Motorcycle Repair: viargo, compression check, excess gas

Question
QUESTION: I have a 1985 viargo wtih 22 thousand miles on it has a 699cc engine and to start the battery doesnt hold up but for about 4 days then has to be recarged... it also wont ideal...the front cylider wont fire half the time and when i look at the plugs they are both black like smut not carbon but black and the front cylinder always smells like gas and if u sit in one spott u can smell the gas coming out of the striaght pipes just passing through the engine and when it only firing on one cylinder and the front one decieds to go off it sounds like a shotgun from the excess gas not being burned Im lost ive done everything i know to do HELP! please....lol

ANSWER: Brandon,

the carb float needles sometimes fall out
on these bikes flooding the engine
with fuel. You need to pull the float bowls
to see and push them back in.
It happens if the fuel is low and the
floats drop down.

Also check your air filters and
do a compression check to see if the cylinders
pressures are equal, should be around 150 psi.

The charging could be a problem with
the battery, stator or regulator.
The bike may run better with a fully
charged battery.

The stator plug has to be disconnected and
the stator white wires checked
for continuity and 60 volts AC output
between the wires when engine is revved.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: okay i followed your advice and cleaned my carburetors ran great for about a day and then on the way home my last corner i looked be hind me and their was white smoke but it never stopped running just sputtered a little and kept going later it did the same thing but there was oil also coming threw my carburetors the only thing i can figure is the rings have gone bad what do U think and is their a place that you know of that might sell this type of engine for cheap or rebuild

Answer
Brandon,

I suggest a compression check, it should
have about 130-160 psi on each cylinder
to run properly.
Is your oil level correct and the oil clean?
Check your spark plug color, that will
indicate what is happening in the engine.
If the plugs are black and sooty, you have too
much fuel going through, if they are
oily or fouled you may have engine
problems or faulty ignition module.

These checks should give an indication
if the engine needs rebuilding or replacement.
This is getting difficult because
of the age of these bikes.
The electronic parts are giving out
as well as the engines.
You may have to get a manual and rebuild it yourself
or part it out.