Did the carbs, now it wont start!

[Guest]

So about a week ago I had my bike turning on within a second of touching the button, idling well and generally making me happy!

Its then that i decided to properly rebuild the carbs and do the intake boots.

So i bought the kit from Robert and got some intake boot o-rings from Nessism (thanks!). I replaced all the o-rings in the carbs excluding the choke (because I didnt disassemble that far). I did NOT dip the carbs, mostly because I cant find dip in Canada. I spent way too much time muscling the phillips screws on the intake boots and managed to get the outer two off, I replaced those o-rings but noted that the o-rings that were there were in excellent shape so i left the inner two thinking the PO must have actually already done them.

I also took off the exhaust to derust and polish them.

Now its all back together and it will not start. It sounds like it wants to... kindof like its firing every second time (but only sometimes). I would immediately assume its the carbs but it wont even start with quick start, or with pouring a little gas into the cyclinder! (that rules out carbs, no?). Each plug seems to have a strong spark. Very occasionally ill get backfiring like a gunshot.

[bmac]

Hello, If you have spark and it was turn-key start before......things to check first if you haven't checked. Did you prime the carbs? If so, do the bowls have fuel in them? Are the plug wires right? Are the clamps on the carbs tight? (Head side and air box side). Were there any spare parts left from the carbs? I had to ask. I once purchased a bike not running. PO said he did the carbs and drove it. He bought a new bike and decided to sell the one mentioned. He had given me a small box upon purchasing the bike. I looked in the box when I got home and it had the air jets and pilot jets in it. I removed the carbs and sure enough he did not install them.I dipped the carbs, installed a battery and it was good to go. He had swore to me that it ran and later he started having problems. You just have to ask a lot of questions. Bob

[mustangflyr]

Try a shot of starter fluid down a couple of the carbs. Seems as if the engine won't pull through the carbs enough to get some fuel when just cranking over, once it starts and runs it should be alright.

[azr]

Sounds like you have your plug wires on wrong. Did you take them off, play with the coils? Maybe you accidentally disconnected a coil wire coming from the points? although you said all cylinders are getting electricity. I bet you it's something simple though. Try and run through things.

[robertbarr]

You haven't messed with anything that would change compression, and you don't mention messing with the ignition. Therefore, yes -- it's something you did with the carbs.

First, eliminate the obvious. Make sure your petcock flows. Then, with the petcock on anything except Prime, open each carb bowl drain with a container beneath, and make sure you get a few ounces of fuel out of each.

If you get that far without finding a problem, it becomes a little more perplexing, since you haven't complained of any fuel leakage either. At that point I'd also suggest using the ether and a fully charged battery, to get things rolling again.

Apply the ether into the airbox, or the airbox intake snorkel, not directly into anything else. From your descriptions, it sounds like it's had too much fuel, if anything.

[Adler]

Thanks for all the responses, Ill answer each chronologically....

Hello, If you have spark and it was turn-key start before......things to check first if you haven't checked. Did you prime the carbs? If so, do the bowls have fuel in them? Are the plug wires right? Are the clamps on the carbs tight? (Head side and air box side). Were there any spare parts left from the carbs? I had to ask. I once purchased a bike not running. PO said he did the carbs and drove it. He bought a new bike and decided to sell the one mentioned. He had given me a small box upon purchasing the bike. I looked in the box when I got home and it had the air jets and pilot jets in it. I removed the carbs and sure enough he did not install them.I dipped the carbs, installed a battery and it was good to go. He had swore to me that it ran and later he started having problems. You just have to ask a lot of questions. Bob

Im using a temp tank so no priming.
Plug wires are correct i think, left side goes to 1 and 4 right to 2 and 3.
Clamps are tight.
Haha, no spare parts from the carbs, ridiculous story!

Try a shot of starter fluid down a couple of the carbs. Seems as if the engine won't pull through the carbs enough to get some fuel when just cranking over, once it starts and runs it should be alright.

I already tried starter fluid, didnt work! Though this reminds me of something important, a few days ago I managed to get it to turn on for a few seconds, sounded strong, then died, couldn't revive it.

Sounds like you have your plug wires on wrong. Did you take them off, play with the coils? Maybe you accidentally disconnected a coil wire coming from the points? although you said all cylinders are getting electricity. I bet you it's something simple though. Try and run through things.

I messed with the coils only a little, Im fairly certain i put everything back exactly the same.

You haven't messed with anything that would change compression, and you don't mention messing with the ignition. Therefore, yes -- it's something you did with the carbs.

First, eliminate the obvious. Make sure your petcock flows. Then, with the petcock on anything except Prime, open each carb bowl drain with a container beneath, and make sure you get a few ounces of fuel out of each.

If you get that far without finding a problem, it becomes a little more perplexing, since you haven't complained of any fuel leakage either. At that point I'd also suggest using the ether and a fully charged battery, to get things rolling again.

Apply the ether into the airbox, or the airbox intake snorkel, not directly into anything else. From your descriptions, it sounds like it's had too much fuel, if anything.

First off, thanks for the o-rings!

So there is no petcock right now, Im using a temp tank (really just a length of tubing and a funnel, little room for error).

Ive already tried starting fluid in the airbox and while it rumbled a little more for a second, it wouldnt start!




Im sure its something terribly stupid but i cant seem to figure out what! Could a leaky exhaust make it not start???

[robertbarr]

Thanks for all the responses, Ill answer each chronologically....

Could a leaky exhaust make it not start???

No. Did we try this yet? Then, with the petcock on anything except Prime, open each carb bowl drain with a container beneath, and make sure you get a few ounces of fuel out of each.

[Adler]

No. Did we try this yet? Then, with the petcock on anything except Prime, open each carb bowl drain with a container beneath, and make sure you get a few ounces of fuel out of each.

Nope, I will be trying that tomorrow. I gotta say I'll be surprised if thats the problem, surprised and relieved.

[Adler]

Ok, I drained a little gas from each carb and there definitely is fuel in all of them. It did, however, reveal something unusual... the fuel that poured out looked like it wasnt pure fuel!!! it looked like when you have oil in water and it forms little bubbles of oil... kindof like the top of soup.

Im tempted to think there is water in the fuel... but there has been no water anywhere near the bike! the only possibility is that there is water in my fuel container. It was raining when I filled it, so i will check that.

[raistian77]

Check the idle screw, every time I have mine apart I forget.

[Adler]

Check the idle screw, every time I have mine apart I forget.

Check it for what?

[raistian77]

Check it for what?

Too far out closing throttle all the way. Sorry posting from my phone.

[motorcyclebaby]

Same issue here.

Just took apart my carbs over the weekend. There were 3 missing parts, one of them vital (a nylon spacer that keeps the idle normal). I made a spacer with gas-resistant epoxy, and put the bike back together, but didn't to add fuel to the carbs.

Where do you do that? Can I do that through that screw on top? Or will priming be enough? If so, how long do you let the petcock on prime?

It did kick for a moment but I think it was excess fuel in the tubes.
...update...

It works. I just put the petcock on prime and pumped the throttle a few times. Now she purrs.

[Adler]

I went ahead and bought a 4 liter jug of carb cleaner and as soon as I find a container thats the right size ill finally do these carbs right. Ill report back once thats done.

[bmac]

Go to Homedepot and buy a 1 gal paint can. ( empty, of coarse). Go to a parts store and purchase a small parts cleaning basket. There ya go, start on those carbs. Bob