Carb issue

When I drain my carbs only one has fuel in. Can not get it to start. Fuel valve is new and working fine. I really need some help.

 

Have you had it running previously or did you buy it this way?

 

I know it seems obvious but make sure you have gas in your tank, double check your petcock, put it on prime if nothing else. Make sure your fuel filter is not plugged. Check for kinks in your fuel line. It is all simple stuff that you may be too stressed to think right now. Even if your floats were way off or you had some blockage, the carbs should have some fuel in them

 

Another possibility is the drain passageway on the other carbs could be plugged. Very likely if the bike has sat for sometime.

 

Give us a little more history. Did you recently do any carb work or anything? Was the bike running before you vhanged the fuel valve?

 

Ok, my dad has owned this 1982 maxim xj750 since it came out 30 years ago. He just got a new harley so now he gave it to me. It has not ran in 2 years. I just fixed the petcock and 100% positive it is not that. Fuel hose is not bent or anything. Gas is in the tank, brand new. I took off the outer two carb bottoms and only one had gas in it. I took the inner two drain screws out and no gas came out. One thing I did notice was when I unhook the fuel line from the petcock and put gas in the fuel line to the carbs, it goes no where. It just sits in the line.

 

You will have to pull the rack, after sitting for 2 years the sediment has gone solid & blocked the beany filters & the small passages.

 

My guess is the passageways for draining are blocked. If your floats are operating correctly, they will not allow more fuel to come in then is needed. So the fuel sitting in the line is supposed to be like that if that is the case. If your bike sat for 2 years, chances are the bottom of the bowls are gummed up with varnish. You can try sticking a thin copper wire or something similar in the holes where you took the drain plugs out and see if you can clear some of it out.

Regardless, it is time for a carb overhaul

 

Do you guys know of any where to get a good guide on removing and cleaning the carbs. I don't really know how to do it but want to learn. My dad got the the carbs rebuilt 2 1/2 years ago and paid 500 dollars, so I don't want to do that again. Thanks for all the help. You guys are the greatest.

 

Getting them out is the easy part

Undo the fuel line (you already did)

Remove vacuum lines.

There are rubber boots on the intake side and the engine side.

The engine side boots has clamps that are undone with a screw driver. The back of the carb are the same way. Undo the screws on all boots, starting on the outside going in. Take the back boots and push them into the intake box. Remove the clamps before doing so.

Pull the carbs back while pulling them up and then pushing them down. Basically wiggling them up and down while you pull back on them.

They can be on there pretty good. Some people recommend using a hammer handle to help pry them off.

Unhook the throttle cable, pull carbs out to the left.

Easily done, can be done with 10 minutes really.

I strongly advise you to take pictures of everything!!! To help you remember what goes where. In any case, we are all here to help you with cleaning those carbs, I learned the same way

 

Here, this helps a bit

http://cycles.evanfell.com/2008/09/how- ... right-way/

 

on the tail end of the same boat. im ready to put mine back together just still not sure of what jet gets set at what. make sure you take the nozzles out and probe those holes too. I thought mine was all clean but I was reading a thread and rick had said something about it so I went back and checked mine sure enough what I thought was all clean wasnt. these guys have lots of threads read em you can pick up a world of info. good luck man, you can do it

 

There isnt adjustments to the jets. They go back in the same way you took them out. The only thing that really needs to be adjusted are your pilot screws and I believe they are supposed to be bottom out SOFTLY and then turned out 2 1/2 turns-3.

Make sure you know which jet goes where, or it will not run right

 

thank you! no wonder I couldnt find out any where. I rode the short bus today. now to get a color tune.

 

Our Members who pride themselves with the Skill and Knowledge needed to thoroughly clean a set of Carbs and pass-along tips and tricks on to others who are about to attempt a cleaning their Carbs, ... are likely to find fault with the Instructional Link you provided to the Forum.

Basically, if your "How To Clean Carbs" Instructional is limited to one page and a few pictures, ...

You can bet an important step got left-out.

Or two, ...

(A few. Several)

 

If you get a colortune, do not cheap out and get that 30 dollar one on eBay. I know it is something that you figure will work, but according to a lot the newer version is better. I have the cheaper, older one. It archs all the time and I have better success doing it by ear. Honestly, I would suggest learning how to do it by ear.

 

Yes, I forgot, I was going to post a link to our forum that discussed the link in particular but I lost where it was. I know this user is at the beginning so I figured this (though not as extensive as many members here would want) could help to get a basic understanding of how things look and how to remove those pesky carbs. Not arguing with you at all. Your word is law in my mind haha

 

This is a link to Ricks cleaning tutorial on carbs.

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1961.html

And I finally found the link to the forum discussing the forum I posted earlier

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/p=151712.html

Cleaning carbs takes a lot of reading and research. If we had you in person at a carb clinic, you could learn so much so quickly. We are here to answer any questions you may have.

 

Thanks everybody for all your help. I have to work the next few days but I am going to start the carb cleaning process in a couple of days. I will keep you posted on how it's going. Thank again!