I just can't catch a break...(or "I am my own worst enemy")

:crying:
After completing the stator swap on my '81, and having several brain farts along the way, all involving the ignition system, now I have a new issue.
After getting it running again last nite, when I fired it up, it idled really nice. When giving it throttle, however, it don't work so well. It still has a little fart/belch at higher rpms. I figured the ride home on the back of a flatbed may have jostled it around enough to sling fuel out of the carbs into the engine, and a few miles on it would clear that up. I was rong...again. Tried to ride to werk this morning, and it just ain't happening. Under 2500 rpms, it's fine...anything above that, and it feels kinda like it's running out of fuel. It struggles really hard to keep moving. About 50-55mph was all I could get. It is also running hotter than normal, especially with the cool temp this morning. I noticed last night, while I was checking the voltage at 4000rpm, the head pipes on both sides were starting to glow red...something I have never noticed before. I'm THIS CLOSE to giving up, ya'll.
I'm going to pull the plugs this evening, and see what they look like. I have not changed the plugs since I bought it in '08, so I know it's time.
What the he!! am I missing?(beside a brain) Could the ride on the wrecker caused a carb problem like this, or does ya'll think I still may have an ignition issue?
I just don't know where to go from here anymore... :builder:
If this was a car, I'd have no problem figuring it out, but for some reason, this thing is just kickin my butt....well that, and I'm a frigggin idiot...

id say that all the moving around has compromise somthing joel the bike is fine im sure ...with the belts on it couldnt have hurt anything ...plugs since 2008 who knows how old plug ends and resistors are ....could have back fired a carb problem but i doutb that maybe tho ...tis bike just needs to be brought up to par is all ...dont forget to check the dang nab coils for cracks it could be just that also the way you are discribing it it sounds like that could be it ....once they break down enough on the coils it wont run at high rpm at all ....im guessing ignition move around enough to finish it off wires and ends plugs and maybe coils is my guess

But...but..it wuz runing perfectly yesterday..before it quit, that is. NO miss, no pops, nuttin. I thought about the coils, too, but since it WAS runing fine before the ride home on the flatbed, I just can't see them taking a dump like that. I guess if it could happen, it's gunna happen to ME....
I also wonder if the rotor moving around like it was may have damaged something else in the pulse generator assembly?
Anytime I have ever seen pipes glow red like that(on a car), it has been a catalytic converter stopped up, too lean a fuel mixture, or severely retarded timing...on a bike engine, however, I ain't got a clue.

btw...I've scoured the service manuals, and I don't see ANYTHING that says anything about ignition timing. I have to assume it is "fixed", and the only movement is from the mechanical, and vacuum advance of the pulse generator...am I correct on that? NO way to adjust the ignition timing?

all that has to happen is move around the wires enough for a cracked coils will start shooting to frame ....its 30yrs old joel its time

come on joel nothing is fixed that i cant adjust ...it is a fixed setup yes and you have to mod it to make it adjustable ...idont thinkyou hurt the pulse generator....unless a backfire compormized the pin and shaft the pulse generator works on ...idont see that being it ....i have worked enough old wings to know sometimes just moving a wire out of the way will finish it off period ...im having that problem with V bike right now ....30yrs old the ignition is no way as good as the motors in there long live capabilities

I'll check for fire tonite when I pull the plugs. I checked compression the other day, and had 150+ on all cylinders...my compression gauge hoses don't have the exact correct threads for these heads, but I could screw it in enough to get a decent reading, and compare the 4.

Coils....oy vey....

okay joel once this thing sarts to line out and it will ...you need to take the timing cover back off ....check the timing real well for being right ...and if it is you need to turn the motor by hand till you get to the nuetral spot and readjust tensioners whent there is no pressure on the belts at all ...one side then the other .....this is important to long life belt that runs smooth....

Running hot,
Won't go above 2500 rpm,
Seems like running out of gas.

Change the fuel filter.
Maybe getting jousted around loosened crap in the tank and plugged the fuel filter or even the petcock.

