No power

[5135jimmy]

Hi everyone I'm new to Africa Twins and new to the site. I purchased my first africa twin 2000 miles ago and use it to commute on a daily basis. It is an RD04 1991 XRV750. The bike has recently let me down. It seems to be missing and will not exceed 70mph or 6,500rpm and feels gutless. It has been fine until now and this fault has just started. I thought I would change the plugs and discovered it has 4. I have changed the easy ones in each cylinder but cannot seem to get a plug spanner down far enough into head. Anyone any ideas firstly what the fault could be and secondly advise on a good plug wrench to reach into heads. Many thanks in advance.
Jimmy

[Recycler]

The spanner in the bike's tool kit is the only one I've found suitable.

Ref. fault - have you checked the air filter? Carbs balanced? Fuel supply? Dirty Carbs? Carb inlet rubbers loose/split? Airbox sealing on carbs?

[5135jimmy]

I haven't but I will.
Many thanks

[mal]

If you don't have the spanner , Wemoto sell it for about £10 www.wemoto.com

[BobA]

Jimmy

Nothing on earth will get that plug out except the original sparkplug tool OR an aftermarket one that has been time consumingly modified.
Mal has given excellent advice, buy one from WeMoto (in Brighton) and it'll be the best £10 you've spent.

With regard to your problem, I'm not convinced it'll be the plugs, so I would chech the following in addition.

1. CHOKE; THE MOST COMMON @ bad running culprit. Chances are, you think it's OK, but check the cable, splitted, and individual cables running to each carb. The problem is the cables bind and keep the choke on.

2. FUEL PUMP; Check that it is actually pumping fuel. Some are notoriously troublesome. Also check that there is power to it.

3. FUEL FILTER; Is it clean, is fuel flowing through it cleanly.

4. CARB DIAPHRAGMS; One or both of these could be damaged, but I'd check these last, as you could damage them just checking them. If it is these, OE parts are horrendously expensive, so you could try these people.
http://www.nrp-carbs.co.uk/

5. CDI unit; It may be faulty, or the coils not receiving a good signal due to bad connections.

6. COILS; Check the connections. Check (with a spare plug earthed against the frame) that they are making a spark.


Good Luck


Bob

[Whealie]

What colour were the plugs you did remove?
If they were at all sooty it is likely to be your choke - remove the bable completely and free it up.

[5135jimmy]

Hi
Thanks for the help everyone. Ive made a start on it. Got the carbs stripped off it today so will give them a good looking over.
Cheers

[Simon]

What colour were the plugs you did remove?
If they were at all sooty it is likely to be your choke - remove the bable completely and free it up.

Whats a "bable"?

[stageonesimmo]

A fish you stick in your ear to translate gobeldy-gook...........

I'm with the plug condition question on this one - it shows up a variety of evils and is always a good place to start - how were they? The picture in a petrol engined car Haynes Manual is an excellent guide to how they should look and the causes of many of the problems if you have one around it's worth a look......

[5135jimmy]

Still have not managed to get plugs out yet till spanner arrives but got the easy ones out. The rear cylinder one was quite grey and dry and the rear cylinder quite blackand oily but not overly so. Strange????