NOT STARTING...PLEASE ADVISE!

Update:

I hooked the fuel lines back up to bottles with vent holes in them... now it's not running on them either.

I guess my next step will be to drain the bowls and note how much fuel is in each one... and then try to start it and see if they fill back up.

Is there a possibility that all 4 clogged up at the same time? You would think that it would at least want to stumble. Maybe the fuel "T"s are clogged, even though we had the petcocks on off when we started it at the po's house? I'm positive that I ran carb cleaner through the fuel inlet passages when I cleaned them...

Any ideas?

Matt.

 

Update to the update...

Disclaimer: I don't recomend this, because the gas and fumes going through the shop vac could ignite from a spark or static electricity! I decided to take the risk, but I moved the vac to the middle of the shop and had a fire extinguisher handy...

I took off the fuel lines and sucked through them with a modified shop vac(lots of electrical tape and a fuel filter). There must have been some crud in the "T" fittings, because she fires right up now and runs good. I still have some fine tuning to do, but that problem is tackled!

Even though I guess I didn't give enough time for a response to the original post, I hope this may be of value in the future to a fellow XJ'er.

Matt

 

can anyone tell me exactly how far should the butterflies be opened at rest?

 

One more question, I believe this forum had suggested that the pilot air jet and main air jet placement was as follows: From the jet plate cover hold down screw, the next hole was for the pilot jet (this is the hole in the middle) and the hole on the other side of the carbs is for the main air jet(two holes away from the plate screw hole) However, in my manual if you look at the diagrams the main airjet is directly tied to the tube where the needle jet goes and the pilot airjet is tied to the pilot circuitry. When you blow compressed air through the carb body, the opposite is found true, the middle whole seems to be for the main and the other the pilot? Opening another set of carbs up, I found the airjets placed as the forum suggest, yet it seems to be contrary to what the manual diagram shows.

A little Help???

 

I find it difficult to believe that no-one has the answers to these questions, I could really use the help?

Is this a new member thing, or do I somehow smell poorly through the computer, Bad timing, everyone on Holidays???? PLease HEEELLLPPP???

Hound, sorry in answer to your questions, this is an 82, 750 I'm working with(seca model). By blocking air, I just meant capping the air inlet to the airbox, nothing doin' with the three vac lines on the intakes.

I had it started or thought I was in going in the right direction, and then, NOTHING again, No friggen fuel getting into the cylinders???
Petcock = good
Float valves = good
Tank = full of new fuel
Float bowls = full of fuel
Carbs = can't get any cleaner all passages cleaned a blown out with compressed air.
Boots = good

Still wondering if I've got the airjets in incorrectly and exactly how far the butterflies should be open at idle

 

Can't speak for anyone else but I've been at the beach for ten days. :Mrgreen:
The Haynes Manual diagram has the air jets reversed.
The manual is wrong.
Go with the forum placement.
With the throttle closed use a strip of business card to set the butterflies.
This is where you would start your synch.
Your carb vacume synch, will actually set the butterflys to the proper openings.
So there is no exact spec it varies by cylinder, you are synching all cylinders to the weakest one.

 

Thanks Hound,
There was a time when it was just wanting to go but wouldn't catch and after adjustments, all I get now are enourmously loud back fires. Of course, back firing stems from being too lean? Guess I'll have to try and open up the butterflies a bit more.

Cheers.

I tell you, if I knew what kind of flatsides bolted straight in and if they were available, I'd be on them like stink to poo.

 

If you are using carb cleaner or starter fluid, it's actually better not to have it on choke, but have the throttle open instead so the starter fluid can be drawn into the carb through the air intake. I've been having a similar problem with my 83 maxim 550. I just got it out of storage after sitting for four years. I cleaned the carbs, but the pilot jets wouldn't come out. The bike would only start if I sprayed starter fluid into the air filter. After changing the plugs, it started and ran if I used starter fluid. I've been using sea foam in the gas. Everyday it gets a little better.
If your bike is only running after you use the carb cleaner, it may be running on the carb cleaner and not the gas. Did you put new plugs in? It sounds like cylinder #1 is firing, but #4 is not since that's the one with oil and gas on the plug, and the other might be hit and miss.

