Suspect slow jets clogged again

[RogerD]

RickyD, Thank you for the reply. I am really getting concerned. I need to clarify a few points and ask a couple of questions.
   I collected some of the fluid coming from the weep hole in the exhaust when you first suggested that. I forgot to mention it in my last post. It has been sitting in my shop in a test tube since your post on Dec. 9. It is colored like oil but seems to have less viscosity. Like it has been diluted with gasoline. Very little, if any smell of gasoline and no separation of different fluids. I wil try to post a picture next time.
   I have not collected any of that coming from the exhaust header studs area. Except for that on my boot, pant leg and what I cleaned off of the head cover after the 40+ mile ride, I have only let the engine run in my shop while I was attempting another synch. That is when I found the fluid forming droplets on the exhaust header studs, running down the #1 cylinder exhaust header and dropping only a few drops on the floor. So to answer whether I can positively say it is not coming from the head gasket or not, I am not positive but I am pretty sure and will attempt to prove that is the source and try to get enough for a sample.  I did however, as mentioned in my last post, tighten the exhaust manifold studs slightly. The liquid that came out of the crankcase drain tube was much thinner, had less color and smelled like gasoline.
   I am not positive but do not believe there is any antifreeze involved. Wouldn't that separate from gas or oil if collected?
   It is #1 and #3 (not #5) that I believe are not contributing. As mentioned in my last post, pulling the vacuum cap of of these two intake runners, when doing a synch, does not decrease the engine speed like the other four cylinders. I am not saying “firing” because I think I proved that there is fire too (from the plug wire) and through (across the gap) the spark plug. The arc across the gap of the plug is bright blue. I have new plugs on hand and will try replacing them.
   There has been no work done to the right side head since I have owned the bike. No valve work. It had 12k miles when I bought it and has almost 29k miles now. The only work to the carbs was last summer when my dealer cleaned them and my recent carb bank removal and jet cleaning. I did not disassemble the carb bank and was careful not to handle the bank by the linkage.
   I'm afraid I don't know what you mean (showing my lack of knowledge) when you talk about the slide, improper sealing or cracked tower. I will try to find some material and identify these components and determine how to check them. I will also have to find out about looking at the butterfly valves. You can tell how little I know.
   The liquid coming out of the exhaust weep hole spews when the engine is running and, after letting it sit overnight will puddle on the floor. I estimate that overnight, ½ cup or more leaks from the hole and then when I start the engine, it takes a couple of minutes for it to start spewing again.
   I have an infrared heat gun and will check the temperature of the right side exhaust. Should I take the temperature reading at the exhaust header pipe?

Robot65, Thanks for your reply. I know this will sound dumb, but what do I put in the bottle and which pipe?

[RogerD]

I forgot to mention, Thunderbolt suggested that just for reasureance I check the valve clearance and timing. That is also on my list of things to do.

[Ricky-D]

Roger, if you read my reply to Roboto's  about reading temps on the exhaust you may better understand what you should be looking for. That temp gun is not a good reliable tool on chrome pipes. Use your hand!

***

[RogerD]

robot65, I sorry for the dumb question. Now I feel really stupid. I wasn't thinking and didn't understand that you were wanting me to check the temperature of the exhaust pipes.

RickyD, I will use your method. I was thinking of taking the temp on the flange that is not chrome. I know the IR gun is not accurate on chrome or other reflective surfaces. 25 years in power plant maintenance. Most of it in predictive maintenance.

[Ricky-D]

Well Roger, that is a lot of liquid (whatever it is) that your motor is pumping out.

It would seem to me that one cylinder cannot do that in such quick time.

Taking the temperature right at start up of the motor for the first few minutes will help to understand what is going on. A hot motor will not be so definitive.

So doing this temperature assessment on the right three cylinders will tell you which one is running best and which one is running worst.  Number #1 cylinder is really suspect due to the low compression.

Have you made sure the choke is fully off on that side of the motor when you move the choke to off? You can look to see if the valves are returned fully in the carburetor body.  Can you see them work in conjunction with the choke lever and with each other?

That is really a lot of fluid Roger!  It's a product of combustion. Are you using 10% ethanol enriched gasoline?    If you have a way to get non-ethanol enriched gasoline in there and drain what's in the gas tank out and what's in the carburetors on the right side, out. I'd do that.  Are you still running on the gas with all the additive stuff in it?

