She wont Kick Over ?? Any ideas ?

[webman64]

Hello Folks,

I just bought a 1979 XS1100 Special, It was sitting for a few years and the carbs were all dirty, so I took all the carbs apart checked and cleaned everything and put them back on the engine. I replaced the airbox with 4 seperate filters from Mikes XS and checked the oil, replaced all the fuel lines with blue clear lines.

I fillled the tank 1/2 way then opened the petcocks tolet fuel into the carb bowls..

I then tried to start it, using the fuel richener (choke slider), and got nothing, I tried it several more times and then closed the choke and tried again several more times stilll nothing.

I took out a spark plug from the left and right sides, one at a time and watched for spark when cranking it over. I saw spark.

So, now I am not understanding why it wont run ?

I havent resorted to starting fuild yet, but I think that maybe the only course from here..

Anyone ever hear of this and any help would be greatly appreciated.

T Thank you !!!

John V..

[DGXSER]

What did the plugs look like? Wet with fuel or dry as can be?

On the fuel system, do you still have the Vacuum valve in place on your special? AKA- The Octy? If so, you need to put the petcocks to the PRIME position for them to fill the carb bowls with fuel. With that valve in place, in the ON position fuel only flows when the engine creates vacuum.

In the carb bowl is the enrichment jet. This needs to be cleaned well, push a small gage wire like a guitar string or the wire from a wire brush through the hole from both sides. (check the Carb Cleaning 101 thread for details on this jet and other places to be sure you cleaned). If that jet is plugged, your enrichment circuit does nothing and the bike will not start cold.