Hello, this is my first post on here. I've done a lot of searching on the forums and the information I've gotten is always helpful, but I still haven't nailed my problem yet.
Ok, when I first tried out this motor (which had been sitting for at least a year, probably two) it was running horribly. I had to keep it almost fully choked for it to idle and it had no power. I discovered that it was only running on one cylinder (after cleaning the carburetor about four times, setting the points, etc). My dad came over and through cleaning the plug and feathering the gas, he got the other cylinder running. This is about the time I received a parts motor for it.
The bottom cylinder (which wasn't running at all earlier) would not idle at all. I took the boot off the spark plug wire and checked to see if it had good spark/spark at all at idle. It had crappy spark and was missing spark at idle. So I checked the coils with a multimeter. The top cylinder's coil did not have continuity, but the bottom cylinder's coil did (head scratcher). I changed it for a coil that had continuity on the parts motor anyway. Then, I noticed that there was a big difference on the magneto plate on the parts motor vs. my motor. The magneto plate on the parts motor had two stator coils, and my motor had only one stator coil. So I just took the entire magneto plate off the parts motor and put it on my motor.
The motor still had a misfire problem at idle on the bottom cylinder... Then, I took the boot off the bottom spark plug wire again, it had awesome spark! Could hold it about a half inch away and still have the spark bridge the gap. So I looked into the boot, and the pin was all bent out of whack. So I checked all the boots I had on the parts motor/old coil and whatnot. All of the pins are bent out of whack. So I tried to straighten one... I couldn't. I took the best boot, stripped the wire so there was about 5/8" of bare wire and put it in the boot.
The motor ran like an f'n dream!!!! So, I called it a day. I went to show my dad how awesome my motor was running the next day. Started it up... Misfiring on the bottom cylinder again. I backed out the high speed needle valve, and it was running awesome! For about 45 seconds.. then started misfiring again. My dad pulled the idle screw all the way out, and I had the bright idea of spraying some more carb cleaner right in that hole. I did.. we put the idle screw back in, it ran like a dream! For about a minute.
So here's what I'm thinking the problem might be. I haven't ordered a carb rebuild kit yet. I've been trying to decide whether this motor is worth putting money into yet. The parts motor doesn't have a carb on it either. I'm thinking that there's still a small turd stuck somewhere in the carburetor despite multiple cleanings.
I read somewhere that someone thought maybe the fuel pump (which runs off the bottom cylinder) might leak into the cylinder causing a flood-type condition, but I don't know how to check that and I'm not convinced that's the problem since it runs fine after a carb cleaner spray.
I've cleaned as many orifices as I could find with a wire, but I haven't pulled any welch plugs out, because I don't have new ones.
Basically, as much as I'm thinking, "Yes I'm almost there!" I'm starting to get a little ticked off the thing isn't running right yet.
Is it likely that this is STILL a carburetor problem, or is it likely something else I haven't thought of yet? I haven't soaked the carb under a cleaning solution overnight, but I've sprayed with carb cleaner, let it soak, compressed air, repeat lots.
Thanks in advance for anyone that takes the time to reply!
Ok, when I first tried out this motor (which had been sitting for at least a year, probably two) it was running horribly. I had to keep it almost fully choked for it to idle and it had no power. I discovered that it was only running on one cylinder (after cleaning the carburetor about four times, setting the points, etc). My dad came over and through cleaning the plug and feathering the gas, he got the other cylinder running. This is about the time I received a parts motor for it.
The bottom cylinder (which wasn't running at all earlier) would not idle at all. I took the boot off the spark plug wire and checked to see if it had good spark/spark at all at idle. It had crappy spark and was missing spark at idle. So I checked the coils with a multimeter. The top cylinder's coil did not have continuity, but the bottom cylinder's coil did (head scratcher). I changed it for a coil that had continuity on the parts motor anyway. Then, I noticed that there was a big difference on the magneto plate on the parts motor vs. my motor. The magneto plate on the parts motor had two stator coils, and my motor had only one stator coil. So I just took the entire magneto plate off the parts motor and put it on my motor.
The motor still had a misfire problem at idle on the bottom cylinder... Then, I took the boot off the bottom spark plug wire again, it had awesome spark! Could hold it about a half inch away and still have the spark bridge the gap. So I looked into the boot, and the pin was all bent out of whack. So I checked all the boots I had on the parts motor/old coil and whatnot. All of the pins are bent out of whack. So I tried to straighten one... I couldn't. I took the best boot, stripped the wire so there was about 5/8" of bare wire and put it in the boot.
The motor ran like an f'n dream!!!! So, I called it a day. I went to show my dad how awesome my motor was running the next day. Started it up... Misfiring on the bottom cylinder again. I backed out the high speed needle valve, and it was running awesome! For about 45 seconds.. then started misfiring again. My dad pulled the idle screw all the way out, and I had the bright idea of spraying some more carb cleaner right in that hole. I did.. we put the idle screw back in, it ran like a dream! For about a minute.
So here's what I'm thinking the problem might be. I haven't ordered a carb rebuild kit yet. I've been trying to decide whether this motor is worth putting money into yet. The parts motor doesn't have a carb on it either. I'm thinking that there's still a small turd stuck somewhere in the carburetor despite multiple cleanings.
I read somewhere that someone thought maybe the fuel pump (which runs off the bottom cylinder) might leak into the cylinder causing a flood-type condition, but I don't know how to check that and I'm not convinced that's the problem since it runs fine after a carb cleaner spray.
I've cleaned as many orifices as I could find with a wire, but I haven't pulled any welch plugs out, because I don't have new ones.
Basically, as much as I'm thinking, "Yes I'm almost there!" I'm starting to get a little ticked off the thing isn't running right yet.
Is it likely that this is STILL a carburetor problem, or is it likely something else I haven't thought of yet? I haven't soaked the carb under a cleaning solution overnight, but I've sprayed with carb cleaner, let it soak, compressed air, repeat lots.
Thanks in advance for anyone that takes the time to reply!