The bike ran (sorta) when I bought it, but the PO had to use starting fluid to start it and keep the revs above about 1500 to keep it running. I limped it home and started cleaning the carbs. I soaked them in Berryman's for about 18 hours (all together, used 2 gallons, I have no patience). When assembling them, I realized I forgot to remove the pilot air jet, so I paid special attention to it and the passage in the carb body with the carb cleaner/compressed air.
I put everything back on the bike and set up an aux fuel supply to run the engine and it wont start. The PO had pods on but said it wasnt re-jetted (and partly why it ran like crap). I put the stock airbox, sealed with weather stripping, back on. It still refused to start until I sprayed a shot of carb cleaner directly into the upper section of the airbox (into the snorkel does nothing). Once it was running, cylinder 1 was not firing (cold exaust) and it died anytime I took the choke off. I replaced the plugs/caps and noticed they were all a little dirty with carbon deposits.
I am getting spark but now I cant get it to start no matter what i do. It turns over and it sounds like it tries to sputter every couple cranks or so. Feeling frustrated I tested the compression in cylinders 1 and 2 (battery was tired from trying to start it so I only did the LH side) and they were both around 60 PSI and about doubled when I added oil to the cylinders.
Now here are my questions:
1. Could the bad rings as suggested by the compression test keep the bike from starting?
2. If the filter that came with the (used) airbox was WAY over-oiled (as in dripping), would that keep it from starting?
3. When I re-installed the choke plungers, I used a bit of oil to lube them up. Could that oil have clogged something important?
4. I have read on numerous threads here that valve clearances being out of tolerance can cause hard starting, but I feel like it should at least TRY to sputter, even though I haven't (yet) adjusted them.
I'm about to pull the carb bodies off again and re-soak/clean them, but if that doesn't get it started, I'm pinning all my hopes to the valve clearances.
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