QuestionHi, I have a GT380 that I am wondering if you can help me with a problem that I'm having. The motor is running. It just doesn't seem like the left cylinder is firing. You can put your hand on the header pipe. It doesn't get hot enough to burn you. When I remove the spark plug, it appears to be wet. It seems like I have good spark on all three cylinders. Compression is 125 PSI (all three cylinders). Timing is correct. Any information you can provide would be most helpful. I look forward to your reply. Thank you.
AnswerKen,
You are looking at an ignition failure on that cylinder due to point condition, adjustment of points, gap of points, point condenser or coil (a total ignition failure or drasticly misset timing). Of course your plug could be to blame, make sure it's gapped correctly and fires BLUE and STRONG. If the coil is suspect, check it's resistance ratings, both primary and secondary (check manual for specs.).
If you get stong spark in time then you are dealing with drasticly improper carb settings. If your carb does not properly atomize the fuel It won't be able to catch fire, even with a strong spark. Here's some basic info on cleaning carbs, you'll need the manual for specific specs and tolerances:
Disassemble, clean all jets and orifaces with solvent and COMPRESSED AIR ONLY, use NO wire or picks to clean holes/airways. Rebuild carbs with new gaskets and make sure your floats are set correctly. . Do not overlook the float level, be very sure you are not starving for fuel. In relation make sure fuel flow is unobstructed and use a good in-line fuel filter from the tank to the carb. Even tiny particles in the fuel can get logged in critical areas and cause havoc.
Hope this helps,
Mike
