After "FIRE", very hard to start!

[5RON5]

Hi! Well, I posted quit a few times needing help w/my '79 750L, after it caught fire awhile back. I first had a overfilling #4 carb, that I hooked a clear hose to, but somehow came off & caught fire. I changed petcocks, lined my tank w/Por-15, air box-unplugged bottom hole, new air filter(stock), as is everything, new hoses all around, sealed both ends @ air box, found out where the 2 little pieces of needle valve, that were on the bottom of my #4 float bowl went. Somehow they came apart from the vertical needle pin, from the inside. But I thought it was all together after I took off the bowl, & looked at it closely. Anyway, the 2 pieces were part of that valve that allows the up & down movement of the float. So I guess, that was the reason for the bowl to overflow! Everything was working very well before the fire. Started right up, & after about 3-4 minutes after a cold start, it would run w/o the chock out. It idled very well. But never did let me crank it from an idle to full open with out having to let it up & give it again a bit slower. Why I am here this time is because, after everything i did, it now is sooo very hard to start! But after I get it to run, it only needs the chock for a second, & then it'll run very very well! Just like new! Right at 1000k, or a bit above. And it goes like hell, much much better than it ever has. But why the very hard starting? I used new "sticky" filter oil on the new filter too. I believe the box does not have any air passing. And I used some new hose clamps on the rubbers, tightening very well around the carbs. They were burned some on the bottom, but still very pliable. I sprayed some "rubber sealer spray all around all 4 rubbers to air box after they went on. The rubbers that I got on ebay, along w/another air box, wouldn't work. They were very hard & I had a hell-of-a-time, trying to get t hem on & finally gave up & used my old ones. The bike on shows 15,000, & has been pretty well taken care of. But it is to hard to start! I'm almost there! Any help surely will be appreciated. Thank you. Ron.

[renobruce]

But why the very hard starting? I used new "sticky" filter oil on the new filter too. I believe the box does not have any air passing.

If it's a stock air filter, you don't want to put anything on it. It is a paper element. You might have clogged it up by putting the oil on it.

[5RON5]

It is stock! But it's a foam filter. I believe it is suppose to have oil on it, isn't it? Thank you for your reply too..

[5RON5]

Hard To Start!!!!!

I guess nobody wants to give me any info on this one, huh? Well, from what I've been reading, it sure sounds like a petcock, or possibly an air leak-STILL! W/o more input though, I will have to try one thing at a time, till I can get it back to start like it did before the fire. I started pretty quick! But took a long time till I could run it w/o the chock. But now; it takes a very long time to start but when it does, it'll run almost perfect right after that, & idle right on the money! Never any fluctuation either. And it remains at 1k-1.1k. Well, I have a lot to do. And I better start trying to make my homemade sync tool soon, so I can get those carbs off when I can & hopefully eliminate the sync aspect of the ordeal too! Thanks again for your input. Ron..

[5RON5]

Well, I went out & somehow, fixed my problem myself! HA! After the fire, & I did all that I did, come to find out, I had a bunch'a stuff hung in my "in-line" filter! Looked like ground up black hose, 'cause when I got it off, & dumped it out in my hand, it turned to a powder like substance! Anyway, I put hose clamps all around the filter & where it hooks to the petcock, because when I went to check to petcock for vacuum or gas into it when I sucked on it, the lines started leaking to easy when I moved them. SO I put clamps on each of them after cleaning out the gunk. My petcock held suction. So I guess that's okay. And, remember I said it was sooooo very hard to start after all I did? Well, after I finished just now, I wanted to check it. So I started it! Usually, it takes a load of battery to start it. What I mean is that it took so long to start, that it was a wonder my batt didn't go dead for as long as I took doing it before it'd start. Well, it fired almost before I could get my hand off the button! I also was reading a lot of past posts, under search, for hard starting. SO I discovered that I may be doing it wrong-starting it wrong, that is. I was using the throttle right along w/the choke, there for, stopping my choke from even working at all. Plus flooding it ta boot! So I was at mainly at fault. It would hardly start when over night- cold. But I was amazed at fast it started after I found out the right procedure. It only took a few seconds, on choke, then I turned it off & it idled at 1000k-11ook, right on the money! Only thing now is, my #2pipe takes a 'lil longer to get as hot as the other 3. Am I okay w/that? Is there something I should do to correct that? I thank you people very much for all your help! I couldn't do it w/o it! Thanks so much! Ron..

[nabrams]

Have you checked compression on the cylinder with the cooler pipe? Is it less than the others? If so, your valve clearances may be too toight for that mojo.
Lots of times something that has the symptoms of a carburetion problem is actually a valve clearance problem.

[5RON5]

Ah- HA! Maybe your right. It seems I always had this problem w/#3. And No! Not yet, have I ran a check, but it's the very next thing I will do. I just have to go find one somewhere first! HA! I think they have compression checkers at Harbor Freight pretty cheap. I think I'll go look today! But I got the damn thing to start & run as well as it did when it was new, I bet! I'm pretty happy w/myself right now-I tell ya! It was mainly my fault, that it didn't start right! I was giving it the gas while I was in choke position & I was flooding the hell out of it! Plus I found those 2 'lil pieces from the carb somewhere just sitting at the bottom of the float bowl! I finally found out where they went, & put them back & by god, the damn thing worked! HA! So, this "a 'lil less hot than the rest" pipe, really don't bother me as it should right now! It will in awhile though! I am kind of a perfectionist at times & I will want to fix it very soon. Damn, I sure hope it's not something to bad or expensive or it'll ruin my whole everything! But thanks a lot for your advise. I will be going out to get a checker! Ron..