alittle help

trying to get my bike running right after putting in a newly rewound stator. A 99 fe400e. I installed the stator just like the service manual said, line on stator matches up with rt line on flywheel for e start models. I wouldn't recommend using a pencil to find tdc as the eraser part fell off into the cylinder ( a mcdonald's straw works much better). tried a vacuum to no avail. ended up taking taking the head off to get it. when i was installing the cam chain over the top gear i had the lobes down in the 5 and 7 o'clock positions with piston at tdc. bike will run with choke on but backfires and dies and won't idle at all. I've check and cleaned all the jets and replaced the o rings around them all as one was tore. jets are stock, a 195 mj 55 pj 45 sj. nj is on #3 pos. 3rd from top and second from the bottom. tried adjusting idle screw anywhere from 1 turn out to 4 complete turns out, all to no avail. i have been reading thru the post and have seen where having the cam lobes in the 11 and 1 o'clock positions when you place the chain on the top cam gear. i am convinced the problems not in the carb as i have tore into it several times and cleaned everything i could. bike was running good when the stator went, so exept for tearing the head off to get the eraser out.....it was an easy job just to line up the marks........LOL. i've read about the timing marks being out from taffy and several threads in the doc in mechanical and came across the cam timing thread with the lobes being in the 11 and 1 o'clock positions instead of the 5 and 7 o'clock when installing chain. i have no timing light and was told by a mechanic the lobes should be down, and now i'm wondering if that wasn't wrong information. i need to take the rocker cover again off anyway, as i am leaking alittle water between the cylinder and head. i didn't torque one of the head bolts down to 44 nm because it felt like it was starting to strip. if it does strip does anyone know if ktm uses the same head nuts and bolts?

The lobes should be up while @ TDC on compression. Check my gallery.

Note to taffy!! Please include in the Doc that a pencil must not be used for finding TDC

OSU, who rewound your stator?? The rewound stator may be suspect as well. You are probably OK if it was done by sparks.

Yes it would be me that wound the stator, it doesn't really matter if the lobes are up or down as long as the piston is at TDC it just means that the cam is on a different stroke with the crank to cam ratio being 2 to 1.
If the engine fires up and will only run on the choke this is nothing to do with ignition, sort out the head gasket first and take it from there.
Feel free to PM me if you are experiencing further problems.

Regards

Steve.

sparks said:

Yes it would be me that wound the stator, it doesn't really matter if the lobes are up or down as long as the piston is at TDC it just means that the cam is on a different stroke with the crank to cam ratio being 2 to 1.
If the engine fires up and will only run on the choke this is nothing to do with ignition, sort out the head gasket first and take it from there.
Feel free to PM me if you are experiencing further problems.

Regards

Steve.

Click to expand...

My thought was, that a weak spark is more likely to fire a rich mixture than a lean one.

ok guys....i solved my problem. thanks steve for taking the time to answer my questions on the phone. Taffy this might warrant something in the docs. i have a 99 fe with the fu$#*$ up gas tank that requires to be hooked up to a vacuum source. the first thing i did this morning was put the tank back on the bike and hooked the vacuum hose up to the vacuum inlet coming out from the back of the cylinder. she idles like a dream now, with no choke required. so evidently you need some resistance in the vacuum line out of the cylinder to pull enough fuel and air thru the carb to run correctly.Otherwize it will just pull air thru the cylinder wall, and not enough thru carb to pick up any fuel. I bought a motion pro tank to hang off the bars without the tank on thinking it would be easier than taking the tank on and off. anyone want to buy it now?.........LOL. took her for a ride and she is running very well now. i need to fine tune the carb........but i can at least get it to idle now without the choke. I'll let you know how the new stator works after racing this weekend toodles !!!!!!!!!!!!