Well i believe i've figured it out thanks to help from here. I did take your advice and did a compression test instead of taring into the cam chest. Compression was 140 in the rear and about 160 on the front which didn't seem unusual, but I also don't know what the 98" kit should be producing. But there wasn't a significant difference to say the timing was off. What I did do was change out the needle jet from the one I was told I had to use by CV-performance to a smaller one restricting the fuel a little. It coughed black smoke clearing out carbon build up at first, but warmed up, ran without the choke for the first time and accepted the throttle as it should. Sounds great, took her for a test ride, nice and easy, and seems I've got it licked! Ended up with a 46 pilot jet and a 195 main. Through some more fine tuning that may change but might not, we shall see. Thank you all for your help and advice! I'll be back as soon as the next issue arises I'm sure!!

 

With my compression being 160 in the front and 140 in the rear. Would you say that's a large enough gap to possibly have my timing off by a tooth? Also, I have adjustable pushrods installed from the Fuel Moto kit. They're adjusted 24 flats. Fuel Moto, after asking them, recommended another 4-5 flats adjustment. Should I go ahead and make that addition or leave it as is. I'm happy it's running of course but I do want it to perform as it should, to the best it can.

 

Run another compression test; was the last test taken cold or hot? How old is the battery? Make sure the battery is fully charged; if the battery is weak, you could get lower readings. Make sure that the carb slide is all the way up; remember the CV carb slide is vacuum actuated, not cable actuated. A compression test must be performed with a WOT so you will have to manually hold the slide up. I usually remove the air filter/housing so I can reach in and move the slide up by hand or some other way.

98" bore, flat top pistons, .030" head gasket, stock heads and 510 cams should show about 180psi at sea level. Don't know your elevation but that figure would have to be adjusted for elevation. Also, I am assuming the pistons are flat top and you are using a .030" head gasket; if either of those data points are incorrect the CCP would change accordingly.

I would do enough testing under the right conditions, maybe even use another gauge, before coming to the conclusion if cam timing is off a tooth. Like Scott said, the motor will start and run if the cams are one tooth off but it will not run well.

 

I will more tests for sure. The compression test was performed with a cold bike which I found after the fact it should be warm. I did not know it needs to be tested with a wide open throttle. So I will have to take the air cleaner off and lift the slide as you recommended.... too easy... I am right at sea level here in Anchorage so that won't be a factor. The pistons are flat top pistons and I'll have to check to make sure it's a .030" head gasket because I can't remember. Battery is new and fully charged as well. Once I test I will post it up here.

Also, do you have any recommendations on the pushrod adjustment. Took her for a ride yesterday, put a nice and easy 30 miles on her. Sounds like there might be slight ticking but could be just normal valve movement. How can I be absolutely sure they are adjusted correctly? Is there a way without taring the heads off? Anyway just thinking outloud now. I'll get back with new compression testing.

 

Fuel Moto rebrands Smith Brothers pushrods; IIRC those are 32TPI and at 28-9 flats, preload should be deep enough to quiet the valve train. Best way to make sure they are adjusted properly would be to readjust; heads don't have to come off, just pop open the tubes, pull the plugs and set piston at TDC on the compression stroke and adjust. Be sure to let them bleed down before rotating the crank.

 

Awesome, thanks for the advice... I will adjust them out just a little more than they are currently, which is 24 flats.... 28-29 should do the trick...

 

soooooooo I'm very happy with the final tuning on this 98" kit so far. I re-adjusted the pushrods to 28 flats. final jetting of the carb is a 48 pilot and 195 main jet. compression on both cylinders now is 140 and that's with the bike being warmed up and ridden with a fully charged battery. seems to be running better than it ever has. throttle response is better than ever as well. I saw in an earlier post that someone thought the compression should be somewhere around 180psi... is the fact that i'm getting 140 from both indicative of something else not just right? Or is the 140 I'm getting normal for this set-up? Other than that I think i got it licked and thank you all for your advice and help through this build. !!!

 

Did you have the throttle wide open.? 140 is low...

 

You may have it licked but CCP of 140psi is low for your combination as previously pointed out. In #14, you indicated that you did not know that compression should be checked at WOT. If you want an accurate CCP reading, check compression with throttle held open which will require that the carb slide be held up since it is vacuum operated. The fact that CCP is the same in both cylinders is good.