I guess you only took the float bowls off the carburetors when you did that related work on the carburetor bank. That is why you aren't sure when I refer to the slides or butterflys. If you do not have a manual you can download one from Dag's site.
 http://www.valkyrienorway.com/Valkyrie%20Standard%20NEW.html
It's big!!!

I still do not think you have any significant problem and I still feel it is a synchronization problem Roger.

What kind of synchronization tool are you using Roger? Are you following the correct procedure for synchronization of the carburetors? It's not as easy as the manual would have you believe.

***

[roboto65]

What does your oil smell like if the number one is getting more fuel than the others this may contribute to the low comp reading as the cylinder maybe washing down. I agree with Ricky in the fact that this probably is a carb issue.  One more thing when you put the carbs back together you double checked the jets themselves for tightness ?

Had a friend that had this same problem IIRC he had forgot to tighten one jet and it was flooding the cylinder..   Don,t give up this board is the best and has solved many a issue   

[John U.]

I agree that excess fuel washing the oil away may be the cause of low compression. I also agree that what you've desribed is a lot of fluid, too much to be condensation or oil alone. So if it isn't antifreeze, the only other possibility is fuel.
You could have a bad float valve or bad floats together with a bad petcock. If so you run the risk of a hydrolock, which certainly qualifies as a serious problem, possibly leading to expensive engine/starter damage.
It seems certain that you would know if the leaking liquid is fuel, though it may be mixed with oil, your garage would smell strongly of gas.
You need to determine if your petcock is shutting off when no vacume is present. Until you get this sorted out don't crank the engine with the plugs in place, or with the bike in the garage, gas will spray all over the place.
No smoking, be careful!

[RogerD]

Thank ya'll for the replies and advice.
   John U, There is a strong smell of gas in my shop and my wife tells me I smell like gas when I come in. Something I should have mentioned before, which is probably very important, is that after my last ride, the bike used more gas than usual, a lot more. I wish I had thought to provide that information earlier. I checked the petcock, with and without vacuum, and the screen when I had the tank off to remove the carb bank and desmog. Reply #29. I do believe the fluid is fuel mixed with oil. Reply #40 says oil diluted with fuel, but it is probably fuel with oil in it.  I do not believe any antifreeze is involved.
   Roboto65, I thought I checked the jets for tightness but, at my age, I could certainly be wrong. It may end up that I have to pull the carb bank back off. That is not a problem if it comes down to that. It is usually easier the second time.
   Ricky-D, My, so called synch gauge, is the vacuum gauge on a set of air conditioning manifold gauges adapted to a vacuum hose. I connect it  to each intake runner vacuum port one at the time starting with #3. I then adjust each other synch screw to match #3. After doing all cylinders, I check #3 again and do it all over until all match #3. I adjust the idle screw after each adjustment. I know that is not going to be exactly right but I thought that would get me close enough so I could take the bike to Thunderbolt who has offered to do the final synch for me. It may not be even close enough for that. What do you think? I will check the exhaust temperatures as you suggest. I have checked the choke operation and found that all enrichment valves are opening and closing together. I have looked in #1 and #3 carb and saw the slides closed and then opening when the choke lever is moved from the off to on positions. I looked at the vacuum hoses and they looked good. I found some gas with no ethanol at a local marina. I will follow your recommendations on that. There has been no additives in the last gas used. I downloaded the manual from the sight you suggested and it is much easier to read than the one I accessed on the Internet. I only opened the float bowls and removed the jets and pilot screws for cleaning. They looked just as clean before I let them sit in carb cleaner over night as they did after. I blew compressed air into openings that the jets screw into. Could that have caused any problems?
   I will be visiting my grandkids in GA through the weekend so I won't get back to work until next week. I am committed to finding the problem with this bike but know that I will not be able to do that without input from you good people. Thanks again for your advise.

Roger

[John U.]

Roger, don't worry about syncing the carbs right now. You almost certainly have a leaking float valve or bad floats, and a petcock problem.
Start with the carb that serves the cylinder with low compression.

Be very careful in cranking the engine (like removing sparkplugs). Gas is leaking into that cylinder and will eventually cause a hydrolock. If you are not familiar with this, do a search, it's pretty scary reading.

You also need to understand that it takes more than a bad float or float valve to leak that much fuel into a cylinder.  You will also need to rebuild your OEM petcock or replace it with a Pingle. The OEMs have a diaphragm which can develope a pinhole. Several other problems can develope with OEM petcocks as well. More searching and reading will be enlightening.
Good luck and please let us know how it's working out. Don't hesitate to ask if you need to.

