What cylinder compression do you guys have...

[Guest]

non-starter.

my bike is a 1995 eliminator 600, it was running fine until last week when it started to fade out on me if the revs dropped below 3000rpm. I left it a couple of days and then decided to go for a run. The bike would fire up on full choke but then stall when i tried to ride her away, then she wouldn't start at all, I checked the plugs, and made sure that petrol was getting through. at first i could get a weak spark at the plugs, but flattened the battery, i then jump started it off my car but could get NO spark at all. I know that there is power getting to the coils, but there seems to be nothing coming out. I am now at the end of any expertise i have and my bike is wasting away. PLEASE, has anybody got any ideas as to why it won't go. There is plenty of petrol in, i've charged the battery up, took number 1 spark plug out, shorted it to the head, still nothing, i'm not even getting a cough out of her even though the motor is turning over ok.
PLEASE-PLEASE- PLEASE, any ideas at all, this is my first big bike and i can't use it. ROADRUNNER!!

 

[ARCHIVE_kawasaki-krazy]

Welcom to the forum.
From what you are saying about fading away and the weak spark and then no spark at all, it sounds as though you are having two problems at the same time. I wouldn't suspect the coils because they don't usually fade away like that.......they usually either work or they don't, and anyway they wouldn't both go thogether.
I have to say that, although you say it's getting fuel through, I would suspect it's not getting enough. The weak spark is probably bad leads to the plugs.

You need to get that spark back first.
Start by checking all the connections from the coils to the spark plugs. Cut a small amount off the end of each lead (both ends) and remake each lead making sure its good and tight. (it's worth doing this regardless). If possible get a known good spark plug to check each lead in turn (you need to have a very good connection to the cylinder head so use a pair of insulated pliers to press the plug hard against one of the shiny bolts).If it's OK with the seperate plug, then check your 4.
To check that the coils are getting power on the 'in' terminals if you haven't get a multimeter, you can connect a 12V bulb accross the terminals. If it lights when you crank the starter, that proves out the electronics.

The fading away bit is almost certainly fuel related and the first place to look is the tank filler cap. Open the filler cap listening carefully for inrushing air. If you hear a hiss it means that the vent pipe is blocked. I'm not that familiar with the 600 tank but there should be a little hole somewhere in the cap to allow air in. Make sure that's clear.
Next look at the fuel line to make sure that there are no kinks in it or blockages. After that look at the in line filter if you have one (AND IF YOU HAVEN'T..........GET ONE, it can save you a lot of hassle with blocked carbs).
Check the petrol tap on 'prime' to make sure that petrol is actually getting out of the tank and if not, remove the tap from the tank and check the gauze screen attached to the tap. If all this fails then you are looking at a fault or blockage in the carbs themselves.

Let me know if any of this helps

KK

 

[ARCHIVE_Rocket]

I'm with kk 100%.

I would add a point though, in case you're not familiar with the plug caps on these things.

DO NOT RIP THE LEADS OUT OF THE CAPS, THEY ARE SCREWED IN AND YOU WILL BREAK THE SCREWS WHICH ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CAPS.

Sorry about the shouting, I can't over emphasise this point.

When I first got my bike from the wreckers, it had three busted screws and I knew they’d been that way for some time, the HT leads were green and chalky at the ends due to the spark having to jump from the lead’s core to what was left of the screw base in the cap. These screws are not widely known, another wrecker tried to sell me three replacement caps with the same problem “they’re all like that” he said. I forgot to bring in my one good cap so he wouldn’t believe me ‘til I ratted through gash box and found a few good one’s myself (then he was full of apologies). I also replaced the HT leads with 7mm solid copper core leads.

Oh, and another not so well known feature of the KHI ignition systems. While you’re hard at work on the ignition, take a look inside the plug end of the caps and you’ll see a little brass screw thingy (grips the top of your spark plug) with a common screwdriver slot in it. Take this out and check the resistor and spring, mine were full of corrosion so this was another barrier to a good strong and reliable spark.

If you find that someone else has done butchered the screws before you then it's too late, you'll have to replace them. But hey, this may be the cause of your ignition problem anyway.

 

[ARCHIVE_kawasaki-krazy]

I am now at the end of any expertise i have

DO NOT RIP THE LEADS OUT OF THE CAPS, THEY ARE SCREWED IN AND YOU WILL BREAK THE SCREWS WHICH ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE CAPS.

