Can't start my bike

It turns over, and occasionally is firing, but never actually "starts". I have taken out the plugs, and they are firing, and have gas (I can smell the gas even). I recently took my carbs off and put them back on. Suggestions on what is causing this? I have adjusted my pilot screws (except for the #1 screw which I cannot adjust) by putting them totally down, then out 2.75 turns. I have also tinkered w/the idle screw by putting it completely down and then up slightly. I am fully choked and gas is obviously flowing....

 

Close the choke & crank the throttle wide open.
This will help clear it if it's flooded.


Dan

 

Nope... Still didn't help, and now its not even firing once... I am about to lose this battery.

 

Do you have a battery charger? or another battery you can jump it with?
You can jump your bike with an automotive battery. Connect the + post to the lead on the starter relay - follow the + cable from the battery terminal to the relay, pull back the rubber shield and clamp the end of the jump cable clamp to that post.
Connect the ground to a bolt or bracket on the frame away from the battery, if possible.
You may just be low on voltage, thus preventing a start.

Good Luck.

I spent a couple of weeks getting my XJ to finally start & run reliably.
It ain't easy!! Hang in there, perseverance pays off!

 

I am on a 2nd battery at this point, which is charged up. The starter is turning over the engine, but that's about it. I am about to go out and buy a trickle charger, as it seems I will need it for this. Suggestions thus far?

 

Pull the plugs, see if they are wet. Check the cylinder with a section of paper towel, rolled up into a small long cylinder. Poke it down the spark plug hole & see if it is wet with gas when you pull it back out.
If so, leave the plugs out & crank it for a minuet.
If it's all dry, and the plugs look great, set the choke on full & give the air coming from the plug hole the sniff test. Does it smell of gasoline? Close the choke while cranking with the plugs out, does it seem to change the smell?
You need the right mixture, sparked at the right time - in a compressed state to get this running.
Do you have a compression tester?

 

Won't this make it even more flooded? I am pretty sure that they are wet (they were the first time I took them out)....

 

If the plugs & cyl. were wet, pulling the plugs, closing the choke, opening the throttle full and cranking will pull dry air thru the engine.
This should cure the flooded condition.

 

I called my father-in-law, and he is bringing over a compression tool to see if I am getting proper compression on all four cylinders. He put it to me this way (and it makes sense) - three things make the engine go, and w/o one of the three, it won't fire: 1) gas/air, 2) spark, 3) compression.... I know I am getting the first two, so we are gonna test 3).

This may also explain the weird noise that I was trying to find intially that brought this all about.