Not getting fuel

[jedi50036]

HEy all. I know I have not been a member for very long but i really like the help i have gotten from you all. I just got my 79 xs11 special and it has a few problems. I have fixed almost all of them but now I found that the bike will not go over 60 mph. I have it down to something wrong with the number 4 carb. It is not getting any fuel in the bowl or sending any to the cylinder. Do any of you have an idead of what it might be? I really love riding it and would like to restore it. I am from Iowa and if anyone is close I would appreciate some help with a few things on the bike.

[natemoen]

Well if its bowl is empty, then there is not fuel getting from the tank to the carb. since 3 and 4 share a fuel line and I am assuming #3 has fuel since you only said 4 is empty. Then the problem is that either the fuel T in between 3 and 4 is clogged on the 4 side, or the inlet screen on the #4 float valve is clogged, or the #4 float valve is stuck closed (usually they are stuck open so this is new! ). Those are about the olny things it could be at this point. Check those and get back to us.

Also have you had the carbs out to clean them? If not might as well just pull them and triple clean them now and solve many problems later!

[prometheus578]

Triple clean!

Oooohhh! I've hated and fought against that term here for years.

There's no such thing as "Triple Cleaning" carbs.
I suggest that you pull the carbs and clean them.

(Well, that's not completely accurate either, I suppose. Let me state that differently.)

I suggest that you pull the carbs and clean them and do a good job of it while you're in there.

Now, Natemoen wasn't incorrect in his advice... what he was referring to is the usual way people clean carbs:

They clean the carbs, reinstall them, find they still have the same problem, take them off, clean them again, reinstall them, find they still have the same problem, take them off, clean them again, reinstall them... and now everything's fine.

In my mind, I find it better to CLEAN then correctly the first time and not have to clown with them any further.

As Yoda said: "There is only clean and not clean".

Yup... if what you've described is accurate, Natemoen has covered all the bases for you.

[natemoen]

And I agree with you prom. I think it is a dumb term too, I use it because that's how it is and has been called so if it was searched that way one would most likely find more than enough.info. In the words of Mike Holmes, if your going to do it, do it right the first time. Then its just a single cleaning. Less time less hassle.

[DGXSER]

I think what happens is that folks get the gumption u to clean the carbs, but all to often not enough gumption to pull all the little pieces out, or do not have a thorough enough knowledge of wht and where all the nooks and crannies are that need attention. So they pull them and clean them such that they feel they look nice and should run right, but then find they don't. So someone tells them of a part they did not pull that ...well..yes you REALLY do HAVE to pull that and clean behind it well. So they go back and pull all the little jets out and spray carb cleaner and such through all the little holes they see that appear to do something. And put them back together, and still have trouble. Then someone tells them about this other little part fo the carb they never noticed or knew was there, (little the enrichment jet in the float bowl) and they clean THAT part too. And FINALLY they have thoroughly cleaned carbs.

But now that all that wind has been blown.

[jedi50036]

Fuel

OK i figured it out. There was a chunk of crap wedged in by the float holding it closed. Now i am getting fueal but i still dont have full power. Could this be caused by everything being out of adjustment?

[natemoen]

If you still have not pulled everything apart in the crabs you really need to do that. There are lots of little holes that get clogged after sitting and if there was something holding the float shut then most likely there is something clogging some of the jets. After the cleaning bench sync the reinstall then do another sync then adjust the idle.screws and then sync one more time. Then see what its like.

[jedi50036]

after looking into it more the chunk of crap was JB weld. One of the 2 prongs that hold the pin for the float is broke right at the pin hole. It looks like the guy who rebuilt the cars before i got the bike did it. When i baught the bike the owner gave me the receipt when he had the carbs cleaned and had new kits put in them. but it was in a different state. I now know i need to get new carbs. Do i need to replace all the carbs or just 2 of them. what would be the best kind to get?

[DGXSER]

Honestly, there are ways to repair the damage to the carbs you have that let it work very effectively and long term. Do a search for "float post repair" and I am sure you will find many ideas on how to fix it.

[SFerinTEXAS]

1st timers have no idea how critical a thorough a complete cleaning is. We all can relate. There is no replacement for experience. When you finally get them done right you will have it. Start by reviewing all of this http://www.xs11.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=30 This wont be found there but maybe should http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...&highlight=101 Haven't previewed the later as it came along well after I felt I was tuned up well enough so maybe you should read it first.