[RogerD]

John U, I will do exactly as you say because I have read about hydrolock and certanly don't want to go there. I did pay for a new petcock last summer when my dealer did the carb cleaning and the 24k service. It looks new and tested good, with and withoud vacuum, when I did the carb jet cleaning a couple of months ago. I know things can happen so I will certainly check it again and also look at the floats and float valve. Is there a way to check those with the carb bank removed?
   Ricky-D and Roboto65, Do ya'll agree with John U. since I have given the information in my last post that I should have given a couple of posts ago. Ricky-D, do you still maintain that a synch, with better synch gauges, shold be done before pulling the carb bank back off?
   I am not trying to cause dissention, I just value you guys opinions and know that I did not provide the information about the amount of gas that was being used until prompted by John U. I want to make the best choice on which route to take.
   Thank ya'll for the interest in my problems.

Roger
   

[Ricky-D]

Well a hydrolock is nothing to easily dismiss for sure, so taking steps to avoid that is surely a responsible move.

Still, knowing what's happening on the right side is important knowledge.

Naturally the #1 cylinder is suspect with the low compression figure.

Synchronizing the carburetors and the problem with fluid on the floor are two unrelated problems.

I don't consider that any more synchronizing can be accomplished without attention to the fluid that's on the floor.

Finding out from the starting of the motor: on the right side, which pipes start to warm up first will tell you the relative condition of the right side cylinders.   I'm thinking the #1 cylinder will be the last, if at all to warm up. 

Going back to earlier comments, you said it was the whole right side plus #4 cylinder that were not contributing to the motor running.

I still maintain you have a synchronizing problem Roger, but you also have another problem that probably is contributing to the overall difficulty, but as to the amount it is contributing remains to be seen.

I don't see where it's necessary to start pulling the carburetor bank or making more changes without getting this "liquid on the floor" problem addressed.  Getting this problem corrected is paramount!

I know you don't have the answer and neither do I have the answer.

I am thinking the liquid is coming from a cylinder or two on the right side. How can that be happening? The causes have already been suggested earlier.  Leaking or bad float controlled gas levels in the carburetors. Loose or misplaced jets in the carburetors.  There's not much else.

So let me ask you. Have you replaced the sparkplugs on the right side yet?

You know, you are lucky that you can still get the motor running. Some who do work on a running motor end up with a motor that wont start, nor run!   If you start to do something that will cause the motor to not be able to run, well, you will have, just dug the hole deeper! 

So I just caution you to proceed cautiously Roger.

***

[rogerthat]

I've been kinda following this thread for a while because I fought with my carbs for several months and swore I was gonna sell or burn her for insurance.  Thing is, I finally got her back and running well.  Point is, I can relate to the frustration.  Keep at it. 

Some suggestions (I'm a novice at this so take 'em with that in mind.)

--Take the tank off and prop it level on a bench and see if the fuel valve is leaking.  It should let no gas out in the 'On' position (or any other) without vacuum.

--I know RogerD disagrees, but I say consider taking the carb bank out and giving it a cleaning.  Having experienced two brushes with hydrolock, I'd rather spend a couple of days fighting the airbox than replacing a starter (or more).

That's my $0.02

[RogerD]

Ricky-D, You are absolutely right that the problem started with the right side and #4. However, after removing the carb bank and looking at and cleaning the jets, #4 and #5 are now contributing. It is only #1 and #3 that are now problems. I did the hand test twice. The first time #5 got to "don't touch" first, very quickly, and then, after a minute or so, #1 got hot and #3 was last after several minutes, if at all. The second time I tested after all had cooled down, #5 got hot fist, then in less than a minute, #3 got hot and #2 was last, if at all, after several minutes. I am not making this up, it actually happend that way. I have replaced the spark plugs with no difference noted. The engine will start easily and idle fine. There is some popping at throttle up but if will run at increased speed with no popping up to between 4k and 4.5k rpm. I am talking about in my garage with no load. I don't know how to get the liquid problem solved without doing the things that have been suggested, checking the petcock again and, if that's ok, checking the float bowls to see what is going on there. I know I'm lucky. I was very nervous when I started tearing into this machine that I know very little about but I didn't want to have the dealer do it again. I have had help from this forum since I started this project and that is probibly why I can still get it to run. I was on the phone several times with Thunderbolt at different stages of the jet cleaning and desmog and he has been extremely helpful, as has all of you here.

