gas to carbs after sitting for a while

[cokebottle10]

Soon after I got my I/S I changed out the leaking stock petcock for a Pingel with the vacuum. The I/S was already de-smoged when I got it. I have a long up hill driveway and I usually turn the fuel off before I drive up it. This burns most of the gas out of the carbs.

My problem is when I have it sit for a few months it has a hard time starting for the first time. I keep it on a battery maintainer. I tried to start it last Saturday to go to the train club, but all it would do was turn over and not hit. When the starter started to run down a little I put it back on the maintainer and left for the club. (maintainer said 79%) After about four hours at the club I came home and tried it again. Within two rotations it fired right up and idled just fine with the choke on.

My question is, Do the guys that have ether the stock or vacuum pingel do something to prime the carbs after sitting for a while? Maybe take the vacuum line off and suck on it to get the carbs primed?

This is no big deal just wondering if there is a easy way to do this.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC

[cross]

I'm not sure about your pingel vacuum valve but some honda valves have a drain on the bottom. This is where you can connect small vacuum hose and blow into it until the fuel bowls fill up.
Its much easier if you have clear fuel filter where you can watch fuel flow as you are blowing into the hose. Once it stops flowing, carb bowls are full.
If you think that you are low on fuel, make sure you have petcock on reserve.


Sasha

[Steel cowboy]

From reading post on the site for similar issues, I belive the battery is at fault. The battery can have enough voltage for the starter to operate but not enough for the starter and the ECM together. You stated the starter started to slow down when you were turning the engine over to start it. Don't start thinking the starter button is bad, the I/S has a relay for the starter. Charge the battery and take it and get It tested at your local automotive shop.

[cross]

It is posaible that battery doesn't have enough capacity to crank it long enough until carbs are full with gas but, it does take a while to crank it until all six are filled and I wouldn't run it like that.
I have same issue with my cbx which also has six carbs. I routed small vacuum hose from the vacuum fuel shut off valve to the side cover. So when bike are even for few weeks, I just blow into the hose and watch fuel flow through the fuel filter and once it stops flowing, bike starts right up.
You can also install one of the electric solenoids which will come once the ignition is on.
Cranking it for extended periods of time will burn your starter sooner than it should
You definitely have options here if you regularly run your bike until runs out of fuel

[Firefighter]

I wouldn't run it low on gas, I think you would be better with full carbs. than half full as if the gas evaporated it would possibly leave a residue. I'm guessing you can't start the bike once a week or so? That would be best.

[cokebottle10]

I travel a lot so I'm not able to ride it as much as I would like.  My schedule changes all the time.

I will look for the vent side of the Pingel and see if I can put a tube on it to blow into. That would be the easiest way to prime the carbs. Great idea. This will keep me from having to crank it for so long after it sets.

I like the Idea of the vacuum Pingel even though it can fail and flood #6 cylinder. I have got in the habit of bumping the starter before I start it. Hopefully that will save me from the hydrolock damage.

I do keep the Tank full when I stop riding. I always top it off with non-ethanol gas and a little techron. I run it with the gas off because I was thinking that it would be better if the float valves were open that way they will not stick and they will get fresh gas back into the carbs when starting again.

Please keep in mind that I only have this starting problem when the bike sets for months. After it starts then it is good to go. Even if it sit for a few weeks it will start right back up no problems.
 
Thanks, David in Fletcher NC.

[da prez]

  Just a suggestion. Switch to marine stabil on every fill up. Use the maintenance dosage and do not shut the fuel off until the engine is off (if it makes you feel better)help eliminate the hydro-lock)but use the bump method when restarting). I do not usually shut the fuel off on my bike. If it sits a week or so , I bump the starter to check for hydrolock. If you think of it , the next time it cranks and no start , jump from a non running vehicle battery. If it starts , it is low voltage as mentioned prior to my post. If you do any battery related work , I always suggest to remove and clean all connections and grounds. I use silicone dia-electric compound on the connections.

