TOPIC:

1983 Kawasaki GPZ750, ran last year and sat because I never used it over the winter. Went to start it with fresh gas, gas came out of the petcock and carb number one and two through the over flow, took the carb off and cleaned them and put a new petcock. Went to start it and it just turns over doesn’t fire, I took a plug out to see if it was getting spark, and when I turn the ignition from off to on I get a nice wake up call and get shocked. When I crank the bike it has a nice blue spark and doesn’t shock me, but it doesn’t start. Not even with starting fluid. Is something shorted and causing it not to run? Why would the spark plug fire but the bike doesn’t even attempt to run?

Are the carb bowls filling up?
Did you:
Check that the “Pri” setting on the peatcock makes it flows fuel?
Check that the carbs fills up by opening the drain screws in the bottom of the fuel bowls?
Check that the ignition cables connected to the correct cylinder? 

You can use “Start gas” to check if it ignites and then narrow it down to a fuel problem. 

Holding on to a spark plug really can live things up 

//A 

Yes fuel is flowing no problem, all the bowls fill up, spark plug is wet, and I held by the boot not the plug which is weird because I thought the rubber boot would prevent me from getting shocked.

I would check fuses.

And when you take one spark plug out (nr4 for instance) and let it rest on the cylinder head (so it get grounded) and you run the starter you still get a spark?
 What does the plug look like? Is it wet with fuel?
  //A

Shocked by boot
Used to happen in Ireland where the weather can vary from damp to wet. Plug HT wires get covered with a thin film of moisture/crud and short out giving a weak spark and a pretty good jolt to a bare hand. I would remove the gas tank and wipe down the HT leads using a cloth moistened with WD 40. Also wipe down the ceramic part of the plug.

May not be your exact problem but cheap and easy to try. I plan to start bike in the next week or so and will do the same to clean off accumulated winter crud (both visible and invisible)


 

  Holding on to a spark plug really can live things up 

//A 

Ah the good old days of pulling plug leads to find a misfire 

 Snap-On used to make a tool for this (don't know if they still do ?) see below 

Yes this was the problem, I had some engine degreaser residue on it and that’s what got me, after cleaning it’s fine now but still won’t start, just give that rumbling sound like it wants to, it won’t even start with starter fluid in the intake

Ok
possible solutions. Things I have done myself.

Plugs gas fouled - try fresh/ new plugs.

When using starter fluid can you remove air filter and using a long enough tube through the airbox  squirt the starter fluid through each carb with choke flaps open/ horizontal. Then put back air filter. Close choke (full choke) and try again.

Check choke is operating properly.

Weak battery.  Jump start from a NOT RUNNING car battery.

Carb pilot/starter circuit dirty or blocked.

good luck