Good point Rocket..........I forgot to mention that

KK

 

[ARCHIVE_Rocket]

KK, what would I do without you?

I wait 'till someone else writes a reply then if anything is missed, I just add to it, that way I don't have to write so much.

I'm a lazy bugger, hey?

 

[Grabber]

Just checked the compression on all my Cylinder.... was surprised to find 150 on Cyl 1 and 4 and 145 on 2 and 3. When checking into the shop manual, they are saying that the compression should be in range of 135-220.... Gosh... Why such a wide range.

thanks.

 

[zlMark]

I don't know the answer about compression as i never had the need to test it. Valve adjustment will have a big play in that. If it has been 5k since you have checked the valves then you might want to check them. Takes abouyt 3 hrs. there are a couple threads for it. look for valve clearance adjustment and valve adjustment

 

[Kawasaki-krazy]

Just checked the compression on all my Cylinder.... was surprised to find 150 on Cyl 1 and 4 and 145 on 2 and 3. When checking into the shop manual, they are saying that the compression should be in range of 135-220.... Gosh... Why such a wide range.

thanks.

You would be looking for roughly equal readings between the 4 cylinders, which yours are. The big range represents the 'usable' range, outside of that range (or vastly unequal readings) means loadsadosh. I'd be interested to know what improvement you can get on those figures by following Marks EXCELLENT (crawl, crawl ) tutorial on the valve adjustment.

By the way, you don't say what bike this is on. Also could you take a moment to fill in your location in your profile. You never know, somebody may be close enough to pop over and lend a hand sometime (if needed).

KK

 

[lowlife]

Gauges read different, Hot or cold, carbs open or shut, etc?

Use a leakdown tester if you can get your hands on one. Will loan mine out if you want to pay for shipping both ways

 

[Grabber]

Its a zl900. Bike in mint condition.

I took the compression with full trottle, engine cold. I was also using those compression gauges that you just push over the spark plugs hole (rubber fitting) i think these give a little less pressure as results because of the area you use to screw the spark plugs is not occupied by the fitting.

Here is a picture of my ride.
http://img130.imageshack.us/my.php?image=kawa50qt.jpg

 

[zlMark]

Very nice bike grabber, looks like you spent some time on the aluminum parts, any tips?

Where you at?

 

[lowlife]

Hoping to get mine that shiney.

 

[Grabber]

Im from Canada, Est part. All the aluminum part as been professionnaly chromed. RPM and Speedometer gauges, what ever the fitting that hold handlebar (dont know how to call it) as been chromed too.

Bike run fast, nice sound and nice look on the road..

Curious to know from you guys how hard is it to start your bike on a cold day.... with choke. I also have a Honda V65 and when starting on a cold day with choke, the RPM can rev to 2500 easily.
With the Kawa, gosh the bike hardly run like 1200RPM and run bad. I use to keep the choke on for about 30 to 45 sec, then i remove the choke and make it idle manually. Not a big problem but, just curious to know if you guys have the same problem.
thanks.

 

[zlMark]

Try pulling the bike off the sidestand and turn tap to prime for a minute then start it. Don't forget to put tap back to on

 

[Grabber]

What would be the reason for me doing this. I am sure the float boal are full of gaz. The bike run hard when hot. Just in the morning on a cold start the choke doesnt seems to help. Actually i shouldnt say this because i cannot start it without the choke. But I cannot have the bike to rev like 2000RPM or over with the choke on.

I have my pilot screw set to 2 turns out. In the kawa shop manual, they are asking for 2.5 turns out, but my bike run better at 2 turns. How many turns out is yours set at ?

 

[zlMark]

2.5 turns out. My manual says 2 1/8(I think)

The reason I say to pull the bike off the side stand and prime is because the fuel will evaporate and the float bowls should be filled evenly/fully before starting.

 

[Grabber]

thanks, will try next time.

 

[CHRIS]

nice bike! grabber ! CHRIS

 

[gosupes]

My bike was hard to start when cold also. The enrichening circuit in the carbs are very small and can easily clog. When you first fire her up, feel the down tubes and make sure all 4 are firing. My guess is that one or two are not getting any gas through the circuit.

 

[Grabber]

Funny that the specs for the pilot screw change depending on the country. US country ask for 2.5 out. It definitely runs better at 2.0 though.