Arrrgh-- Number 4 not working

My bike has 22xxx ish miles on my 550 maxim. I have noticed that sometimes my #4 cylinder stops working. I haven't checked my valve clearances yet. And was wondering if maybe that could have a bearing on it . Oh and I have checked my carbs and they are clean. Someone pleeeease help me.

 

You don't mention "Back-firing" ... that would provide a clue.

Pull the Spark Plugs and post a photo of the Business-ends 1-2-3-4
Well lighted and in focus.

That will provide a Clue.

Does your Bike blow smoke or use Oil?

 

I always check the basic things first. Make sure the cylinder is getting gas. Pull the plug and see if it is wet with gas. Then make sure you are getting good spark. That's two of the three things you need for combustion (compression being the third) in the big block view of things. Sometimes the needle valves get stuck closed even after a good cleaning and will starve a cylinder of gas.

 

It is getting gas, and have just changed the spark plugs. I know that I have spark from the coil but haven't checked spark from the plugs yet.

 

Well, this is looking like a good learning experience about to happen! I'll be watching and hopefully learning something here. What are you thinking, Rickomatic? Blow-by oil fouling the plug? Is that why you asked about smoke? Backfiring an indication of a lean pilot circuit?

The suspense is killing me already.

 

wondering how you can tell your getting spark at the coil, dont they put out 10 thou volts? my bike does this aswell just starts to run like junk then after some more riding it comes back again. i was told to try new plugs and to check grounds all over the bike like the engine case and next to the tci. but im willing to bet that both are probs are carb related. prob need to replace floats and all associated parts.

 

There are a myriad of reasons that these bike will start missing on a hole or two.

One such common "Problem" is how the Spark Plug Cap is affixed to the Plug Wire.
Over time, the Plug Cap ... getting tugged upon frome changing the Plugs ... erodes the Plug Wires Center Core.

Sticking a length of Solid Copper Wire up into the Cennter of the Plug Wire as far as it will go, ... helps.
The Plug Wires can Break-down and short-out to the Head or Cam Cover.

You need to find what's wrong.
Sometimes it more than one thing.

How well the Bike was maintained and the environmental conditions it lived in need to be considered.

Generally speaking:
A babied bike that lived in a heated garage will have less trouble than one left to the elements.