1995 KZ1000P Won't Start

Yes, the remaining three vacuum lines are capped. 1 and 4 are connected via a hose and the 3rd one is capped. #2 goes to the petcock.

I am having same problem. Im thinking it might be IC Igniter. Anyways I will keep reading your thread as I am also running out of ideas. MFolks suggested I clean all contacts with deoxit so that is what I am doing right now.

Unless you moved the coils around, or put the plug wires back on wrong, from when you had it running before, the coils/ wires should be right. The check for spark, that looked good, right?
You sound like the petcock and vacuum system is oK. Now looking into the Top of the carbs, did you check those Diaphragms real good while you where there? Shouldn't keep it from starting, just when you increase throttle. The Fuel and Jets are down in the bottom of the carbs. The Starter Jets, and the Pilot Jets might be plugged up with old Corn Sugar from the Deathanol Fuel the Gov forces on us. But strange it wouldn't cough or back fire/ something on Ether. Do the Plugs get wet with fuel after trying to start?

Honestly the diaphragms look brand new. Before I bought it, the guy said he drove it up and parked it right inside his loading dock at his job. He had the intentions of fixing the carb boots as they were cracked and leaking air. He decided to sell the bike because he needed money to move. Before I installed the carb bank, I did pull the bottom bowls off so I could see the floats. They didn't looked gummed up. I sprayed it down with a couple cans of carb cleaner just in case anyway. I know this doesn't get deep inside but figured putting some fuel in it and running it around would do a pretty good job cleaning it out. I already went through and cleaned all the electrical contacts. I get a nice blue spark on all 4 plugs. As I try to get it to start, eventually it turns to an orange because the battery is dying. My understanding with the electronic ignition, there really isn't any room to change that. That was the problem I had with my old CB 550, the timing was off and I couldn't get it to run. But it would seem I can't really make that adjustment here.

As for the plugs, I clean them off, check the gap every time I pull them (just in case)and it does look like some fuel does get to it. Ill try and get some pictures today and post them.

Here are some pictures I took. You can kinda tell where it is clean before install. I try to crank it for about 5 minutes. Starter fluid in the breather. Choke full out, I try to actuate the throttle and then when I pull the plug out, this it what I get. It looks kinda sooty almost like carbon build up (which I wouldn't be surprised). I wiped it off on the napkin which you can see in the picture attached.

One thing on how these carbs work. When you are trying to start the bike, with the choke on, don't give it throttle. The "Choke" is actually an enricher, and works best under high vacuum conditions ahead of the throttle butterflies.
Can't tell from those pictures whether there is fuel present. When you hit the ether to it, does it do anything?

I have tested it both ways, just by using the choke, using no choke. Choke and using throttle, No choke and using just the throttle. All results are the same. Will only turn over via the starter and will not fire. There were a few times where I thought it would catch and finally run but wouldn't.

Is it possible there is a vacuum leak somewhere that is preventing the fuel from reaching the cylinder? To me, it doesn't seem to smell much like gas. It doesn't look really "wet" typical of that of a flooded cylinder. I hypothesize that when I spray starter fluid in the actual cylinder head, it is probably too much and is essentially flooding out the cylinder. I only do a brief spurt and don't spray alot but still. This is probably the reason I am getting the sooty material. It is breaking the carbon buildup down. Could I cap up all 4 vacuum nipples on the carb, and only use the prime function? Outside of that, I am not sure how else to check for vacuum leaks. Where else draws vacuum that could effect fuel not making it to the cylinder?

Dirty carb circuits. The Air is being pulled in, but the fuel is not. these starter jets and pilot jets, and their corresponding circuits are quite small. I would pull the carb rack, remove the 4 bowls, keeping all parts for each carb together, remove the jets and inspect. The Starter jets are pressed in, so leave them. You can shot compressed air through them to check if they are plugged. Soaking the carb assy's in carb cleaner would require a complete tear down. But you can usually get everything cleared out by compressed air and carb spray.

I will try that..I think that is my only real course of action left. Thanks!

If it does not fire on starter fluid you have an ignition problem.

But if I am getting spark to the spark plugs? I would like to explore this option if you have any ideas on where I should start?

Do you have carbs connected to the air box and an air filter in place? Ed