wont start

[Guest]

I dont think there is any fuel going to the engine. I had the bike running good for quite awhile but this year it doesn't want to run.I poked a hole in the air box and sprayed started fluid in and it fired right up. I also put vacuum to the petcock and gas came out. I was having problems with gas leaking by but pulled the carbs checked the float levels, and trimmed the bowl gaskets.That did not work. If it is on prime it leaked but not in the other 2 spots. I have checked the valves, had to put a dyna tek ignition in it. It ran good after that but did not want to start after I pulled the carbs. It did run a bit but that was on full choke and it ran like it had really low rpm's.I am wondering what could of happened, I'm sure I did something wrong? I bench synced it also. Any ideas on whats wrong?Its driving me up the wall.I really dont want to pull them apart but I am hoping it is something simple.

[Steve]

One thing you did 'wrong' is use starting fluid. DON'T.

You may be correct in your guess that it's not getting fuel. How long has it been since the bike ran (well)? If it is more than a few months, you will have to prepare yourself for a carb cleaning session. If you don't want to do that, there are a few of us here that will do it for you, for a modest fee, of course.

.

[CrazyCloud]

Check to see if each carb has fuel in the bowl by unscrewing the drain screw and seeing if gas comes out. Or check to see if plugs are wet after cranking. If you had the carbs off, maybe you didn't adjust the idle screw back to where it needs to be; you could try turning it clockwise 1/2 to 1 turn and see if that helps your low RPMs. Check spark on each plug by removing and touching it to the engine while cranking.

[tom203]

"I had the bike running good for quite awhile but this year it doesn't want to run."

so does this mean it hasn't run since last fall?? If it sat , your floats might have got stuck down/ open causing the fuel leak that you mentioned. Or maybe the o-ring on a carb needle seat failed. Have you done a full carb strip plus new carb o-rings in last few years?

[scrapper]

It had good spark on all four cylinders, plugs were dry. It ran 2-3 times this year. It ran great with the starter fluid, I going to guess carb problem. I pulled the carbs about a month ago to check the gaskets, thought they were hitting the floats, trimmed them and checked the float heights. There was fuel in the bowls. New orings ,Carbs rebuilt about 4 years ago. Just pulled carbs and will pull them apart to see if something happened. I was wondering when you bench sync do you use something the size of a paperclip to set them or does it matter? I did raise the idle up but did not help.

[JEEPRUSTY]

There is nothing wrong with using starting fluid. It is a quick and easy way to check for proper function of the ignition system as well as the electrical system and the compression.

Its like the forum nonsense about a mandatory 24 hour soak in magical Berryman's carb cleaner. Orthodox Catechism disguised as knowledge.