Left cylinder still wet and oily

[RDDave]

12.4 volts at the battery terminal.

With lights on, with lights off.

.

[m in sc]

that makes zero sense. that completely contradicts Ohms law.

Something here isn't adding up.

[RDDave]

Educate me on what you mean. I don't understand. The voltage at the battery is 12.4 volts at 2,000 RPM. I just don't get what you are trying to tell me.

The battery and the coils are getting a steady 12.4 volts. Actually up from the previous 10+ volts. And holds that voltage with the additional load of the lights.

Please explain to me what I don't understand. This is not an argument, I truly do not understand why the right cylinder ALWAYS runs just fine with anything between 10 and 12+ bolts while the left will not. Even with the right's components and separated from the bike's wiring harness.

Please take this as a plea and not as an argument.

.

[m in sc]

by flipping the headlight on, and off, you'll see at least some change, usually .2 ish v. even if its an led headlight and gauge light, etc. also, it should be closer to 13v.

regardless,

 if this has been a recurring issue since before you got the bike, then it needs a complete go thru for diagnostic to be reliable. its something simple.  since you say the carbs were COMPLETELY  stripped and cleaned (all passages clear), that you've bypassed the wiring (did you run it straight from the points or at the alternator junction?) . you say the coils were swapped. were the plug caps swapped out w new as well?

I find  it highly unlikely its a case leak, but its possible.

I've owned over 20 of these, I've never had one stubbornly drag a cyl unless one of the things I mentioned up top was off.

check your point ts wiring atthe points.  make sure they are insulated from the base correctly, and that the flags aren't close enough to arc over to the alternator housing.

I have seen a bad rectifier cause a similar issue, breaks down at speed and the weird thing is, at just low enough voltage, one coil will drop before the other.

thats all I got. if you're anywhere near Charlotte nc I'd be glad to look at it you one Saturday or Sunday afternoon.

[RDDave]

The voltage may change a bit when the lights are switched on, but it recovers very quickly. Does that address the question?

I totally disconnected the bike's harness from the ignition. I unhooked the wire at the points and ran a jumper wire directly to the coil. And that was with the points from the right cylinder. The coils are getting 12+ volts through a relay again with the bike's harness disconnected. I swapped the coils with their wires and heads. I swapped the original coils and I ordered new 'Suzuki' coils and have swapped them with their wires and heads, too.

Now, I do have a question on wiring these 'Suzuki' coils; Which lead is the positive? The one in line with the plug lead, or the other one? I have wired it both ways. I know there is a correct way, but it ran the same which ever way I wired them.

The previous owner sold this bike for this reason. He didn't say anything about it, but when I got home with the bike and went through the items that came with it, there were about 20 fouled plugs.

I would dearly LOVE for you to look at this thing. I am clearly overlooking SOMETHING! No doubt.

I have other rectifiers. I can change one out, I guess if you think that is worth the effort. And I can pull the carb and change the float setting and even swap the floats and needle and seat from the right just in case. I would just swap carbs, but the oil line on the right just won't reach.

I agree that 12.4 is a little on the low side. It always hold right in that area no matter how I check or with what meter.

It is time for a fresh set of eyes on this. I just don't have ANYONE anywhere near me that knows a darned thing about any of this stuff anymore. The old guy that suggested the injection oil in the gear case is just not able to offer any physical help.

I am going to stay at it. I really, really want to find the issue. And for more than one reason.

Thanks again for you help and you patience. It will be a couple of days before I can get back on it, but I will stay on it.

[m in sc]

the smaller terminal on the sv coil will be the - side.

[klaird]

Check your timing between cylinders my guest is the right side is more advanced than the left.  I had a similar problem years ago and it turned out to be the timing was not synchronized between cylinders.  The specs are pretty liberal on this but I have found the closer you can get them to be timed exactly the same the better it will run and less likely to foul a plug.  That said the point plates like to move as you tighten them down so it can take some time to get it just right. Set your left side timing and the match the right side to it as closely as you can get it.  Just my 

[RDDave]

I use a dwell meter to set the points so that I KNOW they are the same; 45* dwell on both sets of points which I came to after a little experimenting with the feeler gauges. That is on the 4 cylinder setting on my old automotive box. It also tests the points; I have filed and cleaned the points to get the lowest resistance I can get and swapped them between the cylinders.

I set the timing with a timing light. And I have tried a few different settings around the recommended timing.

I will check the wiring on the coil.

Thanks!

[m in sc]

its good to be that picky about it. i also understand the value of a dwell reading, especially with aftermarket points. (yes i actually have and use a dwell meter myself ) Modern replacement points... the heels are always too long. if you set the gap and its at the max of the range, sand the heel down some .

But to be honest, i've seen these things run exceptionally well with timing specs pretty far out of whack, surprisingly so. its actually amazing what they can tolerate spec wise. I do follow the logic of get that base right, then diagnose. so theres no harm there.
 

[RDDave]