TOPIC:

Hi there:
Got the damned battery charged, a gallon in the tank, choke lever out, pressed the button repeatedly and... NOTHING!

Spark is good, plugs are OK, timing is correct (according to my Clymer manual), fuel flows to the carbs, everything seems OK except one thing. Fuel drips from carb #2 (at a 1 drop/second rate), just dindn´t had the patience to identify exactly where it´s leaking from. Could that be a stuck float? And if that´s the problem, why don´t the other cylinders fire?

What else can I do to make sure that all the little miracles needed to fire this old 4-pot motor are working? Any ideas out there folks?

If you're not smelling any gas from the exhaust, than none is getting in to the cylinders. You can shoot a squirt of gas in each with a small spray bottle OR hold your hand over each carb mouth while turning over a few times and see if there is any suction. If she runs with the gas squirt OR is sucking good on all four, the you're not getting any fuel through your slow speed circuit. Choke plungers could be leaking too, if your carbs have them.

Is the engine turning over when you try and start it?

Wiredgeorge: Yes, of course the engine turns over as I push the starter button, if that´s what you mean.

Duck: Carbs seemed to suck, forgot to pull the gas squirt trick anyway... BTW the carbs are TK CV type, I think they don´t have choke plungers.

As I stated before spark is good, timing is OK, fuel gets to the carbs, engine cranks, but nothing happens. Besides, that leak from carb #2 isn´t right at all. I suspect that the float got stuck, right?

Just too tired for the day, maybe I get to it again on the weekend.

Cheers

Post edited by: kawadruida, at: 2006/11/22 22:02

When you said "NOTHING" I didn't want to assume the engine was turning over. Have you remove the plug wires recently or do anything with the wiring. One reason a bike sounds like it will want to start and it doesn't is that the 2/3 and 1/4 green and black wires are connected backwards. The bike will turn over and backfire once and awhile and sound like it wants to start but won't.

I doubt the drip from #2 is related to the start problem. Most likely you have some crud in the float seat if the drip is that infrequent. The needle is ALMOST all the way closed but a tiny bit of dirt is not allowing full seating.

What are the weather conditions? Occasionally, when cool and damp, you can get arcing (shorting) in the plug caps that will cause a bike to not start even with fuel, compression and spark. Cleaning the contacts that hold the plug tip with contact cleaner and then coating with dielectic grease generally fix this problem.

Wiredgeorge: I´ve used that NOTHING in the wrong way:laugh:

Answering your question, I´ve just assembled the top end again after a gasket change, cylinder/head repaint besides a general overhaul of the bike. I thought that the spak plug cables got crossed, so I´ve tried both ways, but engine never sounded as if trying to start at all.

As for the drip, must disassemble carb and check. It makes me mad just to think abaout fitting those ***ing airbox boots again!!!

Weather down here is hot with about 50% humidity, summer approaches and my baby´s not running...

Thanks al lot anyway!

Got the carbs off in the weekend.

Replaced all fuel/vent rubber hoses too.

Carbs were dirty with plastic scraps from the ****ing carb boots. Everything`s so cramped there that when you pull off or put back the carbs, they scratch the boots badly, thus producing little plastic bits that end inside the carbs.

So I´m thinking seriously about going to pods. I´m not so sure of what kind(s)/brand(s) of pod filters are available in Argentina, so I´ll make some research and come back to yous for some advice before buying them. Is re-jetting mandatory? If so, what size do you suggest for my carbs (TK CV type)? I hope I can find non-stock jets down here...

Cheers

I think the general rule is to go up 2 sizes on the mains for pods, and I think up one size on the pilot jets. if you cant find jets, and nobody will ship you any, drill them to the right size
Scott

How much does each size increment must be?

jet sizes go by 2.5 # increase for every size increase. theoretically speaking, if stock main is 100, 2 sizes up would be 105. if stock pilot is 15, one size up would be 17.5
Scott

Does that mean 0.025 inches? How can I tell what size are my current jets?

Im not sure, but have a look here