Rogerthat, thanks for the reply. Taking the tank back off will be my next effort. I won't get back to work on it until Monday
I'll keep pestering ya'll and keep you updated. Thanks, Roger

[Ricky-D]

Roger, to answer an earlier question, yes the motor could idle on just two cylinders.

Seeing that the #1 cylinder gets warm means that it is functioning. Same with all the cylinders that evidently get warm also.

I still maintain that you have a synchronization problem and popping could be a sign of that but not necessarily a strong sign.

You haven't mentioned about the liquid and whether there was more when you did this latest warm up testing.

I guess it's possible that the liquid could be a product of a poorly synchronized carburetor array but I am not fully convinced.

Running the motor up in you garage as you say you did really doesn't mean much without a load such as if you were riding on the road.  And doing so on the road really doesn't have much to do with the synchronization since the carburetors are CV carburetors and the slides are controlling things off idle.

That set-up you are using to synchronize the carburetors will make great difficulty to do so. The best type system would be six indicators so you can see what's going on with all six cylinders/carburetors at the same time while adjusting the screws.  Remember that the fan going off and on will skew the results of your efforts as the fan cycles off and on.

Since you are still using the standard Valkyrie petcock it would be a good thing to insure it is working properly.  

As to a leaky float valve, that's a more complicated but not difficult thing to check. Of course it is important to have the bike upright to do this check.  The best way to check for a leaky float valve is to remove the riser bolts from the suspect cylinder and slide a small baffle in between the cylinder head and the riser. Turn the gas on and look for gas to be running out onto the baffle. Naturally since you have the stock petcock you will have to supply a vacuum to the petcock to make it release the gasoline.

***

[RogerD]

Ricky, The amount of fluid has not changed and is still present everytime I start the bike. About checking for leaking floats, are you saying to put the baffle between the riser, where the o-ring is, and the head? That is a pretty tight fit with the o-rings in place. Any suggestion on the baffle material and how to get it in place?

Mase,  Thanks for your reply. I have checked the flange underneath the head that I bent over, flattened, and filled with high temp epoxy. I also put a piece of exhaust gasket without the center hole in it between the flange and the head. There is no leaking there. I have changed the plugs.

[Ricky-D]

Sure Roger, that's exactly where to place it. 

If you do have a leaky float valve, you don't want the gas to go down into the cylinder head!

When you remove the bolts the riser will lift pretty easy since there is a rubber connection on the top of the riser.

I would suggest a piece of a beer can. The sides of a beer can are very thin, can be cut and trimmed smooth with a scissors and flattened quite easily and will slide in readily with just a few mm lifting of the riser!  Careful! Don't dislodge the 'O' ring.

***

[RogerD]

   I removed the intake runners  on #1 and #3 and stuffed shop towels in the holes. I put small containers under the rubber connection to the carbs. Then turned the petcock on and drew a vacuum on it and pinched off the vacuum line. I checked flow to the carbs by opening the drain valve and had good flow through both. I left the drains open long enough that I am sure it was not just gas already in the float bowls that drained out. I closed the drain valves and waited 20 minutes. No fuel leaked from the carbs.
   I had collected a measured 3 teaspoons of liquid that drained out of the weep hole in the right side exhaust and decided to do the burn test Mase suggested. I soaked some up on a shop towel and set if on fire. It did not ignite like gas. It ignited like oil, burning slowly with a lot of black smoke.
   I will take the tank off next and check the petcock again. I think I proved that it worked yesterday when I checked for gas leaking through the carbs. I got no gas through the drain valves with the petcock in the off position or with the petcock on, until I pulled a vacuum on it.
   If I have left a jet loose as Roboto65 suggested, would gas flow from the carb when the engine was not running? I think it is time to take the carb bank back off and check my work.
   Any other suggestions now?
   Thanks for any ideas.
Roger
   

[Ricky-D]

Roger, I think you lost the reason for the test.

You were testing for leaky float valves.

That test cannot be accomplished by draining the carburetors.

Regarding the petcock: At least you know it's working properly.

But there still is no definitive answer about the float valve's working properly and that is what is probably the reason and the source of the fluid.

***

[RogerD]

Ricky, I did not drain the carbs. I just made sure I had vacuum and that gas was flowing through the carbs through the petcock. I then closed the drain valves and waited 20 minutes and there was no gas coming from the rubber connection to the carbs. Does that not prove that the float valves are working and is not that the reason for the test? Sorry for not understanding.

[Ricky-D]

Does that not prove that the float valves are working

I guess so Roger!

