Running on 3 cylinders [Archive]

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 11:41

What would be the most common reason(s) that a 4cyl bike would be running on 3cyls after being left for 7 or 8 weeks.

I'm hoping to fix it myself, hence asking for the most common reasons...

I'm thinking, check the plugs and clean the airfilter first, other than that, maybe some blockage somehwre in the fuel line or carb? Sediment settling etc

Guess I shoulda let it idle for a while every few days when I couldn;t ride it ay :weird: !

slofox

26th January 2011, 11:43

I'd check the plugs first.

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 11:46

Yea will do that tonight. I hope it's something simple like that...

bogan

26th January 2011, 11:51

how long you try it for? mine was missing heavily on one after xmas, bit of a ride (round the block ish) and it came right.

onearmedbandit

26th January 2011, 11:52

Do you know what cylinder isn't running? If not run the bike for 2 minutes, turn it off and with a wet finger briefly touch the headers.

Like slofox says check the plug on that cylinder. Take it out of the head if the lead is firmly on/doesn't look damaged and check it for a spark. Someone who knows better than me can suggest a place to rest the plug against, sometimes the cylinder head isn't suitable.

Are they individual carbs per cylinder? Or shared? If it's shared than it's unlikely to be carb related.

White trash

26th January 2011, 12:01

If you work it out, let me know. My fucken MVX is running on three too. Dunno what the hell to do about it..........

avgas

26th January 2011, 12:15

If you work it out, let me know. My fucken MVX is running on three too. Dunno what the hell to do about it..........
Cut one off. Its clear 1 and half times a bike. You shouldn't have that kind of power on the road.

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 12:16

how long you try it for? mine was missing heavily on one after xmas, bit of a ride (round the block ish) and it came right.

yep took it a few times round the block, didn't wanna try too much riding on 3 cyls

Do you know what cylinder isn't running? If not run the bike for 2 minutes, turn it off and with a wet finger briefly touch the headers.

Like slofox says check the plug on that cylinder. Take it out of the head if the lead is firmly on/doesn't look damaged and check it for a spark. Someone who knows better than me can suggest a place to rest the plug against, sometimes the cylinder head isn't suitable.

Are they individual carbs per cylinder? Or shared? If it's shared than it's unlikely to be carb related.

aha! What an excellent way to tell which one isn't working! haha

I'll try that tonight, and yea shared so hope it's just the plugs

ducatilover

26th January 2011, 12:51

Drain the carbs and throw fresh petrol in for a start, check the fuel filter too.

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 13:00

Drain the carbs and throw fresh petrol in for a start, check the fuel filter too.

I wish Chaos Rider was here so he could endow his wisdom upon this thread.

ducatilover

26th January 2011, 13:10

I wish Chaos Rider was here so he could endow his wisdom upon this thread.

Take the flywheel off and sniff your exhaust?

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 14:04

Take the flywheel off and sniff your exhaust?

na I'll just remove the headlight and a couple of other things and it'll save so much weight, the 3 cylinder engine will still feel like a 4cyl due to reduced weight.

Max Preload

26th January 2011, 14:23

What would be the most common reason(s) that a 4cyl bike would be running on 3cyls after being left for 7 or 8 weeks.Dry carbs, stale fuel.

specter

26th January 2011, 15:01

What would be the most common reason(s) that a 4cyl bike would be running on 3cyls after being left for 7 or 8 weeks.

it decided it wants to be a triumph! :bleh:

avgas

26th January 2011, 15:31

it decided it wants to be a triumph! :bleh:
Or a Yamaha :bleh:
Or Benelli :bleh:

that is until is smokes like a Kawasaki :eek:

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 15:35

it decided it wants to be a triumph! :bleh:

I guess if it's an electrical problem I could say I own a Ducati??

White trash

26th January 2011, 15:39

Cut one off. Its clear 1 and half times a bike. You shouldn't have that kind of power on the road.

Good plan. I chucked a Suzuki Vitara powerband up it too. Fuck is it dangerous.

blackdog

26th January 2011, 15:43

Good plan. I chucked a Suzuki Vitara powerband up it too. Fuck is it dangerous.

Golden sarcasm award :first:

can you get me one of those XR8 powerbands for my mudbug?

(ps shouldn't you be polishing up one of those 2nd hand RB auckland shitters up for sale instead of being on the net? Stu would be mortified)

Gubb

26th January 2011, 17:55

My bike seems to always be running on 3.

