yet another carb question

[concepthug]

:confused I have a 80 xs 1100 special that was sitting up for about 6 months.I took the carbs off & sprayed the bowls & floats out with carb cleaner.The floats & needles move up & down freely.The bike will only idle with the choke on & will die if I try to turn the throttle.I can spray carb cleaner into the throat on 3 & 4 & the idle will pick up, but on 1 & 2 it dies.Long story short I was wondering if someone can give me an idea on which holes I need to look at first because I didnt notice any stopped up.Thanks in advance

[natemoen]

There are lots of small holes and all need to be clean. Do a thread search for "carb cleaning 101" by wildkat. Lots of pics in disassemble and cleaning.

[concepthug]

Thanks I kept searching carbs, didn`t think about searching for cleaning. Brain Fart!

[Ken Talbot]

Ah, gotta love it when a new owner comes on board, gives his carbs a quick spritz with some cleaner, then wonders why it doesn't run right! Concept - you have just joined a very large group of people who, without realizing it, have embarked on the fabled triple clean. You've been into your carbs once, and odds are very good thet you will be in twice more before you discover what your bike can really do. OTOH, you could end up in one of two elite sub-groups. One subgroup, probably the most elite, gets it absolutely right the second time through. The other subgroup, also quite rare, is those who end up into their carbs nine or more times (i.e. triple clean, three times over) before they get it right.

All kidding aside, welcome to the world of XS11s. Read and heed wildkat's tech tip and anything else you can find on carb cleaning. Then, git'er done!

[mack]

Welcome

Ken, I can tell your a " the glass is half full type of guy. Haven't been to your side of the world since I was shooting down avalanches at rogers pass in 77. Still a good bike road between you and golden?

[Ken Talbot]

Most of the road from here to Golden is decent but there are much better rides towards Nakusp, Kaslo, etc. do remember a guy named Peter Kimmel who was with SRAWS working for Fred "back in the day?

[mack]

tough ride

Nope don't remember that name. Remember Fred though and can't think of the guy who ran the snow plow but, if you want a real experience. Ride with one of these psyco's after a shoot. Closest thing you'll get to a bob slegh run at 80 mph in a ten ton vehicle.

[concepthug]

Thanks Ken, I had restored the bike a couple years ago and had rebuilt the carbs along with changing everything else between the tank and the carbs.I guess I left it sitting up to long this time,and was a little foolish in the amout of time it will take to get it back running.I guess I need to get use to being "One" with my carbs.