Thought about that too...turned the petcock to Reserve. The fuel filter I have on it is one of the clear, glass types, with the replaceable filter element.
It will turn 4000rpms, but it just has no power to it. If you've ever driven a car with a stopped up catalytic converter, then you know the feeling I am attempting to describe. The more throttle you give it, the slower it goes...back off of the throttle, and it picks back up. Under 2500 rpms, it runs fine..but I usually see 5000rpms on the road while I'm riding, no problem.
I just can't help but think it's something to do with the carbs/fuel. I actually had it do something similar a couple of years ago. I was riding home, running about 75 or so, and it just started farting and popping, like it was running out of fuel, even tho it had plenty. I romped on it a couple of times, and it cleared up, and has been running fine ever since. I assumed it just got some funk in the carbs or something, and it worked itself out. That's kind the way it is acting now, except it don't seem to be working itself out this time.
I had the fuel lines taped up while the engine was out, so I'm fairly certain nothing got into the lines, but I agree there could definitely be some crap in the tank that may have found it's way up to the carbs thru the filter.
I may take a hammer to them tonite.... :builder:

I checked the cam timing really well last nite...it is spot on, on both sides, and the belt tension feels good, but I may go ahead and see if the tensioners will move a little tighter on their own...just for the heck of it. I left those dam inner cover bolts out, so pulling them won't be such a friggin pita anymore.

joel your starting to look like the perfect machanics owned bike of no care at tall ...this is the once every thirty yr maitinents progam :smilie_happy: opcorn: :salute: :sensored: :rant: :doh: :whistling: :hihihi:

:cheeky: :cheeky: :cheeky: :smilie_happy: :mrgreen: Yeah..yer right! Maybe I should ship this turd up to you and let you fix it once and for all! :smilie_happy:
On the other hand...I'm at least learning how NOT to do stuff! :Egyptian:

check for intakes leaking in air joel too the carbs were off ...that might be the lean condition ....check coolant too as it was getting hot ...its something rather simple id say

Coolant level is correct, and the o-rings for the intakes are all new(I know...that don't mean squat). Imma tellin ya, it HAS to be something associated with the ride home on the flatbed. Maybe the b :sensored: h is just mad at me for making her ride like that...she's embarrassed... :smilie_happy:
It was actually running cooler than normal before it quit on me yesterday...I was wondering if I had gotten the temp sender wires plugged in all the way...took a couple of mile before the gauge ever moved, but once it did, it registered properly. This morning, it was at the halfway mark before I even got 3 miles down the road, and the air temp was in the mid 60s.
All good suggestions folks...I'll check and see what I can come up with, but I'm afeered it has something to do with the carbs/fuel.
I was just tinkin, and now I wonder if possibly, when we strapped this thing down on the fixture on the flatbed, if we dint pull/pinch a wire up around the steering head...

The ride on the flatbed may have been enough to throw your floats out of adjustment. I had my carbs rebuilt by Pistol Pete and after I got them back the floats were WAY out! Turns out that the carbs may have been dropped during shipping throwing out the settings. Does that flatbed have air suspension? (Meaning a nice comfy ride....not a ride that sent your bike up into the hold downs during bumps?)

Intake O-rings have been covered. Possible throttle cable not routed correctly? (Just a suggestion)

you said it backfired could have blown o ring then maybe

Need to systematically check everything.

These engines are just like a car.
They need an air fuel mixture, compression, and a spark.
They also need coolant flowing to keep the temps down.

I would address each problem one at a time.

Need to check level in the radiator. Could be rad has air and coolant not being drawn in from the tank.
A broken/leaking rubber hose will cause this, also leaking radiator cap.

It will run up to 4k rpm with no load because it is running just that, under NO load.
Once a load is put on it needs more fuel.
It also needs a hot enough spark to ignite the fuel.

I would first check flow out of the fuel pump.
Your moving it to reserve and using a see thru filter mean nothing.
Put a hose on the discharge end of the pump and start it up. There should be a pulsing flow of fuel under 2 lbs pressure.
Put a pressure gauge on it to verify.
The quantity of flow over a given time is in the manual. Check that also.

Vacuum leaks could certainly cause the problem your having.
Are all the bolts in on the intake tubes? Tube clamps tight?

