The petcock is automatic. Even though it's in the ON position it closes when the engine isn't running. There's a spring and a diaphragm that performs this magic all driven off of vacuum pressure from the intake manifold. That's that line that keeps slipping off. If it's not attached, or just has a crack and is letting the vacuum bleed off it'll shut off your fuel and kill the bike. Scratch together a dollar and take the old hose with you to any autoparts store and ask for about 14" of vacuum line.
On Tuesday, January 11, 2011, Dustin Mcclure <[email protected]> wrote: > I fixed the Pilot screws last night and the guy that was helping me > said that I would need to sync the carbs once I got the bike > running...he told me the bike should fire up regardless though(it just > may run a little rough until I get them synced). He took my shop > manual home last night though and said he was going to think about it. > I have a feeling that it will end up being something really simple > that has just been overlooked. Overall the engine and carbs are in > good shape. Before the bike was sold to me my brother in-law had > poured a couple hundred dollars into the engine and carbs. I have > noticed some small things though. The hoses that run from the petcock > to the intake manifolds and carbs need replaced and need a couple of > clamps(the hose that goes to the intake slips off pretty often). It > also looks like there used to be a bar that attached all of the pilot > screws to each other so that you could adjust them all at once within > a half turn or so...it is broken off now. Once I get the bike running > again I will probably take it to a mechanic and have them give it a > full tune-up. > > On Jan 11, 12:35 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: >> Nice clean bike. Those pilot screws are actually pretty important. You have >> to make sure the tips aren't buggered up at all. Then tighten them in all >> the way until they're barely snug, and then turn them out about 2 5/8 turns. >> At that point you're also supposed to synchronize the carbs with a >> tachometer capable of 50rpm increments or something like that. >> >> -Kyle >> >> On Tue, Jan 11, 2011 at 12:29 PM, Dustin Mcclure <[email protected] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> > wrote: >> > So I took the carbs off again last night with a friend who owns and >> > maintains 8 of his own Motorcycles(so that I had a pair of experienced >> > eyes). We tested the spark plugs and they were fine. I backed out the >> > Pilot screws a couple of turns(I had no idea when I took the carbs off >> > the first time and tightened them until they were snug). I also fired >> > some ether into the carbs as I tried to start it. The good news is >> > that it did a little bit more for me this time that it did the last. >> > It sounded like the engine was actually trying to catch...there were >> > some loud pops coming out of the muffler...and some smoke. I should >> > have time to work on it again tomorrow. I will take a video of the >> > bike as I am trying to start it. >> >> > Here are some pictures of the bike when it was still running and my >> > brother in-law owned it. >> >> >http://www.flickr.com/photos/sttlnb53/ >> >> > On Jan 9, 9:27 am, "Allen Thomas" <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > Open the throttle fully and squirt ether in the carbs holding the >> > throttle wide open. it will start if you have spark regardless of what the >> > carbs are doing, use small burst of starter long cranking wears them out. >> > > Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T >> >> > > -----Original Message----- >> > > From: Dustin Mcclure <[email protected]> >> >> > > Sender: [email protected] >> > > Date: Sat, 8 Jan 2011 16:19:03 >> > > To: Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!<[email protected]> >> > > Reply-To: [email protected] >> > > Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: Just started cleaning my carbs >> >> > > It turns over and you can tell it is trying to do something but it >> > > doesn't pop or anything. It is just a smooth turn over...it doesn't >> > > sound like the engine is trying to engage at all. >> >> > > A friend of mine listened to the bike and he said it sounded like the >> > > float needles inside of the carb were getting stuck. This also fits >> > > with what was happening before I bought the bike from my brother in >> > > law. He said that after he tried for a long period of time to get it >> > > to start the filter would have gas on it. This happens when the floats >> > > get stuck and the bowls overflow. My brother in law bought some carb >> > > cleaner from the local kawasaki dealership and my mechanic friend >> > > thinks that the cleaner that they sold him made the neoprene on the >> > > end of the float needles swell up. >> >> > > The bike is 27 years old though and it could probably use a carb >> > > rebuild. Do you know where I could get rebuild kits? I have a 1984 >> > > Nighthawk 700 S. >> >> > > Thanks. >> >> > > On Jan 8, 5:47 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > > Have you checked for spark? Is it trying to fire at all or just >> > > > cranking over with no response? >> >> > > > On Saturday, January 8, 2011, Dustin Mcclure < >> > [email protected]> wrote: >> > > > > I did get the carbs back on but the bike is still not starting. I >> > > > > fired some starter fluid into the carbs while trying to fire it up >> > but >> > > > > nothing. Now I guess I will go ahead and rebuild them all :(. >> >> > > > > On Jan 8, 5:25 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: >> > > > >> You have to remove the rear wheel if you want to completely remove >> > the >> > > > >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> > > > >> > [email protected]><nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> > [email protected]> >> > > > >> > . >> > > > >> > For more options, visit this group at >> > > > >> >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> > > > > -- >> > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> > Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> > > > > To post to this group, send email to >> > [email protected]. >> > > > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> > [email protected]> >> > . >> > > > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// >> > groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> > > > -- >> >> > > > -Kyle >> >> > > -- >> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> > > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> > [email protected]> >> > . >> > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// >> > groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> > -- >> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> > [email protected]> >> > . >> > For more options, visit this group at >> >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > > -- -Kyle -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en.
