1 dry bowl

[elwaxoro]

Carbs have been dry for awhile after being cleaned. #4 bowl isn't filling, the others are. Bike runs on 3, but 4 would be ideal... What are the obvious things to try before resorting to taking the carbs back off?

BFH?

[almarconi]

You can try tapping on the bowl with a screwdriver handle. This may free up the float. I would remove the bowl, move the float, gas should pour out.

[jimfj]

This problem rears it ugly head once in awhile in this form and also in the form of a puddle of gas under the bike after a ride.

Unless the tube that supplies fuel to all four carbs is clogged, the stuck needle is the problem. I just pulled apart a set of carbs and the float needle seats were messed up and out of round because the P.O. put too much pressure on the brass with a pair of pliers trying to get the seat out of the carb body. Basically all four are trash.

Try the screw driver or rubber mallet trick on the side of the carb, gently. If that doesn't clear it up, pull the carbs and make sure that the springloaded end of the needle id functioning. It is a small thing but has to be working. I have also had some luck with a good dose of Seafoam and some miles on the bike clearing the problem up. The vibration of normal riding causes the float to have to move and could free the stuck part.

Good luck

jim

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Like others said, sticking float needle valve or float. Most likely the float valve.
You can try tapping the carb body and see if it frees up. If it still doesn't work, you can just remove the float bowl if you have the right tool. Clean off the needle and be sure there's no small burrs on the sides. If you cleaned the carbs and let the parts get mixed that could explain things. The float needle and seat wear as a unit and should be kept as a set. Doesn't take much to make one stick.
Also, you didn't say how long the carbs sat dry. Gas will turn "varnishy" and act like a glue if allowed to evaporate in the carb until dry. This varnish is good at making the float valve stick in its seat.

[slip]

I'll chime here too, being I just had the same problem. I had done a carb cleaning too, with the dip, but did not use spray cleaner. I pulled the carbs off to take a looksy. Ooops, my bad, I somehow missed that the number 4 carb's main jet was completely clogged.

[elwaxoro]

Well, the wifey is out of town for the weekend, so I've got lots of free time to spend with the mistress...

[argonsagas]

It is not a bad idea to run fuel injector cleaner through the carbs once a year...half a bottle added to a full tank will suffice and it DOES work!

I do not know what the differences between them are, but apparently the FI cleaners are easier on seals and similar parts than an actual carb cleaner, and work better on the cleaning as well.

[elwaxoro]

So after taking the bowl off and discovering that everything was working as it should- I found the problem in a different place entirely. Fuel line got kinked . I started the bike with the tank only partially on- when it fired up, I put the tank the rest of the way on- closing off the fuel supply before carb 4 filled. If I'd run the bike for a few more minutes, I would probably have figured it out

sighhhh

elwaxoro: the amateur mechanic story