Start-up / Flooding

[olionel]

Hello;

This is probably the umpteenth topic on carbs and engine flooding but here it goes:

Bike has been sitting since mid November in a garage. Fuel is probably off by now.

I tried to start it up few weeks ago and nothing, I have no electricity or heating in the garage so due to the cold I gave up like a wuss. Got new spark plugs since, started first time, perfect, first 10 seconds it sounded like it was running on 3cylinders then 4 sometimes...it kept the idle for a couple of minutes it would rev high fine but eventually it would die, strong smell of petrol. Anyways took the sparks out, couple of their tips were wet with petrol (normal ?). Covered the spark holes loosely with a cloth gave it overnight as it was getting dark, so everything should've evaporated. Tried again this morning, perfect start... then eventually starts smelling storngly of petrol and engine dying. I drained the floats and tried again now and it wouldn't start at all. Tested for spark, all leads and plugs work! Also there was petrol residue on the walls of the air intake of the 2nd carb. Engine is on 14k.

Do I have blocked jets? Or the worn O-ring between float cover and main body? Can I inspect the O ring without taking the whole assembly apart? (Im guessing just remove the fuel hoses and unscrew the holding screws?)

Ive never taken carbs apart before so not very confident. I'm gona go grab some redex and fresh fuel and see if that helps. Any more advice and diagnostics tips would be appreciated.

Oliver

[RedexRobB]

Are you using the choke? Ive had it before where the choke was sticking on. If you happen to have it apart make sure the choke slider (at the top of the carbs, move the lever and it will move too) is coming back allt he way. About the only thing i can think of at the moment.

Otherwise id say if you can get it running long enough to take it for a spin and clear out the cobwebs, do so. Chances are if its been sat it could well be stagnant fuel blocking the carbs. They arent hard to clean at all, as long as you dont bend the tangs that set the float level, it should be a case of taking the bowls off the bottom, unscrew the jets and soak in some carb cleaner in a sealed jar overnight, and spray some cleaner through the carbs. Use compressed air to blow the cleaner out and same on jets then just re assemble. You can check the o rings while your at it, iirc its a case of undoing a screw that holds the retainers and they pop out. A good indication is the needles that are attached to the floats, they should be nice and pointy.

Give the fresh fuel and redex a go, dont put too much redex in or itll smoke out the garage when the engines running. If you but one of the 'shot' bottles that should be enough for a whole tank.

[olionel]

Thanks Rob. I looked at the choke and it is moving freely, I'll double check though. What I don't get is it started yesterday, started this morning now it wont start at all. It was running OKish but when I held the throttle open for a bit i.e. around 3k-4k rpm it would eventually die (flooding I guess). I'll see how I get on with cleaning the carbs. Are the needles/jets in at a set distance or do they unscrew/screw all the way in?

I don't have access to compressed air which could be a headache, but Id've thought carb cleaner would dry out if I left it overnight wouldn't it?

Thanks again!
Oliver

[RedexRobB]

The jets just screww in all the way, but dont over tighten, just a 'nic tight' id say. The float needles are at set distance but is controlled by the float, which is why i say you have to be careful not to bend the metal tangs as this will change the needle height. You can actually check the float height if you wanted to, its covered in the manual.

You will probably be ok without the compressed air as you rightly say the carb cleaner will evaporate. But to clean the jets, if you spray the cleaner in till you have enough to submerse the jets, then seal it off (jam jar is perfect) it wont evaporate.

Have a look on the forum for some carb threads, theres some pictures about im sure showing the carb innards, iirc cargo posted quite recently the process of taking out the O rings for the float needles.