Didn't start last night / Rough start this morning

[Talon]

ok so i've looked over the forums and i do have a manual but its kinda vague on valve clearances. so checking/adjusting valve clearances is alot different on a 16 valve bike as i have then on a 8 valve bike right?
I've found a bunch of stuff on how to do it on a 8 valve bike, but can't find a good guide for a 16 valve bike.
I'll read over my manual again tonight now that i understand how to do it with a 8 valve bike and maybe that will make me figure it out easier...

thanks for all of the replys so far.

[chef1366]

The 16 valve is easier. Just a lock nut and an adjuster. Piece of cake.

[Talon]

hah so the plot thickens! I finally barely got around to going down to do the valve adjustment after getting some feeler gauges and the tools to pull my forks apart to change the oil seal on them as well. I also found in my manual where it explains how to do a valve adjustment, its under the regular maintenance section and not under the engine section...

anyway i haven't quite got around to doing that stuff because of a gas leak that my bike has developed. there is a small puddle of gas under it. from the quick look that i took i don't think its coming from the petcock (but the petcock could still very well be faulty) it could be from the carbs, it was wet under the carbs but not the petcock and i think the fuel line is still in ok condition?
anyway i just came back up to get something to throw my tank on while its off and a container to put the fuel in the tank into if i need to drain it... so i'm down to investigate some more but i'll probably have some questions on that fuel leak situation

[Talon]

wow so i found something kinda disturbing... so i've had this bike for a few months, but haven't put too many kilometers on it, and while i was looking around the bike for that gas leak i thought i should check my air filter, i took a glimpse inside the air box with my light only to find there's no filter inside...

so the petcock is jacked. it leaks gas without any vacuum and lets out more gas when i suck on the vacuum hose and when i try to turn it its near impossible, and it dosen't make a difference anyway.

there's this light clinking sound that i probably thought was pinging before, it happens when i rock the bike from side to side and it sounds like its coming from the exhaust or at least the bottom of the bike... I'll get a sound clip of it.

still getting to checking the valve clearances but i'm starting to think they might be not that bad...

*edit*
a quick look on bike bandit made me realize that its missing the whole air cleaner assembly that sits on top of the battery... hahahaha wow... supposedly the brother of the guy who sold me this bike was a "motorcycle mechanic". yep and i design laser beam rocket ships for a living.

[TheCafeKid]

replace the petcock, get a filter. May solve alot of your problems. I would still advise finishing up with the valves however.

[Talon]

yep. could have finished the valves tonight if i had a 9mm wrench, i have an 8 and a 10. more tools to buy tomorrow!

well here's the sound that i can make my bike make and its still making me scratch my head.
this is rocking the bike from left to right, starting with harder longer rocks then making them quicker and lighter.

http://talon.tttc.ca/RockingSideToSide.mp3

still not sure exactly where its coming from, i'll have to have my roommate rock the bike while i get close to it on the ground...