Both my XS & XJ wont start after severe rainstorm- weak spark?

[scn]

Hey everyone- quick update. I pulled the right two nuts out of my float bowls and would you believe they were EMPTY?

My left two bowls have fuel- how could that happen? I understand the left bowls are on the kickstand side, is it normal for the right bowls to not fill if the bike has not been running for a few days?

Any ideas on what to do next? My octopus valve seems to not be passing fuel to my carbs either... I do not understand how this could be after I was able to get it running rich at one point. Maybe I had/have 2 separate problems- poor spark - which I fixed, it seems, and a failing Octopus valve?

[scn]

The special lives!!! Now for the Maxim...

Seems like the octopus is broken. I bypassed it by having each of the 2 carb fuel lines run direct to the petcocks. Oddly enough it seems my mechanic made PRI the off position for my petcocks.

If I trim the fuel lines so they do not kink I should be able to run it like this if I remember to shut the gas off, correct?

[mro]

if I remember to shut the gas off, correct?

Yup....
But make sure that the petcocks do not leak in the off posistion.


mro

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by scn
Oddly enough it seems my mechanic made PRI the off position for my petcocks.

Aha, so your petcocks have been put together wrong! Drian your tank, forget about that mechanic, take the petcocks off and apart, and get the mixed-up pieces back where they belong and together the way they should be. That might clear up some of your mysteries.

[tarzan]

I took my octy off a couple months ago and I always forget to turn the petcocks off.I havent had a problem yet.I did rebuild my carbs earlier this year though.If you have good needles and seats,which you definitely should,your bike wont flood if you leave the petcocks on all the time.Although I admit it is good practice to turn them off.My bike is a special too and I believe I plugged off the prime also.It works fine on ON or RESERVE.

[scn]

Geez. One my Special, PRI is OFF, while on my Maxim, PRI is ON! If my mech was going to fool around with it he might as well be consistent.

Something is screwy in there, I will confirm the settings on these things and rebuild my Special petcock as one side leaks when it should not.

Where do you all recommend to go first for a rebuild kit?

My Maxim runs awesome now as well. Cannot believe both Octopus valves failed in the same weekend. It must have been the sudden cold snap we had with the storm- we even got hail at one point.

Does anybody sell new Octopus valves? Does anybody recommend I go back to stock setup or should I just leave it be as long as my carbs are sealing off the fuel flow when appropriate? I will try to remember to turn off the petcocks whenever I stop.

Thanks everyone for your help. It turned out to not be an ignition problem after all.

[mro]

Rebuild kits are available. Think last time I got em from bikebandit.com
Probably available from georgefix on eBay too.
Just got a valve cover gasket from him.

I use the octopus, while many take it off.


mro

[barberad]

Originally posted by barberad
They are very old and probably not worth very much. I could probably come and pick them up and not charge you very much for helping

Dan

If they are both working now, I would let you ride them up on to my trailer before I took them!

Glad to hear there running, sounds like we need to take a road trip.

[egsols]

Have you tested the octy's?

I know a dealer really messed up my plumbing, put left petcock on right side and right on left, ran prime as on, on as prime, ran the vacuum from the octy straight to the vacuum advance and ran the manifold vacuum to the carb inlet. JAT