GSX-R 1127 Ignition drama's

[Joycie]

So the sun is out here (20+ Deg.) & not only does the boss give me a leave pass for a few hours but totally blows me away when she says "Why don't you take the bike out?". Although more than a little worried I decide not to question her run for the garage.

What the Gods give with one hand they take away with the other.

Checked fuel, oil, lights & went over the usual suspects with loctite (very much the same as my chook chaser routine). A bit of choke & she fires 2nd stab, but it's got a miss. Ran fine last time it was out 3 weeks ago.

1st, I check all leads from coils to plugs. Find No's 1 & 3 leads have play between the leads & plug caps. Pulled/unscrewed the plug caps from the leads & the core wire is ugly green & a little frayed. Cut about 10mm of the lead off to get some cleaner core wire. All leads & plug caps are now nice & tight & are positively secured to plugs. Fired it up & still no good.

2nd I start pulling plugs while it's running from right to left (4 to 1). Engine stalls on plugs 4 through 2 but no change on lucky last No.1. Have some spare new plugs so bung one into No.1 & start up with still no change. (At this point I'm starting to think maybe a coil or lead is rooted as I note that the original plug I've taken out is wet with fuel telling me least intake valve is ok)

3rd I pull No.1 plug with the lead attached & with the plug earthed out on the head I turn the motor over & there's spark mmmmmmm? This makes me think that the coil is ok & maybe an ignition timing issue, but only on one cylinder doesn't make sense.

4th running out of idea's as the shadows grow longer outside & I remove the tank to take a better look at the coils & associated wiring. Left side coil that runs No.s 1&2 ok as is wiring right side coil running No.s 3&4 is only just held in place with one bolt without the inch long spacer thats supposed to behind it. In a vain attempt & knowing full well that the problem I have is with No.1 I secure the right side coil running 3&4 & start up with the expected lack of success. Ok I surrender, no F@cking ride this month then.

5th Grump at the boss when she asks how the ride was as I take a 6 pack of Corona to cry into back in the garage.

I'd like to install a Dyna 2000 which would eliminate the coils & leads but I'm going to cry poor as rego is due week after next. But like I said I've got spark at No.1 but just what I can only explain as an ill timed one so may be that's not the answer.

Suggestions?

[Yella]

From memory 1 & 4 fire together and then 2 & 3 fire as a pair Swap the 2 leads over that come from the same coil if the fault moves you will know its the coil or lead. It not a stuck float flooding the cylinder?

[Joycie]

Cheers Yella

No problems with No.1 carb. (well float anyways) replaced the complete float needle assy. 2-3 months ago at $90 a pop. took bowl off anyway to check, float moves freely as does the needle.

Will check/swap leads over tomorrow night. However if the coils/leads are cactus this raises another question. Where can I get replacements? Had a quick look at my local Suzi dealers site and found that oil cooled coil/lead assy.s are no longer available. Had a look on evilbay only used 2nd hand jobs. What are my options if I don't go the Dyna/$$$$ route?

[TurboKat]

I'd be checking the fuel flow before you go any further with the ignition, every time I leave my Gixer sit for a while it runs on half the cylinders half the time until I pull the tank off & fill the carbs up with a little funnel.

[Joycie]

Cheers turbo, I like that solution or rather I like that problem more than ignition dramas. Does get me thinking though changed out fuel lines and inline filters a month or two ago. That was before the bikes last outing where it ran fine but it was only running for 20mins.

I love this place, where 3hrs ago I was out of ideas I now have two places to look & some how things don't seem that bad. Will let you know how I go.

Cheers in advance.
If anyone else has some ideas please let us know.

[Cruisecontrol]

Seeing that you get to ride once a month, my advice is get a new wife.

[Redmohawk]

The better the fuel you stick in her the quicker it "goes off" Premium can go off in a month and you end up with all kinds of shit in your bowls fast. A quick drain onto a jar will give you an idea of volume in each bowl and quality before you go ripping carbs off.

[blackvisor]

Unleaded petrol can go stale if left a while, even a few weeks, bikes seem to be more sensetive to it than cars.

Try draining out the fuel and filling up with fresh, its easier than spending moeny on new components. You can use the old petrol in your car

[hooligan]

Maybe pickup coil?
I had an intermittent problem like that on mine years ago. Had the same symptoms, but happened more when it was hot.

[Yella]

Any luck??

[Gitzy]

I'm scratching my head at the moment with the Bandit, cylinders 2 and 4 aren't firing but I havent ridden it in about 7 months so that can't help. Checked the usual, plugs, coils and spark etc, This thread helps though now I want to go home and fiddle.

[hooligan]

This thread helps though now I want to go home and fiddle.

just no pics, OK?

[Gitzy]

lol

[Joycie]

Right, life (read kid, wife, house) got in the way last week & had not had a chance to have a look at the bike till today.

Long story short Redmohawk & TurboKat where on the money.

Did my best to forget about coils & sparks & did what Redmohawk suggested. Drained contents of all carb bowls in to containers to get an idea of volume and quality (the saying "simple things first" comes to mind).

This is what I found.
4705
I was feeling pretty relieved that at least I was not going to be shelling out for a complete ignition system or components.

At this point it's worth mentioning that about two months ago now I had repaired/patched a leak & lined the tank with POR15, installed new in-line filters & blue translucent fuel line. So the tank is/was the cleanest it has ever been & with the fuel being two weeks old (tops) at the time of the problems surfacing, you can see why I was looking at spark as the culprit.

So with the drain screws back in the bowls & empty fuel lines I watched the line to carbs 1&2 as I turned the fuel tap on. What I had was some fuel going down to the filter, but the line was not completely full from the filter all the way back up to the fuel tap.

Up to about this point here.
4708
The tank has been fitted with a Pingel twin outlet tap, the fuel line for carbs 3&4 was full, so it was looking like the tap was rooted. So took the tank off, sat it over a 50ltr container & turned the tap on expecting to see fuel from only one outlet, but no instead it pissed out both. So tap is good if not a little leaky.

So tank back on the bike but this time I've added a little more fuel line carefully eliminating any kinks, twists & tight turns. Turn taps on again hoping for a different result, but fuel does the same thing with just a small amount pooling in the bottom of the fuel line before the filter.

It's only at this time that I notice that there is fuel in the line before the filter but not after.

Really? a F@CKING blocked filter? F@CK F@CK F@CK

Took the filter out, had a good look & couldn't see any thing out of the ordinary but there was resistance when I went blow through it. Gave it a big puff & out shot this clearish fuel colored jelly shit. There wasn't a lot of it it but obviously it was enough to stop flow as it is only a relitively small filter.

Old filter on top, new blocked filter below.
4709

So I throw the old/larger filter in line & fire the bike up & wouldn't you know it the miss is gone. So if you where hoping I was some Tech genius that was going to solve some dark & deeply involved ignition riddle, sorry to disappoint.

A few things I've learned/re-affirmed from this
1. As unlikely as they may seem, still check the simple things first,
2. I've an expensive, hard to get if slightly leaky fuel tap
3. Bigger filters are better
4. translucent fuel line is good (I'd still be scratching my head/ass if I couldn't see the air gap before the filter)
5. This forum is the balls

Thanks for the help guys hope this helps some one else if not at least jogs peoples memories.