I'd like to get the bike back together tonight so if I could get a bit of help quick that would be great. Sorry for another thread but this title should be more indicative of my current problem. Anyway, I decided just to tear the whole thing down since it needed new fluids, filters, possibly plugs, and I wanted to clean the carbs. The bike's currently all torn down and I really want it back together tonight, hopefully you guys can help me out.

Quickndirty:

-PROBLEM-
-Bike acts like it's flooding out while riding. It just sputters and dies. It sort of idles, but any throttle and it dies.
-I get a heavy gas smell from the tail pipe, some smoke occasionally, and some liquid that smells like gas from the pipe.
-Oil smells like gas.

-WHAT I'VE DONE-
-Cleaned carbs. Floats were moving freely, and fully close off the line. All areas of carb looked pretty clean. Diaphragms in good shape, no problems. Ran B12 Chemtool through several passages and the bowls.
-Oil + Filter change
-Coolant Flush
-Pulled Plugs. Plugs were in perfect shape, didn't look like it had been running rich according to the plugs....(). A bit of oil on the 3 & 4 plug threads but not much.

-SO......NOW WHAT?-
I did basic services but where do I go from here? I was expecting to find a problem in the carbs or plugs, but didn't see anything indicating a major problem.
-I just realized the fuel tube and drain tube is there for the gas tank, but breather tube is NOT. Would this cause my problem?

I don't want to put it all back together and have the same problem, so where should I go from here? What should I do before I put it back together again?

 

How old are the plugs? Mine had a little bit of oil and where doing the same as yours, spuddering then dying. I changed the plugs and it runs great. I think that the old plug were not producing a powerful enough spark.

 

I don't know how old they are, but they look in perfect condition with the exception of that bit of oil on the threads. They don't look worn hardly at all. They're the proper type (NGK CR9EH9) and gapped properly. If they could be causing a problem I'll replace them now. But I don't want to throw away money on plugs if the current ones are just fine.

What about that breather tube?

 

Did you sync the carbs after you had them off the bike for cleaning...?

SIRR1

 

If you have a manual look at the Pilot Screw adjustment. It could be that they are adjusted toward rich and that's a part of the problem. Search around on here for the downloadable manual if you do not. Either way, it's worth doing the adjustment if someone played with it before you. Only thing is you'll need a special tool (Motion Pro makes it) that you can pick up from honda motorsports and has a "D" shaped bit for the screw.

 

I dont know about the 96 but on the 98's i am pretty sure the pilot screws are not adjustable.

 

The pilot screws are adjustable in a 98. It uses the little D shaped tool. This may not be a pilot issue because he says the issue is when he is riding and not idling. Maybe someone put in too large of jet in. The other question I have is when does the flooding out happen? Does it happen when the bike is warm or when ever the bike is running.

 

Just off the top of my head you may have a tank vent blocked. This seems to happen mostly shortly after taking the tank off. Try opening the fuel cap and listening closely, if you hear a whoosh you vent is blocked. After 15-30 seconds of opening the cap if this is the case the bike should start.

 

Yes, pilot screws are adjustable in a 96 with the little D-shaped tool as well.

Courtney,
Jets are stock, I checked them when cleaning. 135 on the 1&4, 138 on the 2&3 (non CA model). I had problems with it at all temperatures. From cold, some liquid and black smoke, like there was too much fuel. I didn't have a problem aside from that for a good 150 miles, and then out of nowhere I was getting off the freeway (at full operating temp) and it stalled. It didn't really seem flooded then, acted like it ran out of gas IMO. But it still had plenty. After playing with it for a while it restarted, but I had to ginger it. I tempted fate and rode it a couple miles to school the next morning, but it kept wanting to stall and I had to keep the RPMs up or it would cut out. It was after that it started acting perpetually flooded, and each time I'd start it that day it was hard to start and would greet me with smoke and liquid and a strong gas smell. It would only let me idle. Any throttle and it died immediately. That's when I finally gave up and tore it down.

Hawk,
There was not a vent tube coming from the tank at all. I ordered one and am picking it up tomorrow. How can I check that the tube inside the tank isn't blocked? I never noticed a whooshing or difficulty opening the tank as some said would happen with a blocked vent.

Thanks for the ideas, any other thoughts? I guess I'll get the carbs balanced/synced when they're all back together again.

Anyway, after sundry mishappenings like twisting the heads off screws (each time meaning carbs go on and off) and other fun things I'm partway through getting it back together again. One other problem - I have adjusted the throttle main and return cable every possible way, both upper and lower adjustment, and can not get it to snap back well for the life of me. It was doing fine before. Ideas?