Them damned carbs...

So I've been riding around on XJs and RJs for about a year now, and have a good 82 Maxim 650, but I also have an 82 Seca 650 I want to get running. It's been sitting in storage (not mine) for a good two years, so it's carb breakdown time! I pulled the carbs and carefully cleaned plungers, bowls, floats and jets. So far so good. Pop them back on the bike, fire it up, and fuel starts spitting out of the air feed hose #3. Ack! Crap! So I pull them again, clean them again and change the oil and filter just in case gas got into the crank case. My wife (a long time rider) had a spare carb that she had cleaned and we know it's good (was used last year on a Maxim 650 and stored well). We pop those on and turn it over, but fuel doesn't seem to be feeding in now. I dont see any kinks in the fuel line and it peed on me when I popped the line off the carb. All good there! Is there some trick to getting the bowls to fill without turning the bike over? I've set the feed to PRI, and hopefully that will do it. Battery's on the charger till morning now.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "air feed hose #3".

It's not uncommon to have a float stick after inverting the carbs. The one you pulled might have just needed a rap with a screwdriver handle.

Sounds like you've got the right idea on carb filling.

Fouled plugs or no spark? I just did carbs on a 650 that I'd fogged the cylinders with oil last fall. Had to get the oil off the plugs to get it to fire.

 

Oh, it's the vacuum hose that opens up the diaphram of the fuel petcock. If you've got fuel coming out of that hose, your petcock is in need of rebuild. The diaphram is busted.

That could also be the cause of your no-fuel issue with the other carb.

 

OK, the thing I'm talking about is the air intake on the back of carb #3, not the vacuum hose from the carb to the petcock. Maybe flange would be a better word? Boot? Rubber dealy that feeds air? That thing.

Are there any tricks I should know about the carbs right after reinstalling them?