Hiflyer

26th January 2011, 18:08

My bike seems to always be running on 3.

Should probably just give it to me then. Sounds like it's fucked.

RDjase

27th January 2011, 08:39

I wish Chaos Rider was here so he could endow his wisdom upon this thread.

Take the flywheel off and sniff your exhaust?

What ever happened to Chaos Rider?

Working for a GP team? :eek:

Hope you get your bike sused easy mate

White trash

27th January 2011, 08:55

What ever happened to Chaos Rider?

As I understand it, he's competeing full nationals in Streetstock on his 250. Good on him too.

RDjase

27th January 2011, 09:10

As I understand it, he's competeing full nationals in Streetstock on his 250. Good on him too.

Thats good he doing the Nats
Havnt seen him post for ages, Will catch up with him at the Manfeild Round, If I get my sons KR ready and funds allow he will be there too

RiderInBlack

27th January 2011, 09:32

Check ya coils. Inline fours have two per cylinder, with a wasted spark exhausting stroke.. Ya might be running on two cylinders not 3 or 4. Have that happen to my old GSXR2500. one of the two coils stopped working, so only two of the four where getting a spark. I found that problem after re-motoring, because a Bike Shop had told me one of the cylinders compression was down, which might be due to burn valves (common in the screaming line-four 250's). It wasn't. Ya can get good 2nd hand replacement coils from the wreckers. CBR250RR of Kawasaki Coils are best. Don't use GSXR250R coils, because they are crap, and the Wrecker want guarantee them.
Simple test can be done by taking the plugs out of the cylinders and lye them on top of the motor in poor light. Turn ya motor over and see if they are all sparking. If two aren't follow the leads back to the coil feeding them. Remove it and take to a good auto electric tech for testing. I found that once one had gone it paid to get both tested. The better one "died on the testing bed. Replaced them both for $80 with 2nd hand CBR250RR coils. Problem solved.

imdying

27th January 2011, 13:19

Running on three eh... bet that's a problem trashy never has with his MVX :laugh:

White trash

27th January 2011, 13:25

Running on three eh... bet that's a problem trashy never has with his MVX :laugh:

You'd be wrong son, she ticks over on three like the little trooper it is. :D

imdying

28th January 2011, 09:22

Busted! :eek::eek:

Get that shit up on youtube whilst you can... the planets, they might never align like this again! :bleh:

Hiflyer

28th January 2011, 18:46

alright, had to deal with the drama of moving houses and letting the missus pack how SHE wants (apparently chucking everything in random boxes isn't acceptable...)

Tomorrow I'll be doing my best to get this shite fixed cos taking the bus is like the biggest pain in the ass in the world.

The people are axe murderers and dope addicts and if your co workers see you, you'll be the laughing stock of the company.

So I'm kinda screwed if I don't get this fixed

blackdog

28th January 2011, 18:50

you'll be the laughing stock of the company.

you ride a 250 honda

you should be used to it

Hiflyer

28th January 2011, 18:58

you ride a 250 honda

you should be used to it

No you got it wrong,

I used to ride a 250 Hyosung.

But I don't have to be used to it cos people realise that what people think doesn't make any difference to what I ride, cos I don't ride what other people want me to ride... I ride bikes cos I want to.

blackdog

28th January 2011, 18:59

No you got it wrong,

I used to ride a 250 Hyosung.

But I don't have to be used to it cos people realise that what people think doesn't make any difference to what I ride, cos I don't ride what other people want me to ride... I ride bikes cos I want to.

boy you swallowed that like a snapper

Taz

28th January 2011, 19:00

You'd be wrong son, she ticks over on three like the little trooper it is. :D

That's something that wont last long - an MVX running let alone running on 3 cylinders :lol:

I hear they got voted as the worst 2 stroke ever made.

Hiflyer

28th January 2011, 19:07

boy you swallowed that like a snapper

yah I know. Like you were fishing for a troll/rep I was fishing for people that actually saw me seriously/rep.

Don't hate the player hate the game :msn-wink:

Taz

28th January 2011, 19:13

I ride bikes cos I want to.

You go Girlfriend!!! :niceone:

White trash

28th January 2011, 19:52

That's something that wont last long - an MVX running let alone running on 3 cylinders :lol:

I hear they got voted as the worst 2 stroke ever made.

