Not Running now! Help!!

Alright so heres my story. I recently got a XJ700 and after a week of riding, the bike would only run on full choke. After talking to the previous owner he reccommended chaning the spark plugs because he had been changing them every year because of fouling. He was also using seafoam every other tank. Well I pulled the plugs, cleaned them out, and added some seafoam to the tank. Now it won't start! Killed the battery trying to start it and i have that charging on the bench right now. Now I think i'm going to have to pull the carbs because seafoam will do no good if you can't start the engine!
So far I've cleaned the plugs, changed the air filter (which was pretty dirty), added seafoam (which is doing nothing but sittingin the tank), and become pretty frustrated because my last bike (Virago) had the same carb problems. From what I've gathered, the bike is running with WAY to rich of a mixture, it was getting dirty air, and it only ran when the choke was at full because of this. I'm also assuming the pilot jets in the carbs are clogged.

(I semi-charged the battery once again and it tried to turn once or twice, but then I just get a click). I'm letting the battery charge over night and giving it another shot. I'm a poor college student and can't afford to go drop a couple hundered bucks or more at a motorcycle repair shop. Someone please help! I have never cleaned or synced a carb before and I'm getting to the point where I think that is going to be the only remedy.

-Mike

 

If your pilot jets are clogged, then the only alternative is to pull the carbs for a good cleaning. Seafoam will never clean it if there's no flow through it, and it will never run right if the pilot jets are clogged. I just got done with cleaning the carbs on my 550, and I got it to go from not running at all when I first got the bike to starting, running, and even idling exactly as it should. There's good help on this forum, so don't be afraid to go ahead and tear into it yourself! Plus, you'll know your bike just that much better when you're finished!

 

Thanks for the confidence. The hardest part looks like its going to be taking it on and off. Plus after taking the tank off once I found out that the fuel cutoff valve does not work and got gas all over myself. Going to have to make some time and tear into it I guess.

 

Make sure the petcock is turned to on, not to PRI, or gas will pour out.

 

I needs a new one..even with it in the on position it poured out fuel

 

Yep, you'll need to get the petcock working right. Then, on to the carbs.

Pull the tank - you'll have it off anyway for the petcock. The easiest way I've found to get the airbox boots off is to take a blunt instrument (i.e., not a screwdriver, since that will have a tendency to poke through instead of just push), and push the boots one at a time in sideways and backwards into the airbox. Once the lip is through, it will move around easily in the hole. Then go ahead and pull the carbs back from the engine boots (after loosening the hose clamps, of course), and remove them to the left side, unhooking the cables as you go. Leave the intake boots alone on the engine - don't unbolt them. Proceed with clean/tuning your carbs, with the final step of bench-syncing them before you put them back on the bike.

Now, before you attempt to put the carbs back on the engine, (and here, I'm making an assumption that they are still at least reasonably pliable) remove the air filter from the bike. Then, one at a time, and keeping them in order as you go, remove the airbox boots through the back of the airbox. Put the carbs back on the intakes, reinstall the cables, and check them for free operation before continuing. Then, one at a time, beginning with the #2 and #3 boots, take each airbox boot in your hands and fold the carburetor sleeve outward and back on itself, kind of like a cuff in your pants. You'll find that by doing this one carb at a time, the boot will slip easily between the back of the carb and the airbox, with the velocity stack portion folding easily into its proper place inside the airbox hole. Work it into the airbox such that the lips are seated properly on either side of the airbox wall and the locating tab is on top between the two bumps on the airbox. Then, just flip the carb sleeve back out and it will plop perfectly into place on the carb! Finally, open each boot clamp up (unscrew it completely and pull the ends apart) to set it back over the boot, screw it back together, and tighten it up.

By using this method I found that the reinstallation job that used to take me two hours of grunting, pushing, sweating, and cussing, trying to just push the boots back forward from inside the airbox, is now 15 minutes of fairly easy, no-hassle work.

 

I've got a hunch, I wonder if that bad petcock let a bunch of gas get into the cylinders thus fouling the plugs and possibly contaminating your oil?

























I got a hunch, I am wondering if that bad petcock has filled your cylinders with gas and if your oil is contaminated?

Have you pulled you spark plugs and tried to turn the engine over?
You might blow out a bunch of gas.

Worth a try!

Good Luck

 

that does make sense with the plugs looking like they do. any adive on I guess I'll try to find one of another XJ, but if I can't I guess I'll have to find an aftermarket one

 

OR, you could just get a rebuild kit and rebuild it.

 

or you could switch over to a manual petcock.
I did and it has been great!
No more flooded carbs and contaminated oil.

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... tcock.html

I dont recomend that you buy the size adapter plate that is mentioned (34mm)
My plate for a 1985 XJ700N is 45mm between the bolt holes and a 3/8" NPT center hole for the valve.

 

Whenever a rack of Carb WILL run on Full Choke ... but, NOT without Choke ... you can bet your bottom dollar that the Emulsions Tubes are clogged Solid.

You have to knock-out the Emulsion Tubes ... Clean the Outside, Inside and the tiny, air holes running through them -- from side to side.

Once you get some Air moving, and the right pull happening from the Main Fuel Jets ... you'll be fine.

Your Carbs need to be:
Cleaned.
Throughly and completely.

Once you get the Bike's MoJo woikin' ... you won't be needing to clean fouled plugs.
You can clean dirty fenders and do other stuff.

 

I also switched to the manual petcock without even trying to rebuild the old one. I just didn't want to deal with it. Doubtful that I will ever be able to switch back now that I drilled the tank...of course why would I want to? the manual one is great.