fuel not flowing..?

[t-money]

Hi im new here..nice forum btw.
I hav a 80 gs1000l.
Long story short.
It hasnt been run in a couple months..so i siphoned old fuel..put in new.
As i look thru the fuel line i notice nothin going to carbs..is there something im missing?
I did hav to connect the. ..Vacuum? Line to petcock..
Also..there is no "knob" to turn on fuel.just what looks like i could turn a small poece with a tiny screwdriver.
Should that thing be messed with.?
Previous owner said he never had to touch it..it just ran fine...hmm
please help.thanks
T.$

[Tom R]

I'm guessing you have a clear fuel line. Yes, there should be a vacuum line from the petcock to the engine side of the #2 carb. Being a vacuum actuated petcock, fuel shouldn't flow if the bikes not running; but you can check to see if it works if you pull the line off the carb and apply vacuum to it (meaning suck on it), the gas should flow enough to fill up the bowls.
You need to have a small screw driver to turn the petcock - a real wonder of user friendly engineering. I haven't messed with mine for a while, but I'm pretty sure horizontal is normal on and vertical is prime - which means it will continue to flow gas after the vacuum is turned off. Notice I said after the vacuum is gone - because even in the prime position you have to apply vacuum either by starter motor or by mouth to start the gas flowing.

[t-money]

Thanks...I'll give that a shot.
O yeah, so while I was looking at it the other day, I was curious if there was any fuel in the carbs at all.
I took out the screw on the bottom of 1 carb, and gas started coming out.NOW...I don't know how much gas is needed to fire up..But I had NOTHING..no sputter..pop..wheeze or whistle..zero.

Shouldn't I get some kind of "attempt" to fire?

It just turned over and over and over.

Point is..I know the fuel isnt flowing..but with SOME gas in the carbs..(Though its been sittin a few mos) I expected something other than just turning.

Thanks.
BTW.I did pull a plug..looked ok.not wet.Turned it over and saw spark..though maybe it could stand to be brighter though..hmm.Maybe I have a few issues.

[ddaniels]

There may not be the same amount of gas in all the bowls. anyway, with all the GS's I've owned, if I don't prime the carbs first before attempting to start, it would turn and turn and turn almost killing the battery before starting. You have to prime the carbs with these bikes if it's been sitting for an extended period of time. By prime, I mean you have to set the petcock to prime where fuel will flow into the bowls freely without the vacuum needed to open up the diaphram. I let them prime for about a minute or so, then crank it. Usually starts within a few seconds.

[Agemax]

I'm guessing you have a clear fuel line. Yes, there should be a vacuum line from the petcock to the engine side of the #2 carb. Being a vacuum actuated petcock, fuel shouldn't flow if the bikes not running; but you can check to see if it works if you pull the line off the carb and apply vacuum to it (meaning suck on it), the gas should flow enough to fill up the bowls.
You need to have a small screw driver to turn the petcock - a real wonder of user friendly engineering. I haven't messed with mine for a while, but I'm pretty sure horizontal is normal on and vertical is prime - which means it will continue to flow gas after the vacuum is turned off. Notice I said after the vacuum is gone - because even in the prime position you have to apply vacuum either by starter motor or by mouth to start the gas flowing.

maybe its because mine is a UK model i dont know but switching it to prime, the fuel flows straight away, without any cranking. handy for filling carbs after a rebuild or if you want to drain the tank.

[Dave8338]

maybe its because mine is a UK model i dont know but switching it to prime, the fuel flows straight away, without any cranking. handy for filling carbs after a rebuild or if you want to drain the tank.

The two I have, work the same way.

[chef1366]

Are ther spark plugs getting wet with gas?

[Tom R]

maybe its because mine is a UK model i dont know but switching it to prime, the fuel flows straight away, without any cranking. handy for filling carbs after a rebuild or if you want to drain the tank.

The 1980 petcock is a bit "special" in the olympic sense of the word. While in the run position, the valve has a tiny, metered vacuum leak designed into the petcock - the engine vacuum overwhelms the leak and the diaphragm stays open as long as there is vacuum. In the prime position, this tiny leak is blocked off and the petcock depends on a rubber check valve to hold the diaphragm open After an initial vacuum source is applied.

The check valve on my bike is garbage, so therefore Pri = Run.

[Agemax]

The 1980 petcock is a bit "special" in the olympic sense of the word. While in the run position, the valve has a tiny, metered vacuum leak designed into the petcock - the engine vacuum overwhelms the leak and the diaphragm stays open as long as there is vacuum. In the prime position, this tiny leak is blocked off and the petcock depends on a rubber check valve to hold the diaphragm open After an initial vacuum source is applied.

The check valve on my bike is garbage, so therefore Pri = Run.

mines a 78 1000E

[Tom R]

What's the position of the throttle plates when you're tying to start?

[Gonzo]

Just how much have you done to this bike? If the previous owner never touched it, then it's time that YOU touched it. There is a laundry list of basic things to do to these 30 year old machines to get them running right. Other wise you'll be chasing your tail on this kind of stuff. Let me stress a key element in that statement: 30 year old bike. I'm willing to bet that 30 years of dirt and crud combined with a few months of varnished gas are causing your problem.

[BassCliff]

Greetings and Salutations!!

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BassCliff

[t-money]

thanks..

Well..she runs.i pulled the tank so i cld scope out what was goin on with the petcock as no amount of turning would get fuel to flow..
It all looked good.i then attached a siphoning ball thingy onto the vacuum line...i could hear ot fuctioning as i squeezed the ball..
So i tuned the tank over...squeezed the bal and presto..gas flow.
I put it all back togetherwith the siphon stil attached....gave her a couple squeezes..and filled up those big thirsty carbys...hit the starter buttn..and she roared.to life.
Runs pretty good.as i mentioned..the guy...SAID..it was running great pther than the starter.
And boy do i have stories(and pics) of the starter adventure.
But thats for another day..its a biznitch to type from smrtfone.

Anyway..thanks gang..ill talk to you soon.

[speedorchid]

So in the end, all you had to do was fill your carbs with fuel and she roared to life? I am having a similar problem but maybe the solution is to put a lot more fuel into the carbs? hmmmmmm.

thoughts?


my bike was working fine then sat for a year and now doesn't. GS1000L. see my other thread if you want.

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?p=1928575#post1928575

[tom203]

thoughts?


my bike was working fine then sat for a year and now doesn't. GS1000L

It would be nice if it was as simple as the more gas stuff- sometimes you get lucky, but usually an idle bike will make you work to atone for your neglect.
Just caught your own post for first time- will ponder it. If bike ran well before, should run well again .