ok ... some more updates ... bike ran but now won't properly

I re-cleaned / triple checked my carbs, made sure the starter jets were clear, measured/adjusted float levels (about 4 times over to get them right), but the carbs back on the bike, fed it gas, hit the starter and it came to life ... i was ecstatic. Called it a night and went to bed happy.

Got home from work last night and set to work reconnecting all the boots between the carbs and airbox. Once I got them all connected, the bike now won't run on its own. I can get it to start and if I keep it revved way up with the choke it will run, but as soon as it starts to drop RPMs while warming up, it'll get down to around 1000 and then eventually stalls out.

Also, while it IS running, it seems to hunt around a decent amount, 4 or 500 rpm range, unless i feed it more choke and rev it up more, then it smooths out and stops hunting.

Is this just a sync issue? or are my mix screws way off too? Or is there something else I'm missing entirely?

I'm wanting to try to undertake a syncing tonight, but if thats not going to be feasible at this point then I don't want to spend the money on the vacuum gauge just yet ...

 

bench syncing carbs can help and that doesn't take more than a paperclip... since it changed after you added the airbox make sure your filter is nice and clean. if the airfilter is not clogged it still adds some amount of resistance to the airflow and could be causing the mixture to become a bit rich (air deprived) so you could play with the mixture as well. if you want a good indication as to how your mixture is then rev it up as high as you can go and kill it without taking your hand off the throttle. then proceed to yank the spark plugs and read them... golden brown is what you want... too clean is too lean and sooty is to rich.... if it smells like gas then you've got another problem such as a stuck needle or float or something of the like.... let us know what you find!

 

see i was under the impression the bike was running lean before i reconnected everything ... ultra-sharp throttle response, IMMEDIATE drop in revs on letting go of the throttle, and didn't want to run properly off of choke. I tried richening the mixtures about 1/8 turn each but the bike still wouldnt start...

I will say I have checked the filter, it is clean and clear... and none of this was happening till i hooked the boots back up. I don't really want to take them back off cuz its such a pain in the butt to reattach them.

While I was just home on my lunch break, I futzed with the bike a little. At a little more than 2/3 choke the bike will sputter but won't catch ... makes me wonder if its SUPER lean now? If i hit it with starting fluid it catches and will run like heck above 3000 RPMs but not very well at all below that. I'll have to check the plugs when I get back home tonight, didn't get a chance to as I had a mishap with my daily driver car and had to find a ride back to work.

 

Pull the boots off again and see if it runs fine like before. If not, you may need to have another look in those carbs - some crap from the tank or fuel lines may be causing you problems. Inline filter is a must.

If the bike runs fine without the restrictions of the airbox then you definitely need to get more air through the carbs. You could try adjusting the synch screws so the butterflys are open a bit more. Once you can get the bike to state it will run without crazy choke then you synch the carbs to fine tune them.

I use a homemade synch tool and it works great. Cost me almost nothing.

 

I have an inline filter, for the record. =) I guess the boots are coming back off tonight then ... I'll give that a shot. I REALLY dont want to pull the carbs again but if i have to I have to i suppose. Couldn't I "adjust" all the butterflies simultaneiously with the idle screw rather than the sync screws?

 

"Couldn't I "adjust" all the butterflies simultaneiously with the idle screw rather than the sync screws?"

Of course - probably a better way to go. In any event, it sounds like the culprit is restricted air.