Even though you went a circuitous route the proof will be if you no longer have fluid dripping out of the exhaust with the motor running, notwithstanding a loose jet: in which case the fluid will still be present and barring a loose jet, a definitive answer will have eluded you!

***

[RogerD]

Ricky, I can see no reason to start the engine again and check for fluid coming from the exhaust. I have done nothing to correct that problem. All I think I have done is prove that the petcock is working properly and there is not a leaking float valve, even though I did take a roundabout approach.  I thought that was two things that you were suggesting I prove in your Dec. 16, 2010 post. If I had put the baffle in as you suggested, wouldn't I have seen whether there was gas on the baffle or not? Please believe me, I am not trying to be diffucult.
   What I think I need now is confirmation that what I did does in fact prove that there is not a faulty float valve and that the petcock is working properly. Also, is it time to pull the carb bank back off and check my previous work on the jets or is there is someting else that needs to be done before I do that?
Thanks, Roger

[Valkpilot]

Ricky-D asked a significant question in an earlier reply and I don't think it was answered.

Have you replaced, or at least pulled and cleaned, the spark plugs during this process?

If they are wet or fouled they won't fire.

[RogerD]

Valkpilot, Thank you for your reply. Yes I have replaced the plugs with new ones and I checked the gaps.  It did not change anything. Reply #55
Roger

[Valkpilot]

Valkpilot, Thank you for your reply. Yes I have replaced the plugs with new ones and I checked the gaps.  It did not change anything. Reply #55
Roger

Sorry, I missed that.

Carry on.

[9Ball]

have you drained the dragon drool lately?  I didn't read through all your posts, but an excessive amount in the tubing could be causing some issues.  The stuff coming out of this tube is similar in composition to what you are describing leaking from your exhaust.

[Ricky-D]

Well Roger, I disagree with your assumption of proof since you never did find out if indeed a float valve was leaking.

Had you done it the way I suggested you would have not disturbed the float level in the carburetors and you would have seen if one (or all) carburetors were leaking a little gas because of the float.

Since you did it the way you did, all you can surmise is that they may not be leaking now.

It could be that there was a float valve problem and that what you did by draining the float bowls was to dislodge any particle that may have been the cause and now there is no problem anymore.  This of course is conjecture.

Of course the only way to know is to test now: by running the motor and see if the problem is abated. Hopefully it is!   

I feel the least desired thing to do is to remove the carburetor bank, however you may feel differently and again maybe you can find something by an inspection of the carburetors.
Since you have removed the risers it is just a little more work to remove a float bowl or two on the right side to inspect for a loose or missing jet.

I agree with you Roger that the petcock seems to be operating correctly. I never considered that was a problem however.

***

[RogerD]

Jrhorton, thanks for your reply. I drained the air cleaner housing drain. See rely #34 for a picture of the result.
   Ricky, I understand thoroughly what you are saying now. I hate to troubleshoot and then not identify the problem. I started the engine and still had the same problem. I will look at the carb bowls to see if I can see if I made a mistake somewhere.
   Thanks for putting up with me.
Roger

[roboto65]

Bother you are NO bother we just hope to see you out there on the road on the Fat Lady when she gets fixed.. Patience Grasshopper    I know thats hard to do when the dang girl does the same thing over and over but elimination is the name of the game now...

[John U.]

Roger, this may have been addressed in past posts so please excuse a redundant question. Is the level of oil in the crankcase steady?  Does the oil smell like gas? Is the level of antifreeze in the overflow thank and in the radiator steady?
You mentioned that the liquid burned like oil. A mixture of oil, and water or antifreeze could burn, though it would not burn steady and would probably smoke a lot.
A mixture of gas and antifreeze would burn more readily. though it would also probably smoke. Remember that gas will evaporate quicker than any of the other substances, so if given enough time the volatility of a mixture which includes gas will diminish.
It does seem that you have proved that the carbs in question are not leaking at the float valve at the moment and that the petcock is functioning.
Check the tank with a flashlight and inspection mirror. If you find a lot of rust you may have identified a problem, though I hesitate to declare that it will be THE problem.
If rust is present a tank cleaning and fuel filter and keeping the tank full will  help avoid problems in the future.
The suggestion to drain the dragon drool is a good one.

Don't give up Roger, we'll figure this out yet.

