Hard to start - interesting problem - solved

Just thought I would post this on the off chance it might help someone else.

The Beast, my 1980 kz750/4 E1 has always been easy to start but 2 weekends ago it was suddenly a bugger to get going. Same again last weekend and I was thinking oh well it has been really hot and maybe the gas all evaporated from the bowls and I didnt have it on prime for long enough but last night I made sure it was primed long enough and it was still a bugger.

I checked the spark, cleaned the plugs, checked the plug caps, checked for fuel in the bowls but to make a long story short I found the choke was not not working. CV34 carbs. I rolled back the #1 airbox to carb hose and could see that when I moved the choke lever the choke flap/butterfly did not budge. Took the carbs off tonight and brushed some road grime off the choke linkage and put a dab of oil on the spring and linkage and now all is well and I can hear that little "slap" when the choke flap/butterfly valve fits into place.

Might be something to check if anyone suddenly gets hard start issues.
Always something interesting with these old bikes.

Excellent tip. I had a similar issue on a set of VM26's. The set screw had backed out on one of the little actuator arms. That particular plunger wouldn't move at all. Trying to start with three chokes on and one off does make things interesting.

Put a drop of Blue Loctite #242 on the setscrew and it won't vibrate loose, but will come off with tools. The Red Loctites for the most part need about 350F to loosen up, so unless you're applying heat on parts, it's kinda like forever.

Yep, I put some blue on those screws. I hate red loctite. That stuff will make a bolt fight all the way out to the last thread. I know it has it's uses, but boy it's tenacious.

+3 on no red loctite, it can gall threads on aluminum as it is basically like ceramic once it hardens