if I take off the carbs one more time...

[thingsbuilt]

(although I'd rather eat a bug)... is there any one or two specific things I should be looking for,
which would cause my left-side to not fire at idle (but will fire somewhat if forced, at high rpms)..?
The last carb cleaning left the bike easy to start, with right carb running smooth, but doing all the work.
The left plug is now wet and fouled. Extra smoke (unburnt fuel) comes out the exhaust.

I know I've bothered you guys a lot about this, but I am going to give it one more try.
(I did clean out the main jet and pilot jets last time, made sure no vacuum leaks, cleaned out some air passages, put fuel filters on, but didn't do anything with the needle jet/jet needle thingy. And then I switched ignition coils to see if it was an electrical problem). I won't ride it with only one side firing.

I need to practice hand/eye coordination which got fuzzy during the cancer treatments, and what better place to do it than on the sunny, SUV-clogged roads of Los Angeles?

One more time..  thanks for any and all advice.

steve

[Egaeus]

Check your fuel levels before you remove the carb (if you haven't). 

DO NOT tilt or drain your carburetors until you have them off of the bike.  Drain them through a coffee filter.  After they are drained, still don't tilt them.  Take the float bowls off while the carb is still upright (trickier, but possible) and check for any garbage in the bowls.  Once the filter is dried, check it for any garbage (you can't see it when wet). 

Check and make absolutely sure that your pilot jet is clear. 

I'll bring a compression gauge, spark tester, feeler gauges, and valve compression tool to LA with me, so if you're still having problems, we can diagnose it when you get back from Mexico.  I got the nearly-official project schedule.  It has me spending the entire summer there.

[roosterbike]

When that happened to my GPz550, it was the ignition system. The coil was intermitant and would start, only run at about 5000 rpm, get hot, shut down. Good luck

[ohgood]

Check your electrics ? I'd pull connectors and check for corrosion. The 'higher rpm = fire' thing sounds like  a connection that only works when it's jiggled.

[The Buddha]

Left carb trouble = vacuum line trouble.
Cool.
Srinath.

[thingsbuilt]

Sunday morning..

Removed tank, started bike up, ran it briefly. Then I beat the top of the 'bad' carb with my fist, repeatedly (hey, it always worked on old Fords). The left cylinder suddenly sputtered to life!

But not for long.

So, I'm guessing it's a float issue or fuel or vacuum issue or I did a crappy job of cleaning it last time around. Electrics seem ok.

Half the town is out on their motorcycles today. Boo-hoo.

sr
Los angeles

cry

[patwcon]

Not sure what you have heard so far on this (before) -- here are my thoughts.  Sounds like you are not getting a good spark on the left side.  Have you done the spark test? (take the plug out of the cylinder reconnect the wire and hold the plug against the metal cylinder head and push the start button - with clutch engaged)...  Is the spark on the left the same intensity as the right side?  How about changing the plugs and plug wires?

[Egaeus]

take off the air box and make sure the piston is moving on both sides.  It could be air starvation.  If it's not, make sure it moves freely up and down with your finger.  If it does, take the top off of the carburetor and check the diaphragm for tears.  If it doesn't, then take the top off of the carb and see what's restricting its movement.