running temperature, ride it around a bit, and then pull the plugs quickly after riding.
your idling problem sounds very similar to one that I had when I was runing VERY rich, (I have 135 mains in at the time, I replaced them with 125 mains)
Once the valuve clearence is fixed, you may be able to further tell if you are running rich by seeing if the bike seems to run better cold than when hot. If it does then this is a sure sign your main jets are too generous.