Maybe I'll call it 'Threenix' for a while ;)

[gltriker]

Yesterday morning I resumed working on getting the engine to run better. After too much disappointment with the unchanged end results of my attention to details, details, details, ( the engine has always run consistently well on cylinders 2&4; 1&3 are always consistently struggling..... ) I proverbially, " pulled the trigger " , and ordered a pair of 3 ohm DYNA coils, a DYNA- S kit, and a set of DYNA copper core wires, with my wife's blessing.( Z-1 Enterprises has great prices, and they're less than 50 miles away from my house.)

Here's a photo of the project yesterday morning...... that's all for now.

DSCN0504.JPG

[fish]

I did the same on my Naked '83 & it made a big difference
BTW GLT you did not mention what sperkplug caps you are going to use?

[gltriker]

Hey there, Tim.

I'm going to use the 2 new NGK resistor caps I bought April this year, same time I'd ordered the Dyna copper core wires from Z-1 Ent., to "rebuild" the stock coils. Which in turn, was seemingly a waste of time and money, as I came to realize after the fact. Although somewhat successful, as CYBORG would observe, the coils are still 37 years old. The other 2 sparkplug caps I'll use are identical, like new, NGK resistor caps that came on the GL1000 when I bought it, not running, back in 2005.

I was desperately trying to save some money..... before my wife gave me her blessing to finish the project, and a newly activated credit card on Father's Day! Hence, Dyna ignition system components were selected as the answer to my trials with the "old school?" stock ignition system from Honda.


ciao fer now!

[gltriker]

I finished installing and timing the Dyna S and Dyna 3ohm coils and a set of the Dyna wires Saturday afternoon and was thoroughly Amazed how much spark energy is available now compared to the stock coils and points/condenser system!!! Good riddance to the original system.( I'm not putting it down. entirely) It's in a safe storage.

Trying to locate the source of my engine's right side (#s 1 and or 3) running issues, I pulled the #1 spark plug wire boot entirely off the sparkplug to see what difference it might have made to the engine when that cylinder was disabled. Geez Louise!! The spark energy was a loudly snapping bright blue/white display and jumping at least a 1/2" gap (edit: 1 inch gap!) when I was holding the boot away from the plug. My first impression, nervous as h e double hockey sticks, was a Tesla Coil display looks similar(BTW it made no difference how the engine ran with the wire removed, to my dismay). Pulling#3 plug wire off, killed the engine. With that revelation, I closed up the shop and went inside for pizza. Took yesterday off to attend my grandson's 2cd birthday party yesterday. Today, I'm slacking off. TOO hot.....

Anyways.... I purchased my 3 Dyna component "Items" from Z-1 Enterprises, also. $280 + NYS ST and shipping.

And I thought my running issues would disappear with the Dyna installed. I want to get working on the rear brakes next! Times a wastin'!!

ciao fer now!

[gltriker]

**Post#80


added 9/13/2024:
Shortly after I started the engine for the first time, with both exhaust headers having been newly painted with gloss hi-heat paint... I had removed the right hand header to determine why the #1 cylinder didn't react negatively to removing its spark plug cap. Also, there was no response to trying the idle drop check pilot air/fuel adjusting procedure. I was brand new to the GL1000 , had previously read in Randakk's about the occasionally discovered inner wall header tube collapse and wondered if that was a problem in this cylinder's header pipe.

original 2012 posting's text:
I had noted last night that, as usual, cylinders 2 and 4 were running very well, burning the paint off their individual header pipes

DSCN0599.JPG

.[#3 had burned the paint off its header pipe, just like 2 and 4 had, but #1 hadn't. still black and shiny. And all 4 brand new NGK spark plugs had almost identical good combustion color on each of their insulator and ground electrodes. WTH?!!!
NOTE: turns out a white ceramic insulator isn't a reliable example. At all

DSCN0604.JPG

I've got blazing hot DYNA spark to all 4 spark plugs, reasonably consistent compression in all 4 cylinders.....4 new plugs again yesterday. May as well take the carburetors off and open up #1 first. (the one offering no assistance to its other three functioning kin).
First thing after removing the carbs, I elevated them on 2 4x4s stacked on each other, cleaned a small jelly jar, and drained each bowl, in turn into the glass, and recorded the individual results. Cylinders 2, 4 and 3 each were each approximately 3/4 inches. Very consistent. When I was draining #1 fuel bowl, my sister called my cell phone and I in turn, knocked the glass over. Her call was important though.

DSCN0614.JPG

So..... let's pull #1's bowl. what's this?! I'd found 7-8 small black rubber crumbs in the fuel bowl. Removing the primary and secondary main jets with their retainer and exposing the rubber plug, revealed it was the source of the crumbs. The rubber plug's inner end was also frazzled and a large rubber crumb was completely plugging the slow idle fuel jet. Now we're getting somewhere!!

DSCN0627.JPG

Apparently, even though the engine would run better at part throttle, the completely inoperative idle fuel discharge circuit in carb#1 had eliminated any chance fuel is delivered to the intake port, at a steady curb idle speed screw adjusted to 4,500 rpms for at least 5 minutes, and as a result less heat energy was present in that cylinder's exhaust gas stream. Thereby, #1 header pipe wouldn't burn its paint!....??????

Keep in mind, the throttle shutter plate has been just slightly farther opened when the curb idle speed screw is turned in to increase the engine idle speed above 1100 rpms; barely enough to begin to uncover the 3 off-idle disharge holes under their aluminum puck.


