TOPIC:

I have a 78 KZ1000 WITH A PROBLENM in #3 cylinder - not running correctly. Can I swich 2&3 wires to see if it is a spark issue??

quote NOT RUNNING CORRECTLY unquote - What does that mean? If you state your problem there is a good chance troubleshooting can be recommended.

The 2 & 3 plugs fire off the same coil. If you have a cylinder that isn't firing; say #3, swap the wires. If the problem MOVES to the #2 cylinder, the wire or cap are bad. If the problem stays on #3, swap the #3 plug for a new one as spark plugs can be defective or fouled and won't fire. At this point, if the ignition checks out, you may have a carburetor issue. It is ALWAYS a good thing to check valve clearances before doing any of these things because if a valve is hanging open, you may have no compression and all these gyrations are nothing more than a training exercise.

Thanks - the problem stayed in #3 after switching, I need to look at compression & cabs. Thanks

Has the bike been sitting with stale gas in it? After checking all the rest, if the valves are set right and you have compression Id suspect a clogged pilot jet. Holes in them are really small doesnt take much

kz1000ltd78andhalf wrote:

Thanks - the problem stayed in #3 after switching, I need to look at compression & cabs. Thanks

And don't forget to try a brand new spark plug in #3 as wg already suggested. Or at least swap #2 and #3 spark plugs to determine whether the problem moves to #2.

Good Luck!