I concur with Vic's suggestions. So the recap is:
1. The simple swap of spark sticks to see of cyl4 stays cold/warm at the header within seconds and turn off. So that's with a cold engine.
2. Cyl3 remains cold on the swap, it's a full replacement of all plugs. Must use iridium and do not cheap out for others. I'm sure Vic felt the same E-ticket ride and signs off after a few hundred miles or more. Kind of feels digital at the seat of the pants.
3. Just the stick swap will show if the mechanical needs to be checked. Trick to a spark stick removal is a twist first and then up and twist as you go.
I'd replace the battery with the factory issue. Sure, you can use another brand, but I can get 9yrs out of an OEM if 'prepped' the way I wet a battery. Wet/charge/install gets you 5yrs on one. Prep is wet/wait/fully charge/drain down to 2v and recharge fully. Drain 2 more cycles like that, and 3rd fully charge is now installed for service.
A smart charger seems to bring it to a full charge. Say if I use a single rated charger, meaning: I need the rated amp for said battery. This means using at least a 1.2amp rated charger for a 12N12a battery. For the 14, I would need at least a 1.4amp charger for a 12N14a battery.
The formula is moving a decimal point over to the right for the amperage of the charger, and charge the battery for literally 14hrs @ 1,4amp. Formula for the 12N12a is to find a 1.2amp rated set charger and charge for 12hrs. Figured if Jay Leno uses a Ctek smart charger for all his bikes and cars, I'd set charge the battery with the 1.5a charger I have, pull it off an hour less say for the over amp, then let the Ctek finish it off.
Sort of noticed it took awhile to have all the lights lit for the Ctek. Still without it back in the mid teens of 2000, I could get 9yrs on the set charger when recharging from 2v.
With that said, the dash numbers are like a volt meter. Meter either blanks out, burns out that tiny screen so nothing shows, guessing, so figure it's not the dash. Figure the battery is degrading. Age and prep rears its ugly head.
Volts means PUSH. Think of pushing the starter motor over. No PUSH in reserve is all about storing volts. I'm going to use real world numbers where you never take your eyes off a remote voltmeter like a cheap digital from harbor freight. This viewing will point out the 3 components of the charging system and who of the 3 is the problem child.
1. 12.8v or more: This is fresh off the battery charger and sat for a few hours off the charger.
2. 12.8v key on: This should show a steady 12.8v
3. 11.1v load: This is more like a bench test of the starter motor, i.e., a battery load test using the bike.
4. 12.8v recovery: That is why you don't take your eyes off the meter due to it started up the bike.
5. 14.4v reading: The bike shows a perfect loop of the charging system. Instant charging at idle.
Points out numbers of the 3 components that expose themselves via volt readings:
Battery:
Bad - Under the 12.8v recover window shows lower.
Voltage Regulator:
Bad - Spikes over 14.9v shows a VR that can't convert the higher voltage output of the stator to a steady 14.4v.
Stator:
Bad - Recovery number 12.8v remains steady while idling. The term 'total loss' ignition system comes to mind. Just enough for a few laps and then dies.
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