Only runs on starting fluid?

So, I've dusted the '82 KZ550H1 off for another summer of hoping to make it go. Long story short, I had a set of carbs from a later model bike, and I traded them to someone on here who had the opposite problem, and my bike has never run since.


After everything I've done, I now have the bike sitting in my garage, and it fires right up with a little starting fluid. After that, it dies. Does this with or without choke. I have fuel flowing freely to all the carbs, I can get a little fuel out of the bottom of each by losening the screw on the bottom. I just put in a good tank of fuel.

I've had these carbs apart more times than I care to think about. I just don't see anything clogged.

What am I missing? It's a fuel problem, I've narrowed it down to that. I don't have a extra set of carbs laying around either.

it sounds like you might have a weak ignition.

Hmm. I do have a bad battery, and so I'm jump starting it...

Plugs are new, wires are in pretty good shape.

Problem is I'm forbidden from spending any more money on the bike unless either it's already running (once it's running I'm buying a battery, some tires, etc) or if I can say "Yes sweetie, buying this will 100% garunteed fix my bike"

are the plugs getting wet with fuel?

The pilot system is clogged... could be an internal passageway or the pilot jets.

well, if you know the battery is bad i would replace it. or give it a very good charge and see if that helps at all. if that doesn't work, sounds like WG is right.

With the carbs off I would try some compresed air through the fuel inlet and see of you have a clear passage, if so, it must be the jets or float levels.

Well I'm home on my lunch break, so I'll be tearing the carbs off and taking them down to work. Assuming it's a slow day in the 'el shopo, I'll hopefully tear them apart, and check every single jet for restrictions. I'll also throw some air through the fuel rail first to see if it's restricted, and I'll put air through every passage I can.

I'm going to bring the whole bike to the shop sometime in the next few days, and I'll compression test it again, get it on a battery booster to start it instead of cables, and try to buy a new battery.

I'm thinking I'll take all the plastic off, and throw the whole shebang in the solvent tank at work.

I agree that it would be a good idea to check the plugs as well.
If they look dry and healthy then it must be the carbs.
If they are all wet, then it might be the ignition.
It might be fouled plugs too.
How is the compression?