DRY CARBS-- Won't start!

[Anonymous]

I just put a new, rebuilt set of carbs on my gs550 and I can't seem to get gas flowing through them. I've checked the bowls and they are dry. Normally I would set the pettcock to PRIME but my 1980 gs550 petcock has only RUN and RESERVE, not PRIME. It is a vacum dealio. Anyhow, does anybody have any tricks to get a dry set of carbs to get going?

[gspaul]

If you dont have a prime position just pull the vacumn hose of the carb's and suck on it, if it still does not come through you have a petcock problem.

[Anonymous]

I have to add that I just replaced a messed up set of carbs that had my bike running on 3 cylinders just an hour before I put the new carbs on.

[snowbeard]

are you sure there's not a third unmarked position? if run is down and res is one side, try the other side from res?

[rphillips]

You are right, no fuel in bowls, no start. I thought the "80" petcocks had only run & pri. maybe I've forgot. May be easier to disconnect vac. hose from petcock, find another piece of hose to attach to the petcock, just suck on this hose long enough to fill the fuel bowls, then reinstall the orig vac. hose.