Honda CA95 only firing on one cylinder

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:20 pm

Hi, first post. I just bought an old Honda CA95 from a guy in my neighborhood (orig. owner, only 4,000 miles) and I'm in the process of getting back in the road.

So far, I've done the following, oil change/case flush, new plugs, new batt., new air filter, new tire tubes, pet cock rebuild, clutch plate resurface (they were fused together pretty well)

Anyway, it fired on the first try (I almost fell over I couldn't believe it) but after a short ride around the block, I noticed it only fired on one cylinder. I simply swapped the plugs (re-checked their gap) and the bad cylinder fired fine now (but the other didn't now). I'm going to run out and pick up another plug just in case it a rouge bad NGK, but I suspect it could be something else. Any ideas?

I noticed this bike fires both plugs simultaneously. With no distributor, both plugs are in the same electrical circuit, could it be low voltage from the coil or something?

Also, its smoking pretty badly (out of which ever cylinder is firing) I'm thinking it will need valve seals (not rings) since it went 35+ years in storage and it has such low miles. Are they easily attainable?

Thanks for the help, here's a pic if my new blue "baby".

brewsky · Post by **brewsky** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 6:19 pm

I don't believe there are any valve seals on this model.
I didn't see any reference to cleaning the carb...a likely culprit.
What do the plugs look like after running them?
Your symptoms sound like either a bad plug, or one fouling sooner than the other.

Geeky160 · Post by **Geeky160** » Mon Dec 07, 2009 8:30 pm

If I were you I would buy several sets of new plugs, not just one. Smoke could be oil in exhaust burning off if it has been running rich. Good luck.

CliffC · Post by **CliffC** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:05 am

Griff,
Get some Marvel Oil, put one or two squirts in each cylinder and add a few ounces to the crankcase. If its stuck rings which is what it sounds like this should free them up. This is for the smoking the other problem sounds like a bad plug. Just run it normally hopefully on two. CliffC

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Tue Dec 08, 2009 3:03 pm

OK, got a new plug and voila, both cylinders smoke away in tandem now!

Now on to the smokey running. The mixture screw isn't affecting the smoke at all really, but it does idle well, and the throttle is very responsive and it revs well.

I did clean the carb. pretty well (dissembled it, blew out any junk, cleaned all the surfaces and reset the needles back to base line).

The smoke is very light blue to almost white at times, them heavier blue sometimes if I gun the throttle hard.

Any ideas to try first? I will try the Marvel Oil tonight. I'm thinking with such low miles it shouldn't need a hone/ring job unless it was abused.

Thanks everyone!