                                     da prez

[cokebottle10]

Good idea of the connections and grounds. I need to service the rear end before next riding season. that would be a good time to pull the battery and check the grounds and other connections. make sure I still have the spare main fuse. I always use the dia-electric grease.

The battery is now four years old. I should check the voltage on it. The bike sits outside, under a cover, under my carport. right now we average in the 40's this time of year. During the coldest part of the  winter the average is in the 20s most of the time. But because it stays on that maintainer all the time I don't think the weather would matter that much to it.

Anyway Thanks guys, I don't think I have a problem with the battery but I will remove the maintainer and check the voltage after a few days.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC

[Willow]

... I have a long up hill driveway and I usually turn the fuel off before I drive up it. This burns most of the gas out of the carbs.
...

Unless your driveway is two miles long the carbs should be nowhere near empty.  That said, you don't reall need full carbs to start, only a little gasoline will do it.

I agree with what the others have said.  Your issue is battery related.

[Gryphon Rider]

Some years I've turned off the fuel and run out the gas.  Other years I've not done that.  It always takes a fair bit of full-choke cranking to get it going in the spring, like 3 or 4 five-second rounds of cranking.

[cokebottle10]

You would think that the gas would last for a few miles. But I have a 250 foot drive way that is straight up a mountain with two turns in it. I have to stop at the bottom to make sure that no one is coming down it. Then get a running start. If I were to stall it then I would have to duck walk it backwards all the way back down. No re-start and go. I have shut off the gas at the bottom and rode it up then stopped with it still running to let the wife off and it would start to miss as I put it in its parking place. Even stalled one time and had to turn the gas back on.

Before I paved the driveway you could not get up it with a two wheel drive pickup. If you stopped with a four wheel drive you could not get going again. It would just spin the tires. The bike was always a challenge when it was not paved. Up or down. But is does make a great sled hill when it snows. Its all you can do to make that second turn.

I do think that I may have a problem with the battery but as normal I'm out of town. I will call my wife tonight and have her un-plug the maintainer and see if it will start easily this weekend. If the battery is okay it should start right up.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC.

[Gryphon Rider]

You would think that the gas would last for a few miles. But I have a 250 foot drive way that is straight up a mountain with two turns in it. I have to stop at the bottom to make sure that no one is coming down it. Then get a running start. If I were to stall it then I would have to duck walk it backwards all the way back down. No re-start and go. I have shut off the gas at the bottom and rode it up then stopped with it still running to let the wife off and it would start to miss as I put it in its parking place. Even stalled one time and had to turn the gas back on.

Before I paved the driveway you could not get up it with a two wheel drive pickup. If you stopped with a four wheel drive you could not get going again. It would just spin the tires. The bike was always a challenge when it was not paved. Up or down. But is does make a great sled hill when it snows. Its all you can do to make that second turn.

I do think that I may have a problem with the battery but as normal I'm out of town. I will call my wife tonight and have her un-plug the maintainer and see if it will start easily this weekend. If the battery is okay it should start right up.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC.

I know I am off topic now, but if it ever snows, how do you get in and out of your property?  Do you have something like this locked in a shed at the bottom of your driveway?

[cokebottle10]

The snow never stays around long enough to get dirty. Snow one day mostly gone the next. We get about two to three snows a year. Some times we will get enough to stay a week or longer but that is rare. The problem we have is not with the snow, its with the black ice the next day. When the drive was gravel it would freeze and be like cement with a rough surface. If I think the snow will be around a few days then I will park a car at the bottom. Around Asheville you can have dry pavement everywhere then just in one shaded spot in a turn black ice. Surprise, into the rock wall or over the embankment. Thats why I don't drive in it. Too many people from the south that have never driven in it, or too many people from the north that think they can drive in it. Snow is not much of a problem to drive on, but with ice and roads that are not straight or level bad things happen.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC

[cokebottle10]

Well after three days off the battery maintainer and 19 degrees outside. I hit the starter and after a few turns she fired up. Took a moment or two then idled fine with the choke. So I think the battery is okay. Will need to add a tube to the petcock so I can prime the carbs after it is stored for a few months.

Thanks, David in Fletcher NC