Rode in rain, now left cylinder not firing.

[Halloweenie]

I was caught in the rain today on my '83 Heritage Special. It ran just fine, but I felt a couple small shocks on the wet clutch lever. After searching the board I went to double check my grounds, especially the one for my recently installed PAMCO, which is grounded to my top motor mount. After I filed clean the frame where the ground is, I went to try the bike and found that only the right cylinder is firing. I checked for spark and both have a blue spark, and yes I did it with both plug attached to the coil, and just held one to the engine while the other was in the cylinder. I switched out to new plugs, cut and reconnected the HT to the plug caps, still nothing. Did I fry my PAMCO? Did I screw something up by grounding where I did? I am at a loss, and near freaking out because the bike is my only transportation. Please help!


I should add that the bike has never had a problem in the rain before, but this is the first time it has been in the rain with the PAMCO. Also, compression is fantastic and I have not messed with the carbs in a couple weeks and the battery is at 13 volts..

 

[scabber]

If both plugs had a blue spark the pamco is working.So check for fuel in the left carb. If your running pods take the left one off and see if that makes a differance. .

 

[littlebill31]

I agree on the pods. My pods, in just a little rain, will cause it to pop and sputter.
And as scabber say's, if both plugs are firing, then it's a fuel issue usually.

 

[Halloweenie]

I pulled the pods off, no joy. I checked the bowl and it is full of petrol. I know that one carb has a stripped off pilot jet in it, and I have another pair of carbs being professionally cleaned and it will be two weeks before I get them back.

Could the carb have suddenly blocked up, even after it has been running just fine for three months?

Is there any chance that my choice of ground point for the PAMCO could be an issue? Might running the ground to the battery help or am I paranoid?

Thanks for the help!

 

[jayel]

if you were feeling a shock thru the lever makes me think your kill switch is shorting to the handlebar, wouldn't effect your not firing side but still a problem

 

[littlebill31]

It takes very little to block a carb. So yes, there could be a small obstruction in there blocking it.

 

[scabber]

I'am Running out of sugestions try switching plug wires to make shure your getting spark if you have some starting fluid spray the left carb and see if it fires check the ground battery to frame. Air sprark and gas and compression all I can tell you.Good Luck.

 

[ippytattoo]

Assuming that you still have the BS34's on it may very well be that the pilot circuit is plugged. If you have an air compressor you could try to blow air backwards through the 3 pilot holes in the throat by the butterfly into the float bowl. I have had to do this a couple of times since I put my bike together because of very fine trash that is making past the in tank screen and inline stone filter I am using plugging the pilot jet, and the funny thing is that it has always been on the left side it's probably just a coincidence but still odd. I was able to put my hand over the affected carb while the bike was running on one cylinder and make it fire for a second but it would quit again, also I could make it fire on that cylinder using half choke. You may give those a shot and see if it helps.

 

[XSLeo]

About the only way to feel a shock on the clutch lever would be to have a plug wire shorting to the lever some how.
The battery and charging system can not supply enough power to shock you.
Leo

 

[sseres]

Very simplistic approach but after pulling what little hair I have left out about right side not firing with electronic ignition (82 xs special) after a rainy ride, I took the weird step of changing sides of the spark plug wires. Same thing, still no right side! So, $2 later with a new spark plug, my baby is purring again. I swear I did nothing to have damaged the spark plug which was pretty new, by the way. In the process (like, what I did first), I learned to clean th carbs, which didn't need to be done, but is now a skill I have.

 

[Halloweenie]

Okay, big update. I now agree with the carb diagnosis. The bike will start and fire on both cylinders when the choke is on all the way and/or I give it a lot of throttle. I assume that there is something blocking the pilot jet. I will have to wait for my cleaned carbs to arrive before I can determine if it really is the issue.

As for the electrical shocks, I am going to try grounding the tank to the frame. My thought process is that electricity is felt more on the ground side, where it leaves the body; I have an electro-therapy machine and you cannot feel the positive terminals much, but you can feel the negatives very clearly. I am thinking that the electricity is leaking through the HT wires into the tank, then from the tank through me to ground out on the clutch lever. I will have to see in two weeks, when I get my carbs back, if that helps.

Thanks for the help!