[98valk]

when u took the idle mixture screw out, did u make sure u put the spring, washer and o-ring back in, in the correct order? did u then lightly seat it close and then open it back out to the 1 1/4 turns like u mentioned?
did u replace the manifold intake o-rings? check all manifold to carb connections to be tight?
have u check the petcock diaphram with an eyepiece to look for wear/leaks? low/bad fuel flow will cause your problems same as poorly adjusted mixture screw.
are spark wires attached to each plug and/or each coil correctly? make sure u follow the service manual and not the parts manual which shows the wrong connections. hmmm how do I know that?

keep us informed on your progress.

[Thunderbolt]

what stage of this scenario did this occur?  Was it before you took the carbs off?  If so, there might have been fuel leaking past the rings before you even started.  I had a diesel tractor once that did similar with diesel, and the return line was leaking underneath the valve cover.  You might consider changing the oil and filter, the oil may be contaminated and the viscosity too thin.

[Ricky-D]

Roger, I'm just attempting to keep this thread alive.

More that just myself are interested upon the outcome.

Happy New Year!

***

[RogerD]

Happy new year. I have been busy with grandkids through the Christmas and New Year holidays. I hope you all had good holidays.

On 12/14/10 Roboto65 said that he had a friend that did not tighten one of the jets after having the carbs off and he had my problem. I thought "that friend was really dumb". Well, Roboto65 gets the prize and I get the DUMB@#% BONEHEAD of the year award.

I pulled the carb bank off yesterday and found #2 slow jet loose. Very loose. I checked all other carbs' jets including the pilot screws to make sure I had the spring, washer and o-ring installed correctly. The loose jet was all (like that was not enough) that I found. I put it all back together, changed the oil and filter and it cranked right up. No oil/gas mixture spraying from the exhaust. It took a while but the smoke finally cleared from the exhaust. I completed a synch, using my homemade guage. It sounded so good. I couldn't ride when I was done because of rain but I rode it this morning and it sure does pull from idle good, has the power I am use too and sounds right.

I do want to check the compression on #2 again to verify what you guys said about the low compression being caused by gas being dumped into the cylinder. And Thunderbolt has offered to synch it for me so I will be trying to coordinate that. I will let you know whether my homemade synch gauge was in the ball park or not and if the compression is back to normal.

Thank all of you for your interest and help and being kind to a novice MC mechanic who caused a lot of unnecessary thought and communication. I have learned a lot from all the replies and research. I also have learned to not be so sure of myself and judge other's friends so quickly. I could have lost my next pension check if someone had wanted to bet that I left a jet loose.

Thanks, Roger

[9Ball]

thanks for the update.

Now you are no longer a carb rookie and can provide help and wisdom to others.

Ride safe...

[Ricky-D]

That's interesting Roger.

I don't understand completely since you said the "liquid" was coming from the right side of the motor.

The #2 carburetor is on the left side of the motor.

Anyway, it's good you've got the problem corrected.

***

[RogerD]

I can see how you are confused. I mean't the #1 cylinder.

[RogerD]

Another question. At idle #3 does not seem to be contributing. When I remove the vacuum plug on the intake runner, the idle speed is not effected as it is with the other 5. Is that a sign that synch is not correct or does the idle screw adjustment have anything to do with it? I set the idle screws to approx. 2 1/4 turns.

[Thunderbolt]

I'm glad you cleared up the #2, #1 thing, I was confused too!!!!!!!!!!  We can check your sync against my Twin-Max any time.
Check the Florida board, there is a ride to Inverness this Sat.

[roboto65]

Well all right well glad you are back up and running like I have said we have a wealth of knowledge here and heck one out of a hundred ain't bad 

[Ricky-D]

Another question. At idle #3 does not seem to be contributing. When I remove the vacuum plug on the intake runner, the idle speed is not effected as it is with the other 5. Is that a sign that synch is not correct or does the idle screw adjustment have anything to do with it? I set the idle screws to approx. 2 1/4 turns.

That could mean any number of things!  I'd first check to be sure it is not plugged up!

Barring that it's not plugged, it's a pretty good assumption that particular carburetor (cylinder) is not contributing to the idling effort.

There can be many reasons a carburetor (cylinder) is not contributing to the idling effort.

Just to name a few:  Bad spark plug, No gas (many causes for this), Carburetor shut down, Poor cylinder condition, You get the idea!

Have to devise a testing regime (or multiple testing regimes) regarding that carburetor to get to the cause of the problem (not contributing to idling effort).

Here's one test to get you started.  1) Replace the spark plug with a new spark plug. Check for spark!

Always start with the easiest first. Leave any changes (adjustments) for last!

***