2001 Low Compression

[LV2LEAN]

Hi Everyone,
I have a 2001 1200 and have been having what I thought was carburetor problems. My bike had a hesitation at 3200RPM. I took the bike to a retired motorcycle mechanic and he informed me that there was a inconsistency problem with the compression levels. 198, 65,135,125. The bike ran good except for the mid throttle hiccup. It burns no oil and shows no smoke which makes me believe rings are good. The bike has 24K miles. I would have thought a tight valve might be the culprit and a valve job would do the trick, but I found out the bike has hydraulic valves. My friend isn't comfortable with going any farther on a repair. HELP!! Can a cam actually go flat at 24K? Is there a known problem with the 1200?
I need to find some one in central California willing to work on this bike. The local dealer will not look at it because it is over 10 years old and other shops just want to do quick fixes.
I would appreciate any help, direction or advice as to what to do from here.
Thanks,
Paul

[Mr Jensee]

Something you might consider since only one cylinder is showing low compression is carbon buildup on the valve itself or around the valve opening (either intake, exhaust or both) not allowing the chamber to seal thus causing the low compression. I would try first using a valve cleaner like Seafoam or CRC Valve Intake Cleaner. Run the Seafoam for at least a couple of tanks full and retest your compression to see if there is a change. The CRC is sprayed directly into the carburetor of the affected cylinder for it to work. Do this before attempting any dismantling.

[Lucasind]

I notice that the 65 lb,. reading came from the #2 spark plug hole,which is the worst hole to change the plug . Is it posible that a previous owner has the threads boogered up and not sealing the plug or comp gauge ?...also ,if in the bike's past ,someone did not know to "blow out" those spark plug wells THOROUGHLY , with compressed air, BEFORE removing a plug,and now a small stone or gravel has dropped down into the cylinder causing damage just a few thoughts to consider....tony
(not trying to be the bearer of bad news.....but these things happen)

[LV2LEAN]

Thanks guys. I can try both. As for the previous owner, I got this bike from a friend of mine at 19K miles. The only problem that I am aware he had was he left the gas in for a year and had to have the carbs cleaned. Hard to say if he ever had the plugs pulled. I will button the bike back up and see if we get lucky on this fix. Thanks again for the input.
Is there anything that needs to be done with the oil? Just had it changed 800 miles ago. Don't know if there is a cleaner that needs to be used while trying this other stuff?? (been reading about dirty oil and it's effect on hydraulic valves, oil appears good but you never know what could be in there. I cant imagine oil making that big of a difference in the compression.)

As to the future, what are my options if the SeaFoam doesn't work?? I have no idea as to what to say to a mechanic if the symptom remains the same. Nor do I know what to expect to be willing to pay for....
Thanks,
Paul

[Mr Jensee]

Go to CRC's website and read about how to use their Valve cleaner. You can use it at the same time you put Seafoam in the gas tank. You can spray the CRC directly into the carburetor intake while the bike is running. If the CRC works you should be able to see almost immediate results in the compression. The Seafoam will require a few miles on it to show. See if you can find somebody to borescope (visualize with a camera)the inside of those cylinder heads to see if something has damaged them. I am betting they are not damaged. With 24000 on the clock I doubt the plugs were ever changed. Some Seafoam in the oil will also loosen up any stuck lifters. Can't hurt to change the oil. I bought a 2001 that had just under 20 grand on the clock a few years ago. As a precaution, even though the previous owner took outstanding care of it, I chose to change out all the fluids on it. I have not regretted the decision. The bike has run flawlessly since, 20,000 miles later.