Help, engine no joy

[cheeseman1969]

Hello, Quick history, I broke down last summer and ran out of money getting back home. So last summer/Fall riding season was very short. I parked the bike and took it apart. Or most of it. I had the tin painted and did final drive check check, new bearings on wheels, brake pads and so on. Well this week I get the tin back and put back together. I ordered a set of exhaust gaskets but had to wait. I took my old ones, turned them upside down and installed back in. Test it out in the garage for 2-3 min. Everything sounded ok. NOTE; I have them on order, just wanted to get it running to test other things. Will replace once I get them.
 So tonight I took it out on the side in front of the house. Listened for rubbings and checking things out. Drove to my parents house 2 blocks away. Visited and then started up, just a little rough. Then put in gear and tried to go.. quit.. I started back up, in gear.. waited, sounding a little rough.. let out.. quit. I started back, in gear, let out clutch it sounded rough and it quit once I tried to go forward. Also each time I started, I had to have the choke on full. Then I had to have to stroke the gas to keep it going. I stopped and pushed it home with help from friends. I tried to start at home, just once turn over and nothing..
I am thinking that my carbs are fouled as that was one thing that I did not do over this winter. What do you all think??

[67blkbrd]

Sounds to me like you need to go through the carburetors

[Crackerborn]

Check petcock and vacuum line from number 6 carb if using a OEM petcock first. Is fuel getting to the carbs?

[cheeseman1969]

When I bought it the petco was modded. No diagram just a plastic piece. It runs ok with it as I have 12K on it and I bought it with 147K.. I will be checking the carbs tomorrow as dark. Will update.

[67blkbrd]

When I bought it the petco was modded. No diagram just a plastic piece. It runs ok with it as I have 12K on it and I bought it with 147K.. I will be checking the carbs tomorrow as dark. Will update.

Place a clean container under the hose that all the carb drains go to. Open each carb drain screw one at a time and see how much crud comes out. This way you will see what carbs have poo in them. If you have ethanol blend fuel in your area and it sat in the tank and carbs over winter this can cause carburetor problems.

[cheeseman1969]

We'll I did not get to work on it today. Honey to do list and I guess Father's Day it's only one day not a weekend. Bbuutttt I did start her up. She started right up but after awhile had to lay the choke. So just parked it outside for about 10  min. I put a full tank of gas and seafoam yesterday so trying to work that through. She ran for about 10 min on idle but then started to cough. I laid more choke and she ran more but after 5 min she started to cough again. Then she died. Could not get started but then waited about 5 and she started back up. Rolled back in garage, incline. And now she sits. Maybe my Father's Day give will be leave me alone all day and let me tear apart the carbs.
Question.. What is the best carb cleaner. I saw a post about carb cleaner in a can but I have seen that around here. What else?

Thanks all.

[pancho]

Make sure you have gas running to and filling the carbs before getting serious about it. Are you running out of gas because the petcock is not flowing?

[John Schmidt]

Running then quitting after a time sure sounds like the vacuum hose is pinched. Try opening the gas cap and running it that way, see if it quits then. If so, then I'd say things are gummed up in the carbs. If it doesn't quit, then check to see if the vent hose is pinched or plugged by a mud daubber or some such.

[Crackerborn]

So, not OEM petcock. You're describing a pinched vacuum line or bad diaphram on OEM petcock. A straight gravity feed should not have any uphill lines to the carb feeders. Before pulling apart the carbs, do as John S recommends. Crud blocking the line or a nfg in-line filter might also be the culprit. Unless you just want to rebuild the carbs, start with the simple things. Saves finding out after the carbs are overhauled that they weren't really the problem. 

[Marinakorp]

When it does that... Try opening the gas cap with the spare key.

Seems like you can do this regularly, about ten minutes of riding,and is consistent.


Sounds like the gas vent line is pinched.

[YoungPUP]

Pinched the vent line when putting the tins back on after paint. Since it wasn;t mentioned, did you replace the fuel line from the petcock to the carbs while you had it apart?  IF you did and made it longer than stock it will make a low spot when the tank is reinstalled and starve the carbs of fuel (or so I've been told  )

[Ricky-D]

Removing the carburetors is not a normal maintenance procedure.

