TOPIC:

jab wrote:

Thanks Larry and 10-4 on avoiding assumptions. I first started using the #1 cylinder, then noticed that the cams are shorter on the #4 side and gave more room for the dial indicator. So, if I understand you correclty, use the measured numbers. Accuracy comes from the inidcator being in constant contact with the bucket. I did purchase a set of dial indicator tips, as this was giving me trouble. I think I'm really close. I'
ll try again.

When I order cams, I have the end ground flush on #4 cylinder lobes. They don't charge extra for that and it makes the job easier.

Also I took long dial indicator tip and ground it down very thin.

This is the setup I use.

ok guys, now I'm completely stuck. I have redo the cams, and I have the same basically the result. The bike will start fine with the choke on. Then idles down nicely when I turn the choke off. It will run smooth and nice - for about 15 seconds, then grayish smoke starts to come out the exahaust, it begins to bog down, and stalls. The plugs are oil fouled, and the oil in the sight glass on the clutch cover is all foamy. There is no blow-by coming out the vent, or the oil fill hole. At first I thought I had the cam timing off and was pulling too much acuum and sucking oil thru the valve guides or something. I have move cam timing slightly each way, and I get the same result. I suspected it wasn't cam timing because it started and idled so good for a short time. I am totaly lost as to what would cause this. Any ideas before my frustration lands this bike on Craig's list would be greatly appreciated.
thanks - JAB

yep, looks pretty similar to what I did, only I put the degree wheel on the stator so I could continually referece the ignition timing marks - just to make sure nothing moved on me. The first time I did this, I put the wheel as you have it, but it would move on me. I suspect it was on those occasions when I would rotate a little too far and would back-turn it. Please see my lastest post a few minutes ago. I am totally stumped as to what is going on.
thanks for the continue help.

Plugs are oil fouled? Fresh rebuild, right? Might sound stupid but are the rings installed correctly, and the correct diameter? Maybe oil ring expander end gap not butted, or scrapers are gaped inline? Something doesn't sound right, for the plugs to foul with oil, head gasket O-rings in place?

If they're new cams, don't idle the bike until it's had 20 - 30 minutes running time.

Oil fouled plugs on a fresh rebuild could also be from excess oil left in the cylinder bores when you assembled it. I always wipe out the excess with paper towels.

Oil in the sight glass will be foamed up. That's just clutch action causing that.

Oil ring problems generally cause heavy blue / grey smoking. If wave ring is overlapped, it will blow oil droplets right out the pipe.

What carbs?

Pods or airbox ?

What jetting is in them?

Is it a vacuum petcock? Are you running it on PRI position?

Thanks for the feedback Larry and motorhead. Heres a little history on the bike - my latest posts were so long, I left this part out.
I bought in 1991. It had sat for many years. I fixed it up, and it was a nice bike that got me thru college. When I got "employed", my dream was to make a street rod. nothing crazy, just wake it up a little. I tore it totally down, and rebuilt it with the following.
1075 kit; web 218 cams; Keihin 29's; and head work from Cope racing. I put it back together in 1998 and rode it (joy-riding), unitl about 2004. It never ran as "streetable" as it did before, and I was disappointed in myself for messing with it. Family situration is different now with kids older, so I was determined to resurect it, only this time I was confident, with much more info on how to do it right, that it would run just fine on the street. Looking at whats on the steet these days, I didn't do anything too radical to it. So upon tearing into the carbs, I found that the jet needles were wrong. the needles were stamped with P151, which didn't match anything I could find for those carbs. The pilot jets are also 1 size too big for some reason. Ordered the correct needles from Sudco, along with float valves that were ruined, left the pilots the same for now and the carbs were ready to go. I was totally confident that this, along with dbl checking the initial cam timing, woudl fix my problems. And thats were I'm at now. Totally cluesless how the bike is now magicaly spewing oil. I don't have a way to check oil pressure - I thought that might be too high, but the filter is fine. What else could cause high oil pressure ? The bike would seem to get hot if I ran around slowly in town too long, so I planned on getting an oil cooler this time, but never got that far.

OK so your sure the plugs are getting fouled with oil? All 4 or just some? Did you do a re-torque on the top end after the reassemble and running? If it is the 2 outside, 1&4, plugs it may be the head gasket O-Rings, but you should also have compression leaking, as it is vastly higher. Have you done a compression test?
When you changed the jetting, you have ran it around some, although years ago? Could be that when sitting, depending how it was stored, that the rings are a bit stuck.
I would be sure it is oil, and not fuel. Did you change to fresh gas? Check the fuel levels in the carbs with the Clear Tube Method, and see if the level is correct.
How is the spark quality?

jab wrote:

...bike is now magicaly spewing oil...bike would seem to get hot if I ran around slowly in town too long....

Some reasons for over-heating:
-- Oil level too high or too low or wrong viscosity;
-- Ignition timing maladjusted;
-- Advancer sticking;
-- Fuel mixture too lean.

Would also sniff-test crankcase oil and examine it to determine any possibility of fuel contamination.

Good Fortune!

Are you sure the plugs are oil fouling? Could it be gas fouling? (show us a picture)

I do not believe you have stated what size, main jets or pilot jets, needle position. (may of missed that?)

motorhead, all 4 plugs fouling the same. Its oil. Smells like it, I can wipe it off, and its brown, not jet black like when fuel is too rich. Didn't have the head off, so no re-torque of the top end. Compression is high, and equal across the all 4. Definitely fresh gas, as it sat for so long. I didn't do an official fuel level measurement, but I did measure and adjust float height as instructed, and made sure fuel wasn't leaking, but hooking carbs up to remove fuel source with bowls off - holding floats up by hand, and no fuel leaks. Checked each float in a bowl of fuel to make sure none were "sunk". Spark quality is good. That was a secondary problem from my first post, as battery voltage as 12v while sitting but dropped after startup and spark quit. Fully charged battery, and spark is bright blue and consistent. Perhaps oil ring is stuck. Bike only has side stand, but I had it sitting on 2x4 all the time it was stored so its not leaning so hard.

So if you clean and heat up the plugs with a propane torch, then screw them back in while hot, and fire it again. Try to hold some RPM, say 2K, and see if it fouls them again. It could take a couple of tries, and cranking the motor with the plugs out may help. But either ground the plugs away from the holes or un plug the coils, or use a remote start switch.


When was the last time it was run/ ridden?