 

K pulled all the plugs last night,
#3 was the only one with a build up of carbon,
So cleaned all the plugs

Now get this, the plugs I took out were the properly sized actual NGK plugs for the machine, I put the bosch platinums with 'bout 60,000kms on them from my truck back in and the thing fires right up? Funny thing is these NGK plugs are the $15/ plug iridium ones

I don't get it???!!! Doesn't make any sense whatsoever

Haven't used any starter fluid whatsoever, don't beleive in it, sorry.

 

Sickle,

if only #3 has carbon and you had problems with fouled plugs have you checked your plug caps and possibly re-terminated them? i did the coil chop on mine for similar reasons i couldnt dial in my tune till i got a clean connection to the wire and consistant spark across all 4. my thought about your problem is that you have a weak or rusty connection in either the cap or the coil for #3 since the plug swap went so well.... keeping in mind that your replacement plugs might be gapped better for the weak spark. test your primary and secondary coil windings for both coils and if you see any difference you may be able to confirm this or atleast be certain of what it isnt.

I bench synched the hitachi's at .002 and the did a warm running adjustment to dial in the idle speed. also by doing that you get very close to right and can use a synch tool to make the last couple adjustments.
alot of folks use the buisness card method or the little trash bag twist tie wire is another method.

 

thanks will do

appreciate your thoughts btw.

 

sickle44 ...

I wouldn't expect anyone to tell you at the AutoParts Store ... But, Iridium Plugs not only require a Strong Coil Output; but the Iridium Plugs are BEST Suited to Engines which are FUEL Injected with the Lambda Sensor Input.

Iridium Plugs like to Ignite an Air~Fuel Mixture which has a Computer Controlled system foor insuring that the Mixture reaching the Combustion Chamber is >>> Ideal.

The Dinosaur "Normally Aspirated" Carbs we have shoot raw gas into the Combustion Chamber nowhere near the level of Atomization to not worry about the FUEL Mixture drowning-out the Arc of an Iridium Plug.

If you are going to use Iridium Plugs ... You NEED to BE "Dialed-In" and running >> "On the Lean Side" ... with NO Coil Problems or Spark Plugs wires 20 years old, ... otherwise, you risk having a Rich Mixture reaching the Combustion Chamber and Not getting fired by a $15.00 Plug needing a Heavier Wallop than our Stock Coils will provide and a near PERFECT Mixture >> ALL the time ... Not to Misfire.

 

Definitely Good to know,

Thanks much Rick, and no as you suggested, no one asked me at the parts counter what they were going into?? Then again, what 18year old kid would know that? Or anything for that matter(no offence to any potential 18 year old kids but......)

It's that good old, it's more 'spensive, therefore, must be better rule. Ahhhh.....

 

Finally have allocated the use of a colour tune, although it cost me a bottle of GlenLivet, Hopefully it'll be worth the $35.
Course it's not a Dyno and a sniffer but......

Thanks for everyone's help fellows

 

y do u use prime, as i have a couple of suzukies and they carry on filling the carbs up,if i leave it on prime, wats your compression like,

 

me saying that,i cant even start mine up,now. tried every thing, but she wont,,, bugger

 

For the proper operation of these bikes you need:

A good Battery for cranking and ignition
Fuel Delivery to each cylinder
Spark at each cylinder
Timing, ignition and camshaft and valve
Compression on each cylinder

If any of the above are not right the bike will not start or just will not run right.

The most common proplems
*Dirty fuel tanks and carbs
*Bad battery
*Bad plugs & Ignition wires
*Valve Adjustment
Of course there are lots of reasons that can cause a no start condition but if you look at the basics you'll find your problem or at least a clue to
really whats going on.

MN

 

ta yer i know all that, thanks, its killed me battery,lol,

 

Hey yamahamaxim85,

What shape are your carbs in? Have you taken them off for a good cleaning yet? I've found that 99% of my non-start issues were solved with a thorough cleaning after the thorough cleaning I thought I did. It's also very important to have a new, strong battery pulling 12.6 V at least with some fresh plugs to give you that "Touch of the starter button fire-up" you're looking for!

Please tell us more so we can help you get back on the road.

 

............................i agree