Im going to kick myself, I know..

[Planetsmasher]

It seems like one of those questions that has a simple answer but its beyond me.

I have done a by-the-book carb disassembly and clean and I am trying to fine tune a bit before I put it back together. My tank is off and to the side and I have a length of hose so that I can use the real tank as my remote tank while I play around. I turned the petcock to prime to fill the bowls, but nothing would flow through the hose. I know it is not the petcock, because when I remove the hose from the petcock nipple, fuel flows out of there like hell wouldnt have it. So it seems like there is an air lock. However aren't the vent hoses (X2) on the carbs meant to allow for liquid to freely flow through the system just like a plumbing drain stack?

[slayer61]

Your tank is mounted higher than the carbs... Right?

[Agemax]

is the tank higher than the carbs?

[Planetsmasher]

Yes it is.

[Agemax]

has someone tied a knot in the hose without telling you?

[Planetsmasher]

you're having fun with me now... that's allright..

[BigD_83]

How long are you waiting with the petcock on PRIME? If things are working properly, fuel flow should stop rather quickly.

Does fuel flow if you remove the hose from the carb side?

[Guest]

are the carbs fuull? if so its normal for there to be air. open the drains on one of the carbs.

[Agemax]

lol, i really dont know mate. are you sure you have the pipe connected up on the carbs correctly? i am guessing now as i have no idea why the fuel shouldn't flow?

[Planetsmasher]

Yes, the petcock is definitely letting fuel through, and the hose is brand new transparent hose.. so there are no blockages from gunk or debris. I can see through the hose, so I know it's not moving through unless I take the hose off momentarily at the carb side and let some air in.

[Agemax]

give the bike a good shake from side to side and tap the float bowls with a mallet and see if that helps at all

[hampshirehog]

Floats jammed. Are you confident that you fitted them correctly?

[Planetsmasher]

Yes, but I did make my own gaskets which is making me nervous. I traced them from the one surviving gasket I salvaged from the tear down, and I was pretty fussy with it, but you never know.

[hampshirehog]

Chances are your floats have snagged on your gaskets. There's not a lot of clearance.

[Guest]

Does the hose dip lower than the carb fuel inlet tube?
If it does you may have to "prime" it. You know, sucking on the end of the hose to get the gas moving to the carb, like syphoning.

I had to do that with this redneck set-up. (make sure you choose a good flavor of gas).