Help. Daytona 1200 (carb) constant performance faults

[BruKen]

Hi guys, I am hoping someone here can shed some light. A mate of mine recently bought a Daytona 1200. early carb version. He has quizzed me constantly to breakdown performance issues. These are the symptoms:

engine hard to start, or at least not consistent
-battery good and engine turns rapidly under starter


runs fine and then starts to bog down after a good 50 miles and loose power when warm. Sometimes under hard acceleration will miss a beat. Exhaust smells rich, doesnt smoke, barely gets to 50mph. More throttle makes the performance worse. Tacho needle climbs erratically from a true 3k rpm to 6 and 9k then drops back to 3k cycles like this.
 
- new nology coils and pickup sensor fitted 6 months ago
- new pickup sensor fitted 6 months ago

over heats rapidly and then spits water from radiator overflow.
- pressure checked and system is ok

Carbs checked, cleaned and balanced. Filters had some gunk in them but were cleaned out.

Now what may be relevant is this bike was bought last year after standing in a garage for 3 years. All maintenance etc done to get her back on the road when she exhibited these problems. Battery, nology coils, pickup sensor, carbs etc. Then she ran fine but still not quite perfect. Now she is exhibiting the exact same symptoms again. My instincts tell me coil, but unless something is damaging them then what else. The clue may be in that she overheats so quickly at times. i.e advanced ignition ...pickup sensor? Could it be the CDI? We're scratching heads here and haemoraging money.

Any thoughts welcome. Thanks

Bruce

[Mustang]

valve clearances , no mention of those being checked and or adjusted
valves at zero clearance can and will exhibit those very same running problems

[BruKen]

including tacho ?

[JetdocX]

I'm not buying the valves as a cause on this one.  Negative clearance valves will cause hard starting, but run like a raped ape after operating temps have been reached.

How about valve timing?  Has this been absolutely verified correct?  While you're there, check cam chain condition, guides, etc.

[BruKen]

My second stab was that the timing is too advanced. It's that wandering tacho though. To me that would imply an electric fault. The tacho is fine until the trouble starts.

[Mustang]

missed the tach prob in the first post ...........but I would still check the valves ...........just to know !
the igniter is what gives the tach the signal and on a three cylinder it's the #1 cylinder that you are seeing the rpm for . I think a trophy 1200 is the same
It's possible you have a duff igniter .

A wonky battery will make the tach behave weird too , but it usually is a dead battery that will send the tach straight up to like 9k when it's not even running .
I would start looking for green oxidized connectors in the wiring harness , I've even found some of the weather pak connectors on mine have gotten corroded sometimes , check the plug from the alternator first and work your way towards the coils and igniter , especially check the plug from the p/u sensor  and the key switches are known to play up from time to time

wiring gremlins suck , but with the way your tach is behaving it does seem to be an electrical issue

[BruKen]

thanks. I phoned Sandy at Triumphant and he seems to think it is the case too. £140 excl vat and carriage. Hope it is the case.

[Robbie]

hard starting can be the result of a gummed up fuel tap

I think the tacho points to the main problem as electric
GILL did have a few upgrades, I had two recalls for new brains

the four only has two coils so you loose half the engine when one go's

a quick squirt of WD40 on the headers will tell you which one is playing up