98 won't start after carb rebuild

[mnccnm]

I recently rebuilt the carbs on my 98.  It was running before, but not well as it had sat for a couple years by the previous owner.  Anyway, all rubber replaced, new float jets, all jets cleaned, all hoses under the air cleaner meticulously replaced.  I kept all carb parts separate to insure there was no mixing of parts between carbs.  The slow speed screws were set all over the map, from 2 turns out to 4-1/2 turns out before rebuild, so I set them all at 2 turns out, and have since adjusted them to 2-1/2 turns out.  I was very careful and am 99.999% sure everything went back together correctly.

And now it won't start.  To make matters more confusing, when attempting to start it I noticed gas leaking out from the seam of the exhaust crossover pipe.  I can not imagine that gas is flowing through the carb, through the cylinder and into the exhaust to the crossover pipe, which is about 2 inches above the lowest point of the exhaust.  The amount gas to do this would be a couple of quarts.  no gas overflows from the carbs.  I would also think that that kind of volume would hydro the piston as well.

Well there it is.  Any gurus have any tips, pointers or even guesses?

[Firefighter]

Make sure you still have spark, make sure the carbs have fuel. If you have gas leaking it might be flooding. I don't know of any exhaust cross over pipe. Let us know.

[The emperor has no clothes]

What FF said. Check for spark first. I assume you have MarkT's pipes with the crossover ?

[gordonv]

I was thinking the little weep hole on the bottom of the exhaust, not an actual cross over.

Does it smell like gas?

Did you do anything else? I'm wondering if the tip over has been touch. How about the kill switch, is it on? (does or bike still crank if either one is a problem?)

[Gabriel]

I doubt any of the new float valves are leaking but the vacuum diaphragm on the pet rooster could be leaking fuel into cylinder #6 via the vacuum line.
This would also mean you would not likely be getting fuel to the carbs through the fuel line.

Pull the vacuum line off the #6 intake and check for fuel in the line.
If you have fuel running out anywhere, I would not check for spark at this time.

[Chrisj CMA]

Did you make sure the internal vents in each carburetor were clear?  The float bowl will be a vacuum chamber if they are clogged. 5 out of the six vents were clogged on the carbs I recently did.

[Jack B]

Is the choke push all the way down. The first inch doesn't do anything you have to push it a little more once you start feeling some resistance the choke is on.

[Pappy!]

The easiest way to check and see if the carbs have fuel is to simply crack open the fuel drains on one or more carbs.
Do this before checking spark and all the rest of the stuff.
If not, check for kinked fuel line. Did you install a filter in-line? Those can stop or limit fuel with a tank with a low fuel level. Kinked vent line? Vacuum hose hooked up to the fuel valve? Fuel valve timed right?

[dancnman]

Where do you live? Maybe someone could swing by.

[mnccnm]

"I don't know of any exhaust cross over pipe."
There is definitely a crossover pipe.  But for gas to be pooled at this point there would have to be more than a quart in the pipes, so I'm figuring it is condensed gas vapors dripping out here.


 "I assume you have MarkT's pipes with the crossover"
I don't know what pipes are on it as I just got the bike recently.


"I'm wondering if the tip over has been touch."
I'm not familiar with this.  More info??


"I doubt any of the new float valves are leaking but the vacuum diaphragm on the pet rooster could be leaking fuel into cylinder #6 via the vacuum line.
This would also mean you would not likely be getting fuel to the carbs through the fuel line."
I do get fuel from this vacuum line, (#6 being defined as the rear carb on the right side).  Do I need to replace the petcock?


"Did you make sure the internal vents in each carburetor were clear?"
I am pretty confident I got everything clean, plus, it was running before, just not good.


"The easiest way to check and see if the carbs have fuel is to simply crack open the fuel drains on one or more carbs."
I did this on one of the carbs and fuel came out.  I have not done this to all 6 carbs.


Sorry for the late reply, plates been pretty full.

[gordonv]

"I don't know of any exhaust cross over pipe."
There is definitely a crossover pipe.  But for gas to be pooled at this point there would have to be more than a quart in the pipes, so I'm figuring it is condensed gas vapors dripping out here.

 "I assume you have MarkT's pipes with the crossover"
I don't know what pipes are on it as I just got the bike recently.

The OEM exhaust goes down each side of the bike. There is an after market one that is like the Goldwings, they "X" under the bike behind the engine, they X cross over.

"I'm wondering if the tip over has been touch."
I'm not familiar with this.  More info??

I tried a search, but it was used so much, nothing jumped out to explain.
There is a sensor that registers if the bike leans (falls) over on either side, and then kills the power so it turns off, and wont start again until reset. It is behind the center cover, the piece that joins the 2 side covers. If it was removed and mounted upside down, then it will always be killing the bike.

"I doubt any of the new float valves are leaking but the vacuum diaphragm on the pet rooster could be leaking fuel into cylinder #6 via the vacuum line.
This would also mean you would not likely be getting fuel to the carbs through the fuel line."
I do get fuel from this vacuum line, (#6 being defined as the rear carb on the right side).  Do I need to replace the petcock?

If I understand correctly what you said, there should be no fuel coming from the vacuum line off the petcock. You need to fix that before you get a hydro lock. Search that. You can lock the engine and break gears if you press the starter switch.

[Chrisj CMA]

"Did you make sure the internal vents in each carburetor were clear?"
I am pretty confident I got everything clean, plus, it was running before, just not good.

Unless you used a syringe or spray cleaner and made fluid come out the top of the vent there is no way to know if it is clear