The swine won't start!!!!

[Mr Bonehead]

Hi,hope everyone is managing in these strange times .
Still trying to start the kettle,got a good spark ,New battery and fuel in the carburettor bowls(loosened of the drain screw to check)petcock on prime ,tank got fuel,fuel is flowing out on prime but still no joy,it fires up for a second if you put fuel direct into the pots but then stops but keeps churning over on the starter until it backfires !!! ,tried tickling the throttle whilst turning over but nothing .If you take out the plugs they're not wet with fuel just a bit oily but I have put a bit of 2 stroke oil down the plugs to stop it seizing whilst I got round to the renovation (7years).
I think there's fuel starvation going on ,checked the diaphragms in the carbs all ok
Any suggestions gratefully accepted before I throw my teddy out of the cit and park her up for another 7 yrs !!!
Cheers from France Mr B

[canaletto5]

What work have you done on the carbs? Kev

[Alan H]

Send your carbs to Baz, or even better, take the bike to Baz's and let him sort it.

[teazer]

Bonjour Mr B.

Sounds like blocked pilot jets or blockages in some of the small drilled passages in the carbs. If your bike has stock airbox, I feel for you, but pop the airbox off, remove the carbs and clean them (again ?) meticulously. While you are in there, make sure that the right type of pilot jets are fitted.

One trick I always use is to grab a can of WD40 and spray it through one drilling and then repeat on the other carbs, so you have a comparison. You most likely have blocked pilot jet outlets - of which there are several and the they are all tiny.

The reason I suggest WD40 is that it's less volatile than carb cleaner.

[Mr Bonehead]

Send your carbs to Baz, or even better, take the bike to Baz's and let him sort it.

Thanks for the reply AlanH,bit awkward at the moment to take the bike as I live in France and don't trust the postage
Regards Mr B

[Mr Bonehead]

What work have you done on the carbs? Kev

Hi kev,had them off and cleaned jets ,made sure that the floats were working and allowing fuel through,fitted New bowl gaskets,checked the diaphragm s ,think I'll take them off again and have another look ,ill put my glasses on this time I did have a bit of a leak on the petcock but only from the tap seal on the front,i turned the o ring around and this cured it ,going to try a non vacuum tap and spare tank first just in case the peacock isn't working ,it did actually fire up before I did the carburettor leaks but was very rough
Thanks for the reply and keep safe Mr B

[Mr Bonehead]

Bonjour Mr B.

Sounds like blocked pilot jets or blockages in some of the small drilled passages in the carbs. If your bike has stock airbox, I feel for you, but pop the airbox off, remove the carbs and clean them (again ?) meticulously. While you are in there, make sure that the right type of pilot jets are fitted.

One trick I always use is to grab a can of WD40 and spray it through one drilling and then repeat on the other carbs, so you have a comparison. You most likely have blocked pilot jet outlets - of which there are several and the they are all tiny.

The reason I suggest WD40 is that it's less volatile than carb cleaner.

You're right,will try a gravity feed tank just in case the petcock is buggered then make space on the kitchen table and get my glasses on and check the carbs again
Cheers
Ps did you get the president you wanted ?

[canaletto5]

Yep, clean and clean again, ideally with an ultrasonic cleaning machine

[Mr Bonehead]

Hi ,just a quick update,had the carbs of again and gave them a thorough clean but this time put my glasses on,took Teazers advice and used wd 40 instead of carb cleaner ,I also

made a blow through pipe with a tapered end from a sealer tube ,discovered that all 3 of the small 0.5 mm main jet on the air filter inlet were blocked,(top of photo)the idle 1.0 mm jets were clear(bottom of photo)used a piece of thin wire to clear them out,not very easy but found that if you cut the end of the wire at a 45• angle and shaped it like a old starting handle you could turn it and use it as a drill ,pushing it near the bottom with two fingers to stop it just bending the wire
See if the swine starts now !!
Cheers and keep safe MrB

[Mr Bonehead]

Hi all,just a quick update,got the carbs back on the bike and still wouldn't fire up,I took the spark plugs out and dipped them in fuel and as if by magic she came to life first go,bit Smokey at first but that was 8 yrs of two stroke oil in the cylinders to stop her seizing over the renovation period ,soon cleared though and even without the air box on I managed a tick over,next job is to mount the air box
Cheers Mr B