All necessary work on carburetors can be performed with the carburetors

still on the bike.

***

[cheeseman1969]

Hey I think that I found it. I had a fuel line going from the T from my primary tank and secondary tank. It was a U and was about half way pinched. I have had other time of the engine cutting out and then fill up to find out I had plenty of gas. To go a new fuel on it now. Start to drain the bowels since I m in it anyway just to make sure. Will let u know if this was it. Thanks everyone!

[9Ball]

careful when you drain the bowels...could get rather stinky.   

[Chrisj CMA]

Hey I think that I found it. I had a fuel line going from the T from my primary tank and secondary tank. It was a U and was about half way pinched. I have had other time of the engine cutting out and then fill up to find out I had plenty of gas. To go a new fuel on it now. Start to drain the bowels since I m in it anyway just to make sure. Will let u know if this was it. Thanks everyone!

secondary tank?

[cheeseman1969]

Yes, On the back of the bike the welding class at my school that I work at. Created a platform and a gas tank. The piping was there when I bought the bike. I just put it back there instead of on the passager seat. I added LED brake lights to help with that. I now care just over 9 gals. I ran it like that for 3000 nm and got my IronButt before I had a break down last summer on something else not related.
  I have had the local welding class make me a motorcycle trailer and I just paid for the parts. They also are making me a jack stand next year. Check into your local High school as they are always looking for welding projects for the students to do. They get tired of BBQ pits and trash bins.. LOL..

[Chrisj CMA]

Yes, On the back of the bike the welding class at my school that I work at. Created a platform and a gas tank. The piping was there when I bought the bike. I just put it back there instead of on the passager seat. I added LED brake lights to help with that. I now care just over 9 gals. I ran it like that for 3000 nm and got my IronButt before I had a break down last summer on something else not related.
  I have had the local welding class make me a motorcycle trailer and I just paid for the parts. They also are making me a jack stand next year. Check into your local High school as they are always looking for welding projects for the students to do. They get tired of BBQ pits and trash bins.. LOL..

very cool

[9Ball]

Yes, On the back of the bike the welding class at my school that I work at. Created a platform and a gas tank. The piping was there when I bought the bike. I just put it back there instead of on the passager seat. I added LED brake lights to help with that. I now care just over 9 gals. I ran it like that for 3000 nm and got my IronButt before I had a break down last summer on something else not related.
  I have had the local welding class make me a motorcycle trailer and I just paid for the parts. They also are making me a jack stand next year. Check into your local High school as they are always looking for welding projects for the students to do. They get tired of BBQ pits and trash bins.. LOL..

3000 nm is 3 microns...shortest iron butt in history!!!  Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Chrisj CMA]

Yes, On the back of the bike the welding class at my school that I work at. Created a platform and a gas tank. The piping was there when I bought the bike. I just put it back there instead of on the passager seat. I added LED brake lights to help with that. I now care just over 9 gals. I ran it like that for 3000 nm and got my IronButt before I had a break down last summer on something else not related.
  I have had the local welding class make me a motorcycle trailer and I just paid for the parts. They also are making me a jack stand next year. Check into your local High school as they are always looking for welding projects for the students to do. They get tired of BBQ pits and trash bins.. LOL..

3000 nm is 3 microns...shortest iron butt in history!!!  Sorry, couldn't resist.

Almost blew coffee out my nose 

[cheeseman1969]

Now that is FUNNY!! LOL.. Let me rephrase that.. I did 1000 nm in 24 hours as part of my East Coast trip last summer. This was to get me in. This summer going to try the 1500 in 36 and maybe the border to border one. Don't know.

microns, HEHEHEHE wow. good one. I owe you a beer.

[olddog1946]

I actually read "nm" as nautical miles...wasn't aware that we could run underwater..I might have to buy my scuba gear back.

[9Ball]

I think he wants to say kilometers, km.  "n" is nano or 1x10^-9 or 1/1000 of a micrometer.

Anyway, it just struck my geek nerve and had to comment.