1980 GS450E wont start

[pete]

Hmmm I can't see a crack in the airbox causing it not to start. Causing the hanging idle maybe, but I wouldn't think not starting...

Probably worth while giving them another good once over to be sure.

I think 2 to 3 turns is a good start on the screws...

[CycloneGS]

The screws are 2 turns out right now. hmmm.....

[pete]

I haven't done anything further with mine, but many years ago when I first attempted the highest RPM's method for setting the mixture screws, I ended up with one 2 turns out and one 2 1/4 turns out, and that was with everything on the bike stock.

[CycloneGS]

I think I will rebuild the carbs and see what I find. thanks for the help

[pete]

No probs at all, fingers crossed

[CycloneGS]

Okay so i tried to rebuild the carbs again but I cant get the snap ring out to access the jet inside the slide. Any tips on getting this out? my snap ring pliers dont have enough reach to get down there... how does everyone else do it?

First off my carbs are sparkly clean, only 9k original miles. 2 months ago I had the bike running for about a week, then it was really hard to start for a day or two, when it did eventually start i rode it 10 blocks and it started acting up. it wanted to die at every stop and then it died and hasnt started since. I think the main jet could be plugged.

I have evaporusted the tank and thoroughly cleaned it out. set the float height to factory specs, 22.4mm, air screw is 2 turns out, air filter is good, its getting spark.
after cranking it over for a long time, the plugs are clean and not wet at all!

Sorry this is all over the place, but any advice? thanks in advance

[CycloneGS]

Took my petcock apart a week ago and I think it was put back together wrong, which wouldnt allow the fuel to flow from the tank.... so thats one problem solved... I also noticed that the res hole was all plugged up.

Im going to go try to fashion a tool for the snap ring with my dads grinder

[CycloneGS]

Got the snap rings out! what a b*tch.... Any who, Im about to put the carbs back on and see what happens.

[pete]

Cool, you got it sorted!

I was going to say I used a really long and thin pair of needle nose pliers and I found once I got it out of the groove getting it the rest of the way out was easy.

I actually found it harder getting it back in in the end.

[CycloneGS]

Sorted out some more problems. My fuel petcock was constantly flowing fuel through my line because the spring was on the wrong side of the diaphragm! now I can take my tank off and let it sit with no leakeage. Cant believe i didnt figure that out sooner. The spring I put in there ight have come from my bicycle. its tapered at one end and looks like a spring from the skewer on my bicycle axle. Can anyone confirm what its supposed to look like?

It still wont start with the spring switched around, carbs cleaned thoroughly, floats adjusted to factory specs and plenty of spark. Oh and the air screws set at 2 turns out.

Im completely out of ideas.... HELP!

[pete]

That'll do it! Well found

Is your vacuum line connected properly? No vacuum line means it won't open the tap...

Just looked at my fuel tap pic's and looks like I don't have one showing the spring. It's still in pieces because I need to replace it so if I remember next time I'm in the garage I'll get a pic for you.

[CycloneGS]

Vacuum line goes from carb to diaphragm, thats it. pretty sure its ok

[CycloneGS]

Would weak compression cause it not to open?

How about valves (or is it cams?) that are out of adjustment, would that cause my bike not to start? I have never opened the engine at all.

[pete]

Try sucking on the vacuum line and see if fuel comes out the fuel line, that'll tell you if the fuel tap is working correctly. At least I believe that's a valid way of testing, never tried it myself (don't suck on the fuel line! haha).

I would imagine that compression would have some impact on creating enough pressure to suck in fuel and air, but I think there'd have to be something really majorly wrong to have that much impact.

Regardless of that, if you've never had the valve cover off I highly recommend a valve adjustment as that will definitely help hard starting if they're out of adjustment.

[CycloneGS]

When I suck the vacuum line gas flows freely.

A valve adjustment is the only thing I have left to do I guess.