Just wont turn over

[Anonymous]

Ok heres the situation, a 78 GS750 that was sitting unstarted for 2-3 years with gas in it that I picked up cheap from a buddy. Whenever I tried to start it gas poured out of the overflows so I figured the carb jets were clogged or the floats were stuck. I took out the carb and sure enough one of the jets was clogged and two of the floats had so much gunk on them that they wouldnt budge. I took it all apart and cleaned it up and put it all back together and no more gas comes out of the overflows when I try to start it but now it wont turn over. The only way it will start up (and I have no idea why I tried this) is when I spray carb cleaner in the air intake while starting it up, then it will run (and race a bit) but when I stop spraying the stuff in the intake it just dies out. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.......

 

[Anonymous]

Johnny

Since you can make it run, you can eliminate ignition, compression and those other nasty problems from sitting.

Work from the gas tank down. Drain the tank and check the fuel tap. It may have clogged screens in the tank. Take the front off the tap and check the passages for gunk. Reinstall tank and put in a gallon or so of gas. See if you can get any gas flow down the gas line to the carbs.

If gas comes out the line in reasonable quantities, you'll have to pull the carbs again and recheck the jets, especially the idle jets. They should be shiny inside. Clean them out if they aren't with fishing line (not wire or metal). Reinstall and try again. If it doesn't start, check the plugs and see if they're wet. If they are, gas is flowing.

One of the biggest problems with bikes sitting for several years is the accumulation of gunk and moisture and gas evaporating into noncombustible forms. Oh yeah, look around inside the gas tank while you have it off for rust or other junk. Flush it out as best you can since it will end up in your carbs. If there is more than just some surface rust, consider acid washing and CREEM coating the inside of the tank. Put in fresh gas, 3 year old gas may not combust any more.

 

[Anonymous]

Still Trying

Still Trying

Todd

Thanks for the tips, I pulled the plugs and they were black so I changed them and tried again and still nothing... I am getting a spark out of them but after I try starting it they arent wet and when I open the bowl drains they are full so from the tank to the carb is ok and the plugs are new so the problem is somewhere between my carb and my plugs.... This is my first bike and any experience I have is pretty much from just tearing this one apart over the past 2 days and from reading all the posts on this website for the past week before attempting to get this bike running (then I have to learn how to ride it, but thats a different story...) Thanks again for the help :wink:

 

[Anonymous]

Forgot.....

Forgot.....

One more thing.... forgot to add. As I am brand new to this, which one are the idle jets? The ones in the center of the bowls or the tiny thin ones that are going into that hole in the rear of each bowl? And if your using nylon fishing line to clean them out, if you find they are clogged and the fishing line doesnt seem to break through whatever is clogging the jet what else can you use, is there a specific tool made for that or do you need to get a new jet? Thanks...