Replaced carb joints and spark plugs, wont start

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Osgyth

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Hey everyone,

Once again I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction. I pulled my carbs out this winter (never opened them) so I could replace the carb joints. Took care of that and also replaced my spark plugs while I was at it. Now it won't start.

I've gotten a few backfires when I try to start it. The TPS diagnostic is telling me its off. I'll be getting a bit in my hands to adjust that tomorrow, but would that be a reason it won't start?
 
Osgyth said:
Hey everyone,

Once again I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction. I pulled my carbs out this winter (never opened them) so I could replace the carb joints. Took care of that and also replaced my spark plugs while I was at it. Now it won't start.

I've gotten a few backfires when I try to start it. The TPS diagnostic is telling me its off. I'll be getting a bit in my hands to adjust that tomorrow, but would that be a reason it won't start?
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Did you drain the float bowls when you removed them from the bike? Trust me when I say, even a small amount of gas left in the floats will gum up these carbs. With all the additives in the gas these days, you only have a month or two before it clogs up. Also, are you using the choke?
 
I didn't drain the float bowls... so now I'm gonna have to pull them back out and open them up? Something I was trying to avoid from the start... I am trying to start with the choke on.

I did put the spark plugs back in the right order, 1-4 left to right.
 
Osgyth said:
I didn't drain the float bowls... so now I'm gonna have to pull them back out and open them up? Something I was trying to avoid from the start... I am trying to start with the choke on.

I did put the spark plugs back in the right order, 1-4 left to right.
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If you didn't drain them it would be a good idea to remove them again and clean them up. I know it's a job but you've taken them out once so it shouldn't be too much of a huge deal. Make sure that you have a decent philips screwdriver as well. You don't want to strip the screw heads. Give them a good cleaning and remove the jets one at a time and use a piece of piano wire to run through them. If your going to use compressed air, make sure you set your regulator to a very low PSI. You don't want to hit them with force.
 
So I pulled the carbs again today and opened them and cleaned them. They looked pretty clean, but went through it anyway. Still won't start. I pulled the plugs and they all show slight discoloration from sparking (and getting back fires, so sparking). I even emptied the tank and drained the carbs to put fresh gas in. Still won't start.

Got any other ideas?
 
Just being curious. If you have some starting fluid, try spraying some around the necks of the carbs while it cranks to see if it changes at all. Are you smelling gas from the exhaust when it's cranking?
 
Osgyth said:
yea I can smell gas. When I pulled them off today they were full of fuel, so I know its getting that far...
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Okay, so they are getting fuel. Thats good. Now, you checked for spark, or you assume there is spark because of the backfiring? I say this because if you check my threads from way back, there is one where I broke down and had a similar issue. After two weeks of troubleshooting, I brought the bike to Ivan's and he went to check the plugs. I told him that I had just put brand new plugs in and he said it didn't matter. Well, it wound up that one plug was cracked in the porcelain section and it threw a spark when put to ground but when It was installed, it "arched" to the valve cover shorting it out. He replaced the plug and the bike was great ever since.
 
I'm assuming there is spark because of the backfiring. Even if one plug wasn't sparking properly wouldn't the other 3 be enough to get it to start? It would just idle messed up. I'm in West Milford, NJ; about 45mins from the GWB.
 
I'm just thinking that maybe the Gap in not correct. I know some guys say that the plugs come pre-gapped but I never go by that. You know how many times the workers drop or slam the boxes down when handling them. It doesn't take much to throw them off gap. I feel bad for you but don't worry, we'll get it sorted out.
 
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