Nope. A lowly eighth in the 10 worst bikes list in Motorcycle Trader and News which dissapointed me somewhat, I expected at least top three.

Hiflyer

29th March 2011, 17:13

What sort of damage can be caused by this anyway?

Don't know what the reason was cos it fixed itself for a bit then died.... :bash:

Flip

29th March 2011, 18:06

Mine started to run on 3 the other day. It really had me confused.

It has already been said here, stale gas. All the small volatile petrol molecules have evaporated from the fuel in the carbs and the stuff that is left does not have enough voom to be ignited by the spark plug. If the fuel in the tank is old you won't be able to get the bike to run properly. It won't hurt the bike, it might foul the plug on the cylinder that was not running.

Put some fresh gas in the tank. Turn the gas off and drain the float bowls. If there is no gas in the bowl give the needle valve might be stuck, so give the carb a little tap with the handle of screw driver. Turn the gas on and try starting the bike.

Check this out, good old school advice: http://www.dansmc.com/troubleshooting2.htm

CookMySock

30th March 2011, 01:47

run the bike for 2 minutes, turn it off and with a wet finger briefly touch the headers.You can achieve a similar result by starting a cold engine and immediately touching the headers as they warm. Generally you will get between 20-60 seconds to do the test before they get too hot to touch - depends on the bike.

Latte

30th March 2011, 08:41

Even better just wait till it's warmed up and splash a few drops of water on each header and see which ones evaporate, no burnt fingers that way.

Hiflyer

30th March 2011, 14:46

Even better just wait till it's warmed up and splash a few drops of water on each header and see which ones evaporate, no burnt fingers that way.

that's if it'll start :blink: I'll be charging up the batt tonight, which is located under the fricken tank so is a mission to get to compared to just lifting the seat.

But I'll take that opportunity to check all the leads and the plugs as well, anything else I should probably check before I start the bike?

Keeping in mind It was running on three, fixed itself, then ran on 3 again, then died :violin:

Latte

30th March 2011, 15:28

If it has 4 carbs then you could try a spray of "start ya bastard" or similar down the "dead" cylinder's carb to see if it makes a difference, if the jets are blocked this should get it to fire up briefly.

As others have stated if it's got a single carb then this aint the issue. You'll need to temporarily remove the air box (unless you can get to the carb mouths through the airbox, then just remove the air filter).

Do that after you've done all the plugs/leads etc.

Air/Spark/Fuel - cross each one off.

onearmedbandit

30th March 2011, 16:01

And compression.

Hiflyer

30th March 2011, 17:12

Latte

30th March 2011, 17:14

And compression.

Good point, I figured if he's asking "the basics" on diagnosis, then getting leak down/compression test done is probably beyond him, and best he calls in the cavalry. I'm sure someone on here would give him a hand for a few beers etc.

ducatilover

30th March 2011, 17:17

Is it still down on one cylinder?

Hiflyer

30th March 2011, 17:38

Good point, I figured if he's asking "the basics" on diagnosis, then getting leak down/compression test done is probably beyond him, and best he calls in the cavalry. I'm sure someone on here would give him a hand for a few beers etc.

Exactly! haha if worst comes to worse I'll bring in the experts ie not me.

Is it still down on one cylinder?

Was, then magically went away, then came back and broke my bike

my bad for not checking everything when it went away, ah well gotta live with it now don't I!

ducatilover

30th March 2011, 18:33

I'll read the thread again

Hiflyer

31st March 2011, 10:13

Right, battery charged,

only had a small window to check it this morning at about 6am, and the neighbours weren't to keen to listen to the high pitched whirring starter motor over and over again.

But yea, just whirred and that's it, when I'm home, off will come the tank and airbox for a closer inspection of the plugs and carbs and hopefully replace the petrol.

ducatilover

31st March 2011, 16:26

My stupid Kawashitty wasn't starting. I've got to clean the tank out, but, it's slides were stuck, it had three BIG intake leaks, the carbs were super dirty and the battery was poked....

Hiflyer

31st March 2011, 16:40

My stupid Kawashitty wasn't starting. I've got to clean the tank out, but, it's slides were stuck, it had three BIG intake leaks, the carbs were super dirty and the battery was poked....

Well at least I'm one ahead of that. My battery is sweet. Heading home now to check it all out.