Please help with my jetting problem.

[cheetah]

I recently installed a high compression piston and cam. I went through break-in and know I've started to open her up. It runs great down low and up top which means it's my needle I'm fighting with. It was a tad lean in the midrange so I dropped the clip one notch.(4th down) I fired it up and it ran fine so I went riding. It ran great for 4 or 5 hours. The power was right there and it felt just right. Well we stopped at my buddies house and hung around for a while. When I went back out there, it had a very loud tick. I have adjusted my valves since break-in and it does sound different from a normal valve tick. On the way home(on the road), it cut out on me three times. It acted as if I hit the limiter, the midrange was missing, and now it's fouled a plug. I'm assuming that it has to be rich. If I raise my needle back up though, how am I going to richen it back up a little? Do you just adjust it with your air screw? Any other advice would be appreciated. Here is my current carburation adjustments and my mods are in sig.

Pilot:42
Main:158
Needle: 4th clip down

EDIT: I've worked on it for 4 days now and still having problems. So far I've replaced the head gasket, retorqued the studs, checked the rings, changed my jetting back, and checked and re-adjusted valves. When I pulled the plug it was flooded out. I wasn't rich, by all means I should have still been lean because I was on the same jetting as when I had just a pipe. I want to stated that my jetting is right now, but I don't know what this VERY LOUD ticking is. It's running ok now, but I have this loud tick and I'm stumped. It ticks and floods. Valve guides are ok, intake is clear. I'm stumped. Someone please help!

[TeamC&GRacer]

sounds like its running a little lean still, i have the same setup.. try going up to a 162 or 165. Also with the high compression you should be running race gas if your not already

[cheetah]

You really think so? It wasn't really bad when I had it in the stock position and when I dropped the clip it got worse. Also, I thought the main jet controlled 3/4 to Wide Open throttle. If so, my top end is fine. Thanks for your help.

[H440exconfused]

Just my .02 Sounds like the headgasket is blown

[nakomis0]

Ya u said it ran fine, u stopped and then it ran like crap.

My jettings been of real bad before and the thing never died.:huh

Did you re torque the head studs? I'm not sure when you need to re tighten them but I'm sure its not to long after break in. 5 hours is alot of riding.

[cheetah]

If the head gasket blew would it not be leaking oil? Nakomis0, I have not re torqued the head studs yet. I will put that on my list when I break it down. I have been ill as of the past 2 days and I haven't got to work on it. As far as it dieing, I will try to elaborate on that to give you a better idea. Once it got to around 7-8000 rpms, it kinda choked out and quit. I never hit the rev limiter and I wasn't close to it yet. I had to pull off of the road and choke it to get it started. The bike was not cold either. Could someone give my some more symptoms on this head gasket idea, cause I didn't really feel it could have been carburation problems if it ran good for such a long period of time. But I went to start it the next day and it smoked real bad then sputtered out and fouled the plug.

[White_Knuckles]

You said the plug fouled. Was it black carbon, wet fuel or oil fouled?

There should be an oil run line off the head to cylinder surface area if the head gasket blew. Get out your mag light and really scope all sides. The idle may have changed if the gasket blew, mostly lowers requiring you to raise it to keep it running or won't idle at all.

The carb may be flooding over like a sticking float or the needle and seat valve is contaminated. This will create such an over-rich condition (intermittently) that you'll swear something major occured. Watch for fuel drips out of the overflow hose.

Hope it's an easy fix!

[Chanman420q]

i think ur lean, ur running the same pilot and main jet as me and ive only got a a slip on and no lid:eek2: ( needle stock )

[cheetah]

Originally posted by White_Knuckles
You said the plug fouled. Was it black carbon, wet fuel or oil fouled?

There should be an oil run line off the head to cylinder surface area if the head gasket blew. Get out your mag light and really scope all sides. The idle may have changed if the gasket blew, mostly lowers requiring you to raise it to keep it running or won't idle at all.

The carb may be flooding over like a sticking float or the needle and seat valve is contaminated. This will create such an over-rich condition (intermittently) that you'll swear something major occured. Watch for fuel drips out of the overflow hose.

Hope it's an easy fix!

I have had that happen before about the valve seat getting dirt in it. It is leaking I know that. I haven't got to check the plug yet, I have been sick. Hopefully I can get out there and do it later today. I may try a 160 main, but I'm just weary cause it ran great before. I wanna rule out head gasket first though before I go back in the carb. Would that cause the loud tick I'm hearing? Jets don't cost much so I'll try that too.

[cals400ex]

i would suggest retorquing the head studs. thats the only thing i can think of.

[cheetah]

I've worked on it for 4 days now and still having problems. So far I've replaced the head gasket, retorqued the studs, checked the rings, changed my jetting back, and checked and re-adjusted valves. When I pulled the plug it was flooded out. I wasn't rich, by all means I should have still been lean because I was on the same jetting as when I had just a pipe. I want to stated that my jetting is right now, but I don't know what this VERY LOUD ticking is. It's running ok now, but I have this loud tick and I'm stumped. It ticks and floods. Valve guides are ok, intake is clear. I'm stumped. Someone please help!

[cals400ex]

are the valves adjusted properly to the cam's specs? also, the piston is not installed backwards is it? I assume the timing is not off?

[cheetah]

Found it! It was an exhaust leak. Where the flanges were welded on my header they broke loose so they weren't sealing. Hopefully that is all it is.