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The white plugs were my indicator and reason for going richer.

I ordered all the parts this morning. There was a good deal on Amazon for the top end gasket kit. We'll see if they are crap.

I have seen the carb mod regularly referenced. Since you recommend it for my combo, I'll go with it.

Everything should be in by early next week. Then.....here we go again!

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Light cruise can kill them? That surprises me, but here we are. What's going on with that?

Yes, the needles are all the way up, as in rich. I was trying to get some color on the plugs. They were white with the needles in the center grooves and were starting to get color with the needles at full rich.

I have changed the left seal since it was the one that went to atmosphere and was easy. As far as I know, the right is original. Could that right seal have played a role in this?

I was riding with gas cap open to see if it was stopped up and creating a vacuum that would slow the flow to the carbs. But it didn't seem to make any difference; it still had the surge.

I think I will go ahead and get 190 mains to throw in it while it is down. It seems to me that with the plugs white unless the needles are at full rich, and with the surge under load in the higher gears; that smacks of being lean. What else would cause the surge?

Everything else looks good. A couple hundred bucks, a few hours work and it's back on the road.............for a while.

Thanks! Again!

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Lost the right cylinder yesterday. Funny thing; I was just cruising at 45 or so. Left cylinder looks okay. 180 mains, needles all the way up, only mods; foam Uni air filter in box and Bassani chambers. Clearly got hot but the piston tops and combustion chambers don't show me anything like detonation.

Opinions on cause................

And since I don't have anyone local to bore them, should I just get another pair of the Ebag ones? And are they all the same? They range from about $75 to just under $200.

I would appreciate recommendations on my next step.

Thanks!

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I thought about the possibility of a fuel feed issue, too. So, I tested it today and I have 6 ounces flow in 30 seconds through each line to the carb. Seems good.

I also checked the right carb flow into a jar. Looked okay. I haven't checked the left carb for flow.

I agree that it sounds like fuel flow. Any suggestions on further checks other than pulling the left carb and seeing how it flows into a jar?

I will try leaving the gas cap loose. I certainly have dealt with that on my old cars more than once. I should have already done that, but haven't. I guess I thought that the flow check I did on each line would have shown a problem with air lock. But I will test the flow again tomorrow and let it run longer to see if it starts to reduce flow.

Thanks again.

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Although I am not fluent in fluid dynamics, I understand the problems associated with drilling jets. I have done it for decades when I don't have the correct jets. But ONLY for experimenting. By drilling, I can determine if it wants more fuel. And by inserting wires, the opposite. Again, as quick experiments on which way to go and, to some extent, how far. 

Now, it pulls strong.......in first, second and third. But starts 'surging' in 4th and gets worse in every upper gear. I have 180 jets and it seems to like the needle all the way up. I am finally getting some color in the plugs.

It also seems to like a lot of timing; as in about 2.0. It just doesn't pull as hard with it at 1.8 or so. And the surging also seems to take a bigger toll with slower timing. I have not tried more timing. I always run 93 in my 2 strokes. And I haven't heard any noises that I would subscribe to spark knock. Nor have I seen anything on the plugs to indicate too much lead.

So, what's with the 'surge'? It is not missing. It is a 'surge'. And has been there. I was hoping the new ignition would have dealt with it, but it hasn't. And I wished that I had just ditched the points (as was REPEATEDLY suggested) and went with this ignition right off. But, I didn't. 

Appreciate, as always, any input. Thank You!

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Thanks guys! I can live with it. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't something that I could adjust out.

I probably won't spring for the adjustable timing. Just too much money. But are the spacers and crossover alone going to have a noticeable impact? Are there any down sides to the spacers and crossover? I actually have an old set of spacers that look like they were made out of a pair of intakes.

If there is a thread that already addresses my questions, please just point me in that direction. I have looked but didn't find a how to or before and after comparison.

Thanks again guys!

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Foam filter. I have checked the pump adjustment and it was good. I have not driven it more than 20 or 30 miles with these plugs, but I have easily driven 100 miles or so (sometimes hard) with the pump at this setting. Wouldn't I know by now if it was getting too little oil?

And the main issue is that there is very little, if any acceleration at 5,000 in 5th or 6th, but pulls good through there in the lower gears. Might just be normal then? I  can live with it as long as I haven't caused it. Or it can't be tuned out.

And I will check the pump setting again just to be sure. I'm using Yamalube.

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Okay. Shouldn't the plugs be more tan than white?

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Got the 180s (Mikunis) in and have played with the needle. With the needle one notch below center and with the mixture screws at 1/2 turn out. It starts first kick. The idle is not bad. The mid range seems strong. But it still isn't what it should be in the upper Rs in the higher gears. And the plugs are (I believe) too white. They shouldn't be white at all, should they? More like a light tan?

Is it possible that it is STILL as lean as it seems to me to be even with the 180s?

I now have spare main jets that are too small. And I have a set of tiny drill bits that I have used for my car carbs that are in the range of those jets.

I think I will drill out a pair of jets .005" or so bigger than the 180s to see if it likes it. If necessary, I can continue to drill the jets larger with the bits that I have until I either go too far or find a size that it likes the best. THEN order jets that size.

The bike runs really good now except for a couple of glitches up top. It pulls good through the gears until 5th or 6th in the 5,000RPM range.

What do you think?

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Anybody got a recommendation for a battery that lasts more than a few months for my RD? 

Thanks!

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Okay. 180s it is. Everything indicated to me that it was still too lean. But I was concerned that I was getting too far from the stock jetting with the engine as mild as it is.

And you were right all along; I installed the Tytronic ignition and it has worked wonders. HUGE difference. It eliminated just about all of the problems that I have been dealing with. Frankly, I am very surprised just how much better it starts, idles, and runs all the way around. Even with the mix being off.

Please don't get me wrong; it's not that I doubted what you have told me time and time again. It's that I just couldn't get it through my head that I couldn't make the original point ignition work. It worked well enough when they were new. I thought it would just be a matter of finding and addressing what 50+ years had wrought.

BUT I WAS WRONG! Thank you for not giving up on me.  I really appreciate that.

And thank you for the jetting advise.

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Stock RD350 except for Bassanis. Foam  filter in the box and jetted up to 160 mains using Mikuni brand jets.

Pulls good through the lower gears, plugs are light brown.

But in 5th or 6th about 5,000, it doesn't like to pull on up. Especially when you open it up. It will creep up with a light throttle touch, but doesn't want to pull through that range if cranked open. After it hits about 6,000, it starts to pull pretty good but still has a slight surge.

I have the needle all the way up (rich) and most of the throttle range got better each step richer from the middle groove, but the 5,000RPM area may have only gotten a little better, if at all.

It seems to me that it wants more fuel. But with it already at 155s, I was just wondering if 160s or more is actually too much. If I had them, I would just throw them in, but the 160s are as big as I have.

To sum; in top gears, it doesn't want to pull through 4,500 up until the power comes on and then it hits good but with a little surging. It does okay in the lower gears. If it didn't improve so much when the band hits, I would be less confused.

So, does it sound like it might want even bigger mains or am I going the wrong direction? Are 160s or 170s usually too much for this mild combo?

Thanks so much..........again.

I was an Evinrude outboard mechanic when the ethanol was introduced. It destroyed all of our black rubber parts that it came in contact with.

Evinrude's answer; brown Viton. I never has any problems with the brown Viton in ethanol.

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