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Prime?
- PFC FNG
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- I've got the sickness!!!
This morning I ran my bike out of gas, I filled the tank and now it won't start. Friend said put the petcock at prime and try to start it. Nothing. It is getting spark just fine but it does not seem to be getting fuel. If I try long enough, I can smell gas but I don't see it and it doesn't seem any closer to turning over. Any ideas?
I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- BSKZ650
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do you have a fuel filter inline?
have you checked to make sure you are getting fuel in the carb bowls
77 kz650, owned for over 25 years
77 ltd1000, current rider
76 kz900, just waiting
73 z1,, gonna restore this one
piglet, leggero harley davidson
SR, Ride captian, S.E.Texas Patriot Guard Riders.. AKA KawaBob
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- PFC FNG
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I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- bountyhunter
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There should be drain screws on the bottom of the bowls. Turn the petcock OFF and loosen the screws and drain them into a small plastic or glass cup.No inline filter. How do I check the bowls?
BTW: gas floats on top of water, so the bottom of many gas tanks has some slimy water sludge in it. When you get down to the reserve tap, that is a shorter pipe that draws fuel at a level lower in your tank.... where the crud sometimes resides.
If I was you:
1) Take the tank off.
2) Use the petcock to drain it out into a clean bucket. Pour the clean gas off into another clean bucket, dump the slimy stuff.
3) rinse the gas tank with either clean gas or naptha (mineral spirits) type solvent.
4) Drop the bowls on the carbs and clean themm.
5) Clean the petcock assembly and filter screen.
6) Install some inline filters.
1979 KZ-750 Twin
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- PFC FNG
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I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- steell
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Will all of this have to be done before I can get this thing running again? Kinda need my daily driver.
Well, if you started right after you posted, you should be out riding right now
KD9JUR
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- bountyhunter
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Will all of this have to be done before I can get this thing running again? Kinda need my daily driver.
You can actually see the answer to that: bike fuel systems work on gravity, and the crap all runs downhill.... just like management.
Anyway, if there's crap in the tank and you don't clear it out, it will just keep going downhill and gunking up the jets in your carbs.
It may be a PITA, but everybody with a bike does it on a semi regular basis.
1979 KZ-750 Twin
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- PFC FNG
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I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- RonKZ650
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As long as you can fit the tools around everything, can you remove the carb bowls without removing the carb rack?
That would be near impossible. Have you removed the drain bolts from the bottom of the bowls and see if gas is flowing? Running out of gas should not cause everything to plug up. You're sure you did in fact run out of gas?
321,000 miles on KZ's that I can remember. Not going to see any more.
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- PFC FNG
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I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- PFC FNG
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I know it would not be any fun if it was easy, but does it have to be this much fun?
84 ZX750 GPZ (Waiting for paint)
Eastpoint, Mi
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- bountyhunter
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Ok. Pulled the carbs, cleaned the bowls. Reassembled (properly as near as I can tell). Removed and cleaned petcock. Rinsed tank. Still won't start. I popped the drain plugs on the bowls and the carbs are getting fuel. I have spark. I have air. Any ideas?
If you are sure you have spark and fuel, the other main piece to check is cylinder compression.
I'd also clean the spark plugs.
1979 KZ-750 Twin
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