[kevinb333]

my problem is I just bought this bike and the gas tank was not connected. There were 2 lines coming off the petcot and there wasd one coming from the otherside of the tank along with 2 wires. There are lines coming off the carb but seem not to have a place. I ran the fuel lines where i thought they went and the bike started but it started pouring fuel out from a line that came from the carb.

If anyone has any drawings or help that would be great. The manuals dont seem to help for what i need. I have looked at manuals and the pics they have do not show me. the bike is an 1983.
thanks........

I am a little new with the bikes........

 

[Clint]

Welcome, Kevin. Typically the smaller petcock line is a vacuum control line that connects to the carb. The one on the other side is probably a breather that doesn't connect, but just routes down along the frame.

 

[kevinb333]

thank you so much for your help. Do you happen to know why fuel started coming out the line from the bottom of the carb after the bike stalled??????..
Thanks again....

 

[kevinb333]

i forgot, on the other side of the tank is 2 wires and another line. is that a line that just runs down the frame as well or does that connect to something?

 

[Clint]

The one on the far side (the right side) is the one I thought was the breather. The two on the petcock. should both connect to the carb. We have a couple guys here that know this stuff better than I do. Hopefully they can confirm or correct what I've said.

Please fill out your profile.

 

[kevinb333]

Thank you so much for your info... I got the bike running but now i am having a problem with keeping it running. It will run for abit only with the choke pulled all the way out. there is some supttering when it is running. it wont stay running long before it seems to starve it self out.... I tried spraying carb cleaner into but seem to have little affect. The bike sat for two years. the oil has been changed altho i cant see any in the crankcase, there seems to be no dip stick....... If you have a bit of advise about that, would be awsome.. Thanks again..
Kevin

 

[StlouisSoftware]

Make sure you have the air cleaner connected to your carbs!!! If you don't it will suck more air than fuel. If you don't have an Air Cleaner, Get one. As far as the dip stick, You should see a looking glass window about the size of a dime on the lower bottom of the engine. Hold the bike upright with one hand as you can not check the oil level when it is on the kick stand. Hope that helps...

 

[Aussie Steve]

OK sounds like a float issue. The bike is drowning in fuel on one or more carbs. If each carb has its own overflow pipe then you can identify which one/s.

The float/s may be sunken or the float needle/s or their seats may need attention.

More likely the float needle tip has a ridge on one or more carbs allowing fuel to flow uninterupted. The pipe that the fuel flows from sounds like an overflow pipe something mine hasn't got.

You have probably connected the pipes from the tank up correctly. I would suggest the wires are to the fuel gauge wiring...should be a connector under there somewhere that fits.

Good luck.

 

[kevinb333]

This site is great. I appreciate the fact that people just want to help. and thanks for that.... I now have the bike running!!! thats the good part, it works. So the bike was running ok i thought put it into gear and try to ride... the bike bogged right down and stalled out. it just seemed to starve. it will idle fine for a few mins then sputter and spit back and die...
thanks again....

 

[Clint]

Please fill out your profile.

It's one way to return the favors we offer you. It's not nearly as fun helping someone we know nothing about.

 

[palanon]

Could have routed the gas line to vacuum causing to drain out the overflow for the carbs.

Rowdy sounds like he had it right, even for an older model

1 thinner hose to vacuum port on carb to petcock.
1 thicker line from fuel rail on carbs to petcock.
1 med. size hose running from tank to under bike (usually with a couple drains from carbs ) or routed into air box or catch can/bottle.
Wires are usually for fuel gage or pump.

If the hoses were connected correctly, I'd agree with Steve, probably a stuck float needle.

 

[kevinb333]

I guess you are right i should put up a profile... I will update it more as i go along.
If the problem hapens to be a stuck float needle, is that a hard fix? Maybe i should take it into a shop, on the other hand i would prefer to do it myself... something to be proud of. thanks again

 

[Aussie Steve]

The stuck float needle is not a difficult fix in itself...but usually means the carbs have to be removed.

I was able to fix mine but it was the outer LH one so I managed to undo the screws...albeit with a pair of vice grips on the head. I then cut a slot in them for re-assembly.

If more than the two outer ones of yours are in need of attention then I would remove them all. This is not a difficult task but quite involved as you have to remove other things too...ie the filter housing on mine needs to be loosened and shoved back to give room for the carbs to be manipulated free of the frame and engine.

Then there are the cables...I swore the air blue trying to get them back on....I mean who the hell invented a sytem that you need fingers fifteen inches long in order to get that pesky lower trunnion into the cable wheel????

But I did do it and proud as punch I was.

Once removed the carb bowels can be removed and access gained to the floats and to needles. To set the float height up you need the specs for your bike.

To investigate the needles there should be a screw holding the needle pivot in place. Removal of this allows the captured needle and float to drop free.

Check the viton tips very carefully ...any ridges means renewal...do not be tempted to lightly sand or abrade it back to smooth.

Check the valve that it seats in for any nicks, damage, or foreign bodies.

The float height is set for your bike and is measured when the float tang is just touching but not depressing the float needle. The measurement is taken from the highest point of the float to the gasket surface of the carb top.