The #3 carburetor's blanking rubber plug was also crumbling internally, but nothing had broken loose.... yet.
I did save a bag of the old carburetor soft parts removed when I'd installed Randakk's rebuild kit back in 2006. Lucky me! There were 2 useable rubber plugs in the bag. None of the remaining orings were affected, although there were a few places on 3 of the float bowl gaskets that had swelled. Not to the point of delaminating, though.

In retrospect, i believe I caused the rubber component degrading issues. With the carbs still installed on the engine, I'd sprayed some heavy duty aerosol carburetor cleaner back in February through all 4 carbs pilot adjuster screw passages to hopefully clean the iddy bitty pilot tube, and left it until I removed the carbs in March. The pilot discharge tubes were all found to be unrestricted when I removed each fuel bowl and looked them over, individually. Seems probable now some of that cleaner had puddled in #s 1 and 3 fuel bowls and attacked the rubber idle passage plugs, hence the crumbs. Although I hadn't seen any rubber items deterioration in March, perhaps it was just a matter of time until the crumbling occured?

Tomorrow, I'm very optimistic that the "trike" will have a strong engine, after I reassemble the fuel system. Time's a wastin'!!

[fish]

I woiuld call that a "smoking gun"

[gltriker]

Good news today! After re-installing the carburetors today, I'm pleased to report the engine is running Much Better! (Still needs to be synchronized)

I'd been worrying for several weeks that now I'm getting so close to actually riding this contraption, its maiden voyage in my yard, maybe I wouldn't be able to get on to sit on the seat.

I'd just installed the seat, carefully stepped on the right footboard with my right leg, got a good grip on the handlebars and said a little prayer. The last time I'd swung my left leg over a motorcycle was June 25, 2003. Anyway..... I did it without getting hurt!! Felt strange sitting on a bike that I'd never sat on before, or since I bought it December, 2005.

I called my machinist friend and told him tomorrow is the moment we've been talking about for a year. Threedom is getting pushed backwards out of my shop in the morning, unless it rains.
Although, I did cheat just a smidgen while I was sitting on the saddle this afternoon.

I absent mindedly started the engine...... pulled in the clutch..... and woops, selected 1st gear. It moved when I let the clutch out. OH!, Happy Day!!

[Roady]

This is truly an inspirational success story.



(Seems the whole crowd is happy for you!)

[Fred Camper]

Music to our ears. Yes, inspirational.

[gltriker]

Steve and Jeff, I'm still surprised this project has entertained so many folks.

The first ride was postponed today. Raining and another grandson's birthday. Tomorrow's forecast is clear and sunny.
I think my 2 years old grand daughter and 4 years old grandson will certainly be amazed when they spend the day with me and "Nana" tomorrow, and watch me ride the trike.

[gltriker]

Although the engine is running smoothly now, I'm suspicious that there may be a constriction in the #1-3 header that causes its exhaust gases note and pressure at the muffler outlet to always have been more subdued than the #2-4 header.
The reason why?

Several days before I removed the carburetors and found the "crumbs" in #1 fuel bowl, I'd made an inspection of the #1 header tube, after removing the header assembly from the cylinder head. There was no outright blockage visible with my naked eye. But, I snaked a small telescoping 2AA battery LED flashlight into the inlet of #1 tube and peeked in the outlet end to see what I could see. The head of the light is quite a bit smaller OD than the tube ID, and had run into something. hmmmmm, through the header outlet I could see only 2 of the 3 flashlight's LEDs visible at the leading edge where the #3 tube enters the weldment.
I need your help.
If my memory serves me correctly, I believe I'd read a post in this forum re: header restriction....internal collapse....something?
Am I on the right track, my good sirs?

[Fred Camper]

Yes, I have heard of an internal collapse of the header. But from what you said, the restriction you mentioned should not be much of an issue.

[robin1731]

The internal collapse was right near the header inlet though. Just inside where it bolts to the head. It is pretty easy to see if it is there. Not saying you don't have a collapsed pipe but the one's I've seen posted were very easy to see.

[gltriker]

Thanks, Fred and Robin for your collective information.

I'm going to pull both headers off again next week to finish painting the pipes "Bummer" had bent for me a couple months ago; Soon after the maiden voyage has taken place.

Then, I can compare? the internals of one header to the other header.

[gltriker]

I'm Alive and Feelin' Fine!

This morning, the day before my 63rd birthday, I put the "trike" through its initial paces with my wife, my machinist friend, and my next door neighbor witnessing the blessed event.

At first the machine was lugging as I drove away on my yard. Front brakes dragging, the new GM rear disc brakes squeaking, and suddenly I realized I had shifted into 2cd gear, not 1st! The totally unfamiliar heel-toe shifter, and my excitement caused that error. Shifting into 1st, with my left hand, made a huge difference. My yard is hard as a rock and bumpy, but I did sneak onto the road several times turning around in front of my house. WOW! This thing has some power, but I couldn't shift into 2cd. The heel-toe shifter sets way too far backwards and inwards for me to perform that function with my size 12 RedWing. (maybe I won't have to reduce the diameter of my rear tires from the present 28" tires to the 26" tires the initial design parameters were spec.'d to employ.)

My better half took a few short video clips of the maiden voyage. Now, my wife has expressed a mild interest in riding with me. She couldn't locate rear foot pegs (I hadn't installed any) and inquired, "where would I put my feet?".

With that out of the way, front fork seals, front calipers' rebuild (new pads, too), new front tire, and the rear brake actuation plumbing are the big jobs to address. Still a bunch to accomplish.

ciao fer now!