Kettle Wet Spark Plugs

[Roger Ackery]

I haven't started the bike for awhile, so with a fully charged battery yesterday & the fuel tap on prime & choke, I pushed the button, not much response, started on the right cylinder only, clouds of blue smoke.
So removed all 3 plugs & spun the motor,excess fuel from spark plug holes ejected.
Replaced plugs with 3 known good spares & she fired into life. Did I leave the fuel tap on prime for to long the first time ?
or just the fact of not being started for weeks was the problem with wet plugs ?

[slosher]

Hi Roger
Not the best type of fuel tap on GT's i've put a generic on/off tap in line with both the 550 & 750 just to be sure, not for the purist but very effective,let's face it the original never worked properly back in the day

Cheers Dave

[barney01]

Hi Roger. Hope its not too cold over there! Sounds to me like you need to get out on the bike more
Joking apart sounds like you have a leaky tap
Of couse 2 blobs of JB Weld turns it into an on/off tap

[stevewharton]

Isn't there a mod' that can be made to the original kettle petrol tap, so that it can be turned to the up position and it's then turned "off"?

[Roger Ackery]

Hi Guys, we can rule out the tap
Replaced about 9 months ago with a new genuine Suzuki article
It was leaking while on reserve,
This also caused the left top pipe to be very oily & smelling of unburnt fuel.
The fuel in the tank is getting rather old,so will dump it & get some fresh stuff

Barney, not as cold as you get there,
But 6c or so at night, which is cold enough
We used to get BIG Frosts here in the morning,
last time that happened was decades ago
The Green Movement will of cause blame Human Beings for this never mind Mother Nature just doing her own thing.

[barney01]

Isn't there a mod' that can be made to the original kettle petrol tap, so that it can be turned to the up position and it's then turned "off"?

Yes Steve you can

[stevewharton]

Isn't there a mod' that can be made to the original kettle petrol tap, so that it can be turned to the up position and it's then turned "off"?

Yes Steve you can

I was told if you file off the small tab on the metal on/reserve/prime plate, it allows you to point the tap straight "up" which shuts the petrol off completely, so no more leaky diaphram problems.
Never tried it myself, but sounds like a good idea.

[Dutch]

Hi Roger

I used to have a similar problem with mine when not run for some time and was a bugger to even start. I did what Dave did and fitted an on/off switch and have never had a problem since and I know of others on this forum who have done this too.

And as Dave says they were always iffy in the good old days, so your new one may be suspect!!

Regards Jeff

[Roger Ackery]

Thanks Jeff, no the tap is still OK!
Dry as can be, in all positions,reserve,on,prime, no leaks
Started OK today,first push of the button

[slosher]

Hi Roger when you say your tap is not leaking both my 550 & 750 don't leak as such externally,however they will allow fuel down into the carbs when left for a period of time.Only way to check if the diaphragm is working as it should fill the tank with fuel then pull the fuel pipe off the tap if fuel is still seeping out it will eventually fill your carbs and end up in the crankcase and air box.If there's no seeping of fuel from the tap pull the smaller pipe off and suck air through diaphram inlet and you should see fuel flowing out of the tap when on reserve and normal running then all appears ok but i still wouldn't trust it

Cheers Dave