TOPIC:

So what does it mean when my '82 KZ-440 will start when I shoot a few seconds of starter fluid into the carbs. and then dies when the starter fluid burns off?

I have gas getting in the cylinder becuase I can smell it and when I pull the plugs I can see the gas on the plugs? Am I running rich - Can that cause me to not start without the starter fluid?

Any other ideas?

More likely your carbs are full of gelled fuel. Has the bike been sitting?

KZCSI

Nope - carbs have been removed and cleaned. I did not rebuild or adjust anything - Just removed carbs to clean.

Nope - carbs have been removed and cleaned. I did not rebuild or adjust anything - Just removed carbs to clean.

I had the same problem with my bike. It wouldn't start especially when it was cold and when I checked the plugs, sometimes they would be blowing bubbles with the gas. OK, what I did was that I had my plugs gapped to.035 and I put them back to 31 then, One of my girlfriend's pple did some tuning with the air mixture screws. I didnt no what exactly what he did, if he turned them out or in but after that I didnt have anymore flooded plugs. He did tell me that i wasn't getting enough gas which was confusing to me. What I normally do is put the choke half or 3/4 way up or out so as not to give it to my gas and check also to see that you are getting spark and the right gap on your plugs and try air mix screws, if you know what you are doing

You might check the choke to see if it is working.

Check for strong spark and the plug gap.
Low spark will work with Diethyl Ether but not with gasoline unless the engine is hot enough to help vaporize the fuel more than when it is cold.

I also assume you have the air box off while shooting the starting fluid in there so that means the air/fuel mixture will be lean anyway.

How do I check for a strong or weak spark - I am getting a spark, but don't know how strong it is.

Also, the carb is not connected to the air box, but how will this give me a lean mixture? The carb is still able to suck air.

i would think if its running till ether burns off youve got fire,just not getting fuel;)

First of all I don't know how you can tell if its a strong or weak spark but I can tell you this. If the spark is small and white, a very thin line, it is weak. I my clymer manual for my bike, is says you are supposed to be looking for a fat blue spark. When your carb isn't hooked up to your air box it gives you a lean mixture because the airbox is basically a air restriction and when you put on pod filters you let in more air, more air than the jets or air mix screws were designed to handle and thus you get a lean mixture. i am not a pro on carbs but you do sound like you need to adjust your air mix srews and check your connections in your wires to your spark plugs. Check around for an ohmmeter and check your secondary resistance, I dont know how the ignition is set up on your bike..... if 2 plugs fire the same time or what but you check resistance by 1 ohmmeter lead in one spark plug cap to the other cap on the same coil

The guy turned my air mix screws half out To decrease the fuel and bring in more air