Savage_Greg

I know you've had lots of advice so far. But if you're still not running might I make a suggestion? From what you've described the engine is running rich. Keep it simple -solve this first. After you solve this, if you have other symptoms move on, otherwise go riding. Most likely causes of rich condition are either not enough air, or too much fuel, electrical being a distant third. If you don't have your intake pinched off somehow, I'd start looking at the carb. Perhaps even changing back to the smaller jets until you get to a lean condition.

Something else to keep in mind (I'm sure you are) is that whenever something goes wrong after wrenching, far and away the most likely cause is the wrencher. Since it would be really really difficult to describe everything you did (especially a mistake you don't remember) this is just a reminder.

mornhm - FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


At this point it is a matter of, "What changed?"  Don't know if you read the post, but we went riding all day the day before.  Not a problem.  That's why this IS interesting.

The first thing that I checked was fuel.  The carb was full, no flooding, but the plug was wet.  Then checked the spark, and it was good.  Then because this is my third "reassembly" with used rings and valves, I checked compression.  That was good.  The ignition is also good because it starts and runs when the plug is dry.

Then, I did the harder part of removing and cleaning the carb.  Unfortunately, I had to go to work on the "track bikes" at that point...

It is always possible that it could be the wrencher.  That's why I started this post.  I'll keep ya posted either way.

What do you think it is?

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


That's an idea, but nope.  We filled up before we left and drove 80 miles out of a tank.  Gotta be about 35 miles left in there.  As well, I always drain my gas in a small container (I have a hose on the bowl drain) and could tell if there was any water, etc.

I might still have bad gas though

vtail wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


Yeah, but this problem is not the decomp solenoid or the module.  With the chrome cover off, I just started and ran the engine.  I watched the actuator arm.  After "the big click" the arm moved, then the starter turned, and then the arm went back to the normal position.  The arm stayed  off until I tried to start it again...which of course, was because the engine died AGAIN

Remember the sequence, the engine starts, idles fine and then starts to sputter and die after a couple minutes?  So then I pulled the plug, cleaned it, and started engine again, but this time I set the idle up to 2000 and let it go for a few minutes.  It sounded fine.  I decided to check the air screw adjustment so I turned the idle back down, and it died.  2 times AGAIN

Yep.  Cleaned and adjusted the carb (floats) and everything seems fine.  No leaking petc0ck, no overflowing bowl, not even a fuel smell, but the engine only runs a few minutes and then dies with a wet plug...

The symptom is a wet plug and I believe the problem is a worn or broken oil ring.  It hard to identify the wetness on the plug, but a fouled plug is usually black anyway.  I think the wetness is oil, and I think that it takes a couple minutes for the oil pressure to build up and since the oil ring is NOT wiping the cylinder wall as it should, it takes a minute for oil to foul the plug.  

Maybe if I was running it harder down the road, the oil would burn off, but at idle it doesn't.

Remember that I didn't add oil for a cold check of the compression?  I don't think I needed to.  Might have been  a false reading if the cylinder was oily.

Remember how I mentioned the sooty baffle?  Bet it wasn't from a really rich mixture.

Remember the wife mentioned that she smelled my exhaust?  I just noticed that my oil was a little low today too.

Anyone that has my CD will see a couple piston ring photos where I checked ring to cylinder and ring end gap.  Mine were on the high side of all the tolerances.  I meant to buy new rings, but being in a hurry I decided to hone the cylinder and see if they'd do okay through winter.  (there were other reasons like saving money, etc,  too.)

It's my guess that seating the rings just one more time, was one time too many.  As Mornhm said, it might be a problem with the wrencher.

So let this be a lesson in WHAT NOT TO DO.  Buy new rings.  They only cost about $23  

vtail wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:

I don't really.  It was just thrown in with other observations for the conversation.  Not sure why I felt the suction on the exhaust either.

I know it's not the decomp system.  I just watched it start to stop.

I know it's not valve clearance, I've adjusted them twice.

I know it's not valve timing, the engine runs too well (above idle).

I know it's not the carb, because I cleaned it last spring for photos, and cleaned it again yesterday.

I know it's not the petc0ck, because I ran it without the vacuum hose.

I know it's not ignition because it starts easily cold and runs smooth (above idle).

I do know the rubber seal around the choke knob shaft is a little worn and loose on the shaft.

I do know the plug gets wet quickly.

I do know the engine was low on oil after about 130 miles of total running since reassembly.

I do know the baffle in the Raask was thick with black soot.

And I do know the spouse could smell my "gas" when she was following me

Maybe too, without a baffle I was merely feeling a back pressure in the dragpipe that I didn't expect.

Please.  Any other idea?

A busted oil ring could cause the choke knob to bounce, as the piston goes up and down the crankcase pressure will blow by the broken oil ring.  Just had a thought that maybe the crankcase breather could be stopped up or the tubing pinched off. The increase in crankcase pressure might blow some oil by the rings and cause the wet plug and would mimic a busted oil ring. Sounds like the carb is good, you have been in more than once. When the bike was running did it smoke any, oil smoke I mean, not dumpster smoke?. Maybe pull the exhaust pipe off the head and see if there is any oil in the exhaust port. Speaking of exhausts could it be plugged up with a dead mouse or busted baffle?.

Long shot here but unscrew your plug cap from the wire and check the resistance.  Could be a resitor opening up in the plug cap.  Spark gets week, misfires, loads, floods...end of story.

Long shot but worth a check.

smokin_blue wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:10:


If the resistor "opens up" does that mean that it can also "close down" after it cools?  It would have to be able to do that since it fires right up again after I clean the plug.