starts on ether, but not fuel (low vacuum???)

I have tried to search the forum topics to no avail. I have cleaned my carbs (not a complete rebuild, just basic cleaning), but still can't get my bike to run. It has pods (sorry they came on the bike). I do know they jets are not correct for the pods as they are still the factory jets. However, the bike should still run, but it will run poorly. I can spray the pods with ether, and the bike will purr and rev well till the ether is gone. It seems the main problem is getting fuel from the tank. It seemed like I was not getting a good flow of fuel from the tank. I took the tank off, connected a long hose to the vacuum port, and it pulled fuel well, and shut off as soon as the vaccum stopped. Put the tank back on the bike and still nothing. Any ideas on what/if vaccum would cause the carbs not to pull fuel from the tank???

 

Dumb Question here.
Let's eliminate the obvious first.
Did you do a bench sync on the carbs before you put them back on the bike?

If the bench sync is not right then it will not run right THUS it wont be pulling vacuum that well while running choppy.

 

Gotta back up a step further yet. Basic cleaning or rebuild; either way, FLOAT LEVELS need to be checked and verified using fuel and the "clear tube method." (Do a forum search.)

If you're worried about the vacuum petcock, put it in PRI and the fuel will be "on" all the time, no need for a vacuum signal.

Honestly though, it sounds like you missed enrichment wells/pilot circuits in your "basic cleaning."

 

Ok guys, just checked pet cock. Turned to prime, and fuel runs out. Turned out the fuel screw on the #1 carb, and no fuel in the bowl???

 

Looks like a good time to go through the carbs.

Here is a link to pics and ideas from others that have been where you are.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... rt=15.html


This write up has valuable info as well.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... n+own.html

Might as well check this out also. FItz is the author.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1 ... tures.html

 

Remember that "float thing" I was talking about? The float valves control the fuel going into the carbs. Sounds like you have a clogged float valve; probably its little "beanie screen" is completely obstructed.

How "basic" was the cleaning you did?

 

Very basic... After my last post, I have taken the rack off, and almost completely taken apart. On te way to the store to get sone ziplock bags, and a sharpie. Where are the beanie screens?

 

After you pull the floats off of the pillars (usually need to tap those float pins out) you will undo a small screw and half washer that holds in the float needle. The beanie filter or screen is attached to the bottom of that if it has one, if not, you should invest in an in-line fuel filter so junk isn't flowing into the carbs.

 

They're on "top" of every float valve. They can be removed and not replaced; all they really do is clog up. You're better off with an inline fuel filter and staying on top of maintenance.

 

Ok, my carbs didn't have any in them. I have done the whole nine yards with the exception breaking the rack down. Nothing was very grungy so far. The only thing that was stopped up was the enrichment circuits and the fuel bowl drain plugs. I just finished cleaning, and am now re-assembling. Will do bench sync and float bowl test, hopefully will test fire tonight.

 

One other note, mixture screws were out from 6 turns to 7.5 turns!!!

 

mixture screws should be around 2 - 3 turns.

what did you set the floats at???

all it takes is 2mm too high to keep them from opening up and letting fuel in. that means they sit on the bowls and there's no more room for them to drop.

 

Now I am throughly confused. Got the carbs back together and hooked up the tank. Still no fule getting into the carbs. Perhaps the floats are in upside down? Anyone have a pic of what they should look like installed???

 

typcially the smaller portion of the float should be on the bottom.

looking at the bikebandit.com fischer. it has the float smaller portion upwards though.

 

Ok, so the float was the issue with not getting fuel to the carbs. However, I not can't seem to find a "happy place" doing the clear tube test. I assume new needles and seats are in order?

 

No. If you are bending the tabs to set the float height, you are probably bending them too far each time. You will be able to bend them but not really tell that you are bending them. I think there is a 2 mm allowed variation, that's about 10-15 mm away from the end of the float, which means there is less than 1mm of variation that is correct on the tab. If you are moving anymore than 1 mm, you are twisting way too hard. It's really barely noticeable.

You can cheat and get it close by measuring with a machinists rule or device that that you make (toothpick with a mark, etc.) that can tell you how high it should be. Check your haynes manual for what the height should be. It's like doing a bench sync though, it won't be right, but it won't be all that far off either, and you might just get lucky.

 

Ok, makes since since the fuel was shut off completely before I started this thus the reason for tearing into them in the first place. Oh well, I guess I'll go back to bend, measure and repeat.....

 

Finally got the floats close enough to supply fuel, but not flood the carbs. Having conquered this hurdle, I told my self, "Self, might as well stick em back on the bike and see what happens". Put them back on, and wouldn't crank. shot with ether and bingo. would not idle, except for 4 grand and above. And when it revs, the rpms fall very slowly. Now I know there would be some issues, as I am working with stock jetting on a bike with pods (which I hate) and an open 4-1 exhaust. Then self decided to chime back in (self needs to mind his own business at times), and said "Self, why not just slip out of the shop here and take her down the street and see what happens".

I really should have ignored the hell out of self, but I thought self, what could it hurt? So, I proceeded to get out of the shop, square up to the driveway, and ease off the clutch. (Note the afore mentioned would not run below 4 grand). Seems I could not just ease off the clutch. At this point, I was getting leary about a joy ride on a bike that wasn't running properly. So self chimes back in "You can do this, you used to ride one of these very same bikes like you stole it." This is when I chose to "slip" of the clutch at 4 grand, and lurch out into the street. Lurch was far from the reaction! It absolutely launched, like fired from a sniper rifle into the street and zeroed in on a Monte Carlo. I then stuck my foot down, pulled hard left. Luckily I got it lined up straight on the street.

Then for what ever reason, Self says " you got it, now give it some go juice and grab a couple of gears." So yet again I listen to self, and full throttle down a dead end street with about a 16th of a mile stretch changing to a gravel road and ending into trees. WOW!!! I really do not remember these bikes being that quick on take off. Before I knew it I was at the top of 2nd, lost my hat, went to 3rd, and tears came to my eyes (self also didn't want to wait to put the helmet on).

This is when I say enough is enough, and gently depressed the brake with my foot (no front brakes, the handle is broken). Lo and behold, no rear brakes!!! The trees are fast approaching, and self seems to have clammed up now! I was able to gear down, ans stopped 5 feet from the tree line. At that time I TOLD myself, "Self, that was really stupid!" Got it back to the house and in the shop. Won't try that stunt again till the bike is running properly and with brakes.

 

NOW THAT'S WHAT WE LIKE TO HEAR.

good humored stories.

and glad your ok.

 

Lol, that's scary but funny now that we know you're ok! I had a friend get in a fight with his girl friend and jump on his v65 magna, very pissed off and take off fishtailing out of the yard and down the street and before he realized he was going too fast for the 90 degree turn at the end of the street, ended up powersliding into a chain link fence. He was ok except for his pride and a broken mirror, lol, but yeah, gotta be careful on a bike for sure. Thanks for sharing Mook1al!