As far as the pickups getting damaged from the rotor coming loose, I don't think so since the reluctor should have only moved rearward on that center line. I don't think it would hit the pickup coils when it does.

only takes a minute to spray the carbs at the intakes and everything that moved in recent repairs with carb cleaner at idle. Any change in rpm is a leak. Any chance any of the ignition got wet? By humidity or rain? Old coils wires and such can be really bad wet and run fine dry.

sounds like what happened to me when the fuel pump was going out, run great, then run 15 mph, run great as long as two three days, then just like yours is doing, fall on it's face. This happen the day I bought it, owner said no problems, two blocks from his house I layed it over on it's side when my foot went into storm drain. 10 miles down the road is when the problems started so I'm guessing the layover broke the gunk loose and crapped everything out. New pump, filter and gas lines, no problems in over a year.

Here's what I did this evening...dint spend too much time on it, because I'm just plain disgusted with myself, and not being able to fix this turd.
Pulled the fuel lines and filter. Installed new filter element, tho the "old" one was still clean.
Fuel hoses are all clear.
Opened petcock on tank, both normal, and reserve, and blew thru there with my air hose. Both clean. I hooked up a fuel pressure gauge, but...the dam needle on it is no longer zeroed, but it did at least move in the right direction.
Pulled the plugs. All 4 are clean/dry, but still need replacing, mostly due to age/mileage.
Inserted the plugs into the wires and cranked on it. Now...I'm used to seeing the spark on automotive ignition systems, so this may be normal, but, I'm getting a spark on all four plugs, but, in my opinion, it is weak. It's a blue spark, just not very "fat". I would expect to see a nice, solid spark, but I ain't. If this is normal on a 'Wing, then I don't know what the hell else to do. I even used some other plugs(automotive) that I have, but they give me the same weak-ass spark.
I also checked the exhaust temp on all four head pipes...all were pretty much in the same range...around 180-200 deg at idle...I dint run it for long while checking the temps, just long enough to verify all four cylinders were firing.
I also took a long 3/8" extension, and my small ball peen hammer, and tapped on all four float bowls with it running, in hopes of knocking a stuck float or more loose.
Still not running right. I can slowly run the rpms up to 5000, but it will not take a quick, full throttle
Guys...I promise ya, this thing was running like a friggin CHAMP yesterday, before the rotor came loose. I'm gunna stop messing with it....I'm tired of farting with it and getting nowhere. If I feel like it this weekend, I may try something different...might see if I can find another coil set, and try them, because I really don't think the plugs have enough fire. I'll get some new plugs first, but....

The spark isn't very fat normally, I would call it weak.

I'll think on this more but right now I'm still thinkin it's a fuel problem by your description unless somehow the spark timing isn't right.
I really doubt it's a coil problem since lack of acceleration like you describe sounds more like lack of fuel and the glowing pipes, too lean.

well at this i would check compression ...if it reads like it did before ...then id take valve covers off also with plugs out and turn it by hand with the crank bolt and watch the valves ,,,it could be here where it may have bent something slightly to cause hang up at high rpm ...idoutb it tho but you need to comferm its working right ...then it it is just a gas or fire thing and the motor fine ....i dont think you could have bent a rod while back firing ...seems like you could hear that .....boy i dont know what to say joel this is up there in the highest of fustraition department....id be ready to beat thing to the ground ....

on the carb side i have seen where carbs sliders were blown apart from back fire top of slides blown away from sliders ...this might be what has happen here ....on the rack i have that this happen it also happen to two sliders ...you know dam good and well both happen the same time ...im thinking this might be the best diagnosis right now that makes since .....seems to run at idle and two clylinder pretty much drop out from there and pipes start glowing from lean ...the other two clylinders force it to run at higher rpm would tuen the bad two lean for sure id think ....and i have seen perfect evidense that this can happen ......it might be worth seeing if you can get at the carb caps on top and take those off and see if there is not trouble there ...i was amazed that the sliders could be blown apart right at where the inner cylinder and top come together ....i couldnt tell until i tryed to pull it out and the top is all that came....these were carbs i bought not ones i know exactly what happen ...ive also seen the the same thing on another bike ....same exact thing two sliders blown apart....it starting to look like the condition were perfect for this to happen an ignition firing blindly out of control....resulting in carb failure on a big scale ...blown sliders fit this to good ...id check