#2 carb dead at idle

[tkent02]

I pull the Vacuum line from the petcock and run the gas out if I am anticipating extended time without riding.

You might try a tank of no Ethanol gasoline before storing it.

But if there's no gas in the float bowls how can they clog up?

Drain the bowls and pull the fuel line off. Running it until it quits does not get it all out, and a slightly leaking petcock keeps supplying more anyway.

[bobgroger]

Heres the whole story... Got the bike as a project. It was sitting almost 5 years. First thing I did was dismantle and rebuild the carbs, synched and tuned them and it ran OK. Then rode the bike for a season. Near the end of the season the lower jug gasket began leaking badly. The valve seals burnt oil a bit and it has some miles on it. First top end rebuild I've done. Messed with carbs plenty of times on my old gs550. Anyway, replaced the valve seals, cleaned and relapped the valves, had jugs checked for clearance and runout an honed. Installed new rings. New gaskets, had to order some smaller valve shims due to machining the valves a bit. Now that its all back together I'm having what seems to be fuel delivery issues. haven't done much with the carbs besides inspection since the first rebuild. But when I say relatively clean I mean all the brass workings are spotless only the bowl has some yellowing that won't come off even after hot dipping and scrubbing. I don't see it being my issue. the pilot jets are clean as a whistle. Though I wasn't aware that the ring breakin was done by running the bike hard. I've always done car engines and your taught to run them at cruising speed for about a half hour. Which I've done and #2 seems to lean out and die off when the bike gets down below 3k rpm. But the more I run it the better it seems so you may be onto something with the rings not being seated. I'll also recheck the synch. I wad just attempting to set the mixture first because it seemed like had no fuel. I pulled the carbs back apart and went back over them. Seem to be ok. But I may resoak #2 just to be sure.

30 gauge wire wrap wire from Radio Shack is the right size to clean the hole in the end of the pilot jet. The wires in the welding tip type cleaners are too big.

[bobgroger]

You might try a tank of no Ethanol gasoline before storing it.

But if there's no gas in the float bowls how can they clog up?

Drain the bowls and pull the fuel line off. Running it until it quits does not get it all out, and a slightly leaking petcock keeps supplying more anyway.

I am saying that I think the corrosion happens during normal use, not while sitting. Other threads here report similar problems. We can't get ethanol free gas here, except racing gas.

[tkent02]

When I lived there it was before the days of ethanol in the fuel. I never had a problem with water, riding full time year round for about five years. I'm sure it rained 12 months in a row back then. The fuel problem has to be worse now with the ethanol. Is your gas filler cap water tight? Do you store the bike under a roof or outside? How about when it's parked at work? Do you go through a tank every few days or does a tank last longer?
Where are you buying your gas?

[bobgroger]

>>Is your gas filler cap water tight?
Probably not- 34 year old rubber seal.

>>Do you store the bike under a roof or outside
Garaged. Honestly, bike has probably never been wet since I got it

So of course,
>>Do you go through a tank every few days or does a tank last longer?
Could be 2 or 3 weeks before there is a day nice enough for me to get out. I get non tier 1 gas, but from a very new station with plastic tanks. They get their fuel from the Conoco-Phillips rack and turn over ~10000 gallons a day.

So Sta-bil or Seafoam is a good idea for me in every tank? I don't think it could hurt, except maybe long term deposit buildup.
I don't have problems with my fuel-injected vehicles including the one that gets driven only a few times a year. But nothing else has passages as small as a Mikuni pilot jet.

[tkent02]

>>Is your gas filler cap water tight?
Probably not- 34 year old rubber seal.

>>Do you store the bike under a roof or outside
Garaged. Honestly, bike has probably never been wet since I got it

So of course,
>>Do you go through a tank every few days or does a tank last longer?
Could be 2 or 3 weeks before there is a day nice enough for me to get out. I get non tier 1 gas, but from a very new station with plastic tanks. They get their fuel from the Conoco-Phillips rack and turn over ~10000 gallons a day.

So Sta-bil or Seafoam is a good idea for me in every tank? I don't think it could hurt, except maybe long term deposit buildup.
I don't have problems with my fuel-injected vehicles including the one that gets driven only a few times a year. But nothing else has passages as small as a Mikuni pilot jet.

FI systems are sealed, they dont have the evaporation in the system that clogs things. I don't do anything with the FI bikes even when they sit for months. No worries at all, they fire right up every time.
I don't know what to tell you except to ride more. Drain the bowls when you park it?

I have heard that Sea Foam can attack the rubber in your expensive CV carburetor diaphragms. Maybe Stabil is better? Don't know.

[nejeff]

>>

So Sta-bil or Seafoam is a good idea for me in every tank? I don't think it could hurt, except maybe long term deposit buildup.
I don't have problems with my fuel-injected vehicles including the one that gets driven only a few times a year. But nothing else has passages as small as a Mikuni pilot jet.

I would use Sea Foam but not in excess. Also I would check the filter on your petcock. Maybe it has a tear, or hole or maybe it's not even there (i've seen them that way) and maybe that is allowing some rust particles to help clog up your pilot jets

[Tempted]

Did you plug the petcock hose? If you leave the hose off the carb(and it is the #2) then it won't get fuel.

[bikerdave]

30 gauge wire wrap wire from Radio Shack is the right size to clean the hole in the end of the pilot jet. The wires in the welding tip type cleaners are too big.

The pilot jets are new. As in only have about 200 miles on them. I think I might have found the problem though. The pass through in the float bowl on #2 was plugged up. I've resoaked everything and gone over all the tiny holes with fine guitar string to poke out the holes. It appears thats how the idle feeds through the pickup tube that goes down unto the float bowl. I'll be remounting the carbs today and hopefully I licked the problem.

[bikerdave]

Did you plug the petcock hose? If you leave the hose off the carb(and it is the #2) then it won't get fuel.

Yes. Vacuum is dead on. just no fuel coming out. I think I figured it out though