A smaller measurement means a lower carb fuel level the reverse is true for a higher one.

generally speaking you can adjust the float height no more than 1.5mm either way...any more than that indicates an incorrect main jet.

To adjust mine I bent the tang very slightly...my problem was a leaking needle... this should only be a temporary fix as to change the float height can have throttle problems further up the rpm range. Also low power can be a bit boggy.

Mine runs fine after I did it so I am not going to bother about fitting a new needle for now.

Do get the manual or at least look on the sticky for an exploded view. There is a site for tuning CV carbs that I have used and found very imformative.

www.factorypro.com/tech/carbtun.

Good luck

 

[kevinb333]

Thanks for all the gr8 help but i have seemed to run into another problem btw it was a stuck float. My new problem is that i am not getting 3 and 4 to fire the spark is weak. there is still fuel coming out the #2 vent is that because the 3 and 4 are not burning fuel up? i did have the bike on the side stand maybe the fuel did not get to the 3&4 carb! just realized that.... they all fired before but i seem there was always 1 of the pipes not getting hot! now 2 are not... Can some1 help. I deffenetly do not want to take it to a shop.
thanks in advance. I an going to take pics tommorow of my bike and post em...
Kevin:

 

[Clint]

What makes you say the spark is weak? Having it on the sidestand doesn't affect fuel flow.

 

[kevinb333]

well i pulled the plug and grounded them on the top of motor and cranked it and there was only a faint spark...

 

[kevinb333]

i finally got my bike running and sounding good, I cant ride it because it all snowy outside. it was dark out and i got the bike going and after setting the idle speed i noticed the #2 pipe was getting a little red. I shut the bike down and called it a night. today i went out and the bike only clicks. new batt charged. I put the bike in 5th gear on the center stand and i could turn the back tire. not too easily but it did turn. I hope i did not damage the motor. can any1 help me with problem?????????
Thanks in advance Kevin...

 

[Aussie Steve]

First of all you would not have damaged your engine if you only ran it for a short while. The red pipe sounds like a too lean situation for that carb but this may not be the case if you ran it for a time and had little to no air circulating.

The trouble with focusing on a single problem but thinking it is several tends to get one pressing the panic button constantly and the original one problem seems to get forgotten, (or grows horns)

Now you are in a situation of thinking that the motor may be damaged because it is difficult to turn with the rear wheel whilst in fifth gear. It is not supposed to be easy you are reading too much into this.

The original problem was and probably still is fuel related.

This can be caused by the following things...I may have missed some so if anyone else can think of any more chime in and let this poor lad off the hook!

1: Low or poor quality fuel in the tank.

2: Blocked fuel lines and or not attached in correct position.

3: Blocked jets and or float level incorrect on one or more carb/s.

4: blocked air filter.

5: Leaking vacuum fittings or diaphragms.

6: Lean pilot jets.

I would try the easiest first... air filter, hoses, tightness of carbs to both the filter housing and the inlets, pilot settings and go to the harder ones in order.

If you do have to remove the carbs...remember dismantle one at a time so you have at least another one assembled to compare to.

As to the weak spark it could be a loose HT cable to those particular caps...or those plugs have had the gong. Another thing could be coils but I do not think it would be as you had it running fine before.

You state the battery is flat this is more than likely to produce weak sparks and could indicate the battery is on its way out.

Try not to focus on more than one problem at a time...I know woman suposedly can but we are mere males...sorry ladies!

I would get the fuel situation sorted first then move onto the electrical...after all that may only be a stuffed battery.

Good luck

 

[kevinb333]

once again thanks for the the gr8 info. like i said in the begining i am new at this and i am enjoying making this bike work. my wife says she has had enough of me only being only interested in this bike!!! i keep telling her it will all be worth it. she's now sort of trying to get involved, i told her i would get her 1 too!!!
Just a question? my bike only clicks from the solinoid! does not try to start. I tried bridging the terminals made a spark but not in the motor which i was hoping to have it come to life but no such luck!!! I am not sure if it is the starter now or what? last time it fired up, it did seem to struggle a bit but not tooo much, enough to hear it was straind a little....
Has any1 got ant advise for me????
Thanks alot....
Kevin

 

[Aussie Steve]

Sounds like your battery is getting flat from trying to start it too often. One word of warning do not run the starter motor for more than a few seconds as any longer that twenty to thirty can damage it.

I would recharge the battery and check across the terminals to see what voltage is being put into it with the motor running. You should read about 13.5 to 15 VDC at around 5000 rpm or so.

If you do not already have a multimeter then get one...fairly cheap these days...Get a digital readout one as they are easier to read.

Set it to 20VDC...follow the instructions you get with the meter... and touch the terminals of the battery whilst the engine is running. Make sure you observe polarity.

This check is just to make sure your charging circuit is working and the alternator is putting enough volts out to charge the battery.

The click you hear is indead the solonoid..there is insufficient voltage in your battery to turn the motor.

Also check all connections to and from the battery and the starter just to make sure it isn't a loose or corroded wire. Do not just visually do this pull gently on all wires to ensure they are tight.

Corrosion is a pain and is not readily visable so a quick removal and clean will not go amiss if you are at all suspicious.

good luck