Ok, for all the carb fanatics

Here is what I did, and I'd like to know wtf happened.

1985 maxim x. My baby. I replaced some hardware on the carb covers yesterday and while doing so, I polished up the vacuum slide bores as well as put different vacuum slides in (they looked much cleaner). I also replaced the spark plug boots with recently cleaned stock ones, not the ngk ones that were on it (the ngk's are on there now though)

Take her out for a ride today, and just as I am about to shoot through a hole in traffic from a stop, she dies. I couldn't get her to start again for some time. I was thinking she was flooded, or no spark, but occasionally she would sputter.

Finally, I get her home. I figure something clogged a jet somewhere, probably the polish I used for the bores. I went through all the jets, all the passageways, and saw nothing wrong. It got a parts cleaner bath, rinse, then hit with brakekleen, then air hosed off. I can tell you I have one of the cleanest sets of carbs around, seriously.

I also pulled the plugs, and they were all tan and dry. I regapped them and cleaned them.

I wish I had taken pics. Anyway, put the buggers back on and after a moment, the bike fires right up, no issue. I'm thinking emulsion tube cloggage?? thoughts? This seriously almost got me killed today. I learned my lesson, don't eff with it if it isn't broken.

 

fuse box? You assume carbs because that was the last thing you touched.

What if you did just fine on the carbs and the problem is completely unrelated? Or obscurely related?

 

Isn't that the way it always is?

I checked the fuses. Funny thing was that the starter switch didn't want to work at one point either. I was thinking boots too, but it was just weird, she acted flooded, and was dry and tan as can be.

 

did you lose all power, lights, etc?
or did it just die and crank over immediately?

 

she just died, and would turn over, sputter and nothing. I thought it was flooded, but by the plugs, it wasn't getting fuel, at all. Really weird. After I got her running, she wouldn't idle, at all, I had to raise the idle to keep her running. She was fine above 1500 rpm. I'm considering replacing the fuel filter today just to be safe. Everything is back pre 2 days ago. Same plug boots and with a fresh clean of the carbs. She seems to be better, but I will test her today...taking the cell this time....

 

Kinda sounds like you may have pinched your vac line to the petcock or maybe it didn't get on tight and you did run out of gas in the bowls? if it happens again set it to prime and give it a min to fill the bowls and check. Or if you carry a screwdriver you can crack on of the carb drains open to chk. Of course that means gettin fuel all over if it does have some. I would look for a very small crack near the vac tube maby when you removed the carbs and such you stressed it and have a small leak.

 

my first thought was vacuum line, but nope, it wasn't. I had fuel in all four bowls. it wouldn't start on prime either, even though I could see (transparent lines) gas flowing. I'm just praying it isn't anything serious. Vacuum and fuel lines are all in good condition. Of course, I might just replace them to be sure.