plane_ben
XS650 Junkie
Here are my thoughts. First a little back ground on my set up. I'm running the BS34 carbs(I think), they came off a 1970/71 engine. Pod filters and freeflowing exhaust. When I first stated running this engine setup, I was lean both idle and full throttle. So in my tinkering I opened both my idle jet, main jet, and raised the needle to its highest setting(clip on bottom notch). Runs great, first kick starter.
I did the XSJohn top end oil cooler, and it's working great. Altough I reported some bogus cyl head temps initailly(lower than actual), my temps now, after purchasing an IR thermometer are right cyl 230/235, left cyl 200/210. Pretty par for the course according to all my reading here on this site.
Yesterday I'm out for another ride when the bike started running irratic. I thought I had a plugged up fuel passage. Limped home. Today I took carbs apart. Nothing looked plugged. One overflow drain(right carb) was stopped up but that was it. Charging output and battery right where they should be. So I pull the plugs. Left cyl looks fouled, to rich. Right cyl looks perfect. I need to mention that these plugs are an unkown age and where replaced. New plugs cured the miss, and although old plugs were mostly to blame, I was wondering about the difference in plug readings. Wondered if doing kind of a reverse XSJohn mod makes any sense. Since the left cyl looks rich, what if I dropped the needle one clip. Would that make it slightly leaner and balance the head temps? Or am I totally nuts?
I did the XSJohn top end oil cooler, and it's working great. Altough I reported some bogus cyl head temps initailly(lower than actual), my temps now, after purchasing an IR thermometer are right cyl 230/235, left cyl 200/210. Pretty par for the course according to all my reading here on this site.
Yesterday I'm out for another ride when the bike started running irratic. I thought I had a plugged up fuel passage. Limped home. Today I took carbs apart. Nothing looked plugged. One overflow drain(right carb) was stopped up but that was it. Charging output and battery right where they should be. So I pull the plugs. Left cyl looks fouled, to rich. Right cyl looks perfect. I need to mention that these plugs are an unkown age and where replaced. New plugs cured the miss, and although old plugs were mostly to blame, I was wondering about the difference in plug readings. Wondered if doing kind of a reverse XSJohn mod makes any sense. Since the left cyl looks rich, what if I dropped the needle one clip. Would that make it slightly leaner and balance the head temps? Or am I totally nuts?