This is the same person who posted about the tailight and blinkers earlier. (99 cbr f4 the tack says 1600 miles but I don't believe it) Cept now I have a more critical problem. Starting to seem like I made a bad buy on this bike.. everything is wrong! If anyone can help me out I will be impressed.
Ok, the situation is.. I rode my bike to my dad's house and pulled up his driveway and killed it.. I went to start it again (it is warm) and it wouldn't there's still about a quarter a tank in it. I turn the choke on to get it to start and it does and it's idle fluxuates and then dies. I checked to see if I was running in reserve and no.. gas is on. This is a wierd problem because the same thing happened last night.. at a stoplight!! I pulled up.. dropped it to first, and it died.. I pulled onto the sidewalk and tryed to start it.. using the choke to get it running.. yada yada.. die. but somehow God must've helped because for no reason it started.. and got me home.. No problem starting it earlier today either. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS WRONG. It seems like a gas problem... but that doesn't make sense. Can someone who knows this bike .. or just carborated bikes inside and out.. plese tell me what is wrong. I'dreally appriciate it.

 

Did you just buy the bike? Had it been sitting for awile before that? It almost sounds like a case of bad gas, and/or dirty carbs. If so you may want to try draining the old gas out put some fresh stuff in with some carb cleaner and run that through

 

The first thing you have to know is if it is an ignition or fuel problem. Usually easy to fix once you know what the problem is. Right now you're just guessing and that can cost lots of time and money. Even when God is watching, gas delivery problems don't usually cure themselfs, but electric problems can be intermitent. Unfortunately, you have to wait until it won't start again to do the troubleshooting.

When it won't start you have to pull a spark plug. Is it wet or dry? Lay it on the valve cover and crank. Does it spark? If the plug is wet with gas and the plug doesn't spark, you have an ignition problem. You have to pull a plug from a cylinder with a different coil to see if it is sparking. The problem is usually a switch problem like the emergency switch, kickstand switch, neutral switch, clutch switch, etc. If the plug is dry, you have a fuel delivery problem, like fuel pump, fuel filter, dirty carbs, etc. If the choke won't start it, it usually means a problem getting fuel to the carb. Good luck.

 

check the fuel valve switch my bike dies sometimes when i switch it to reserve and there is still gas in it i rode my bike with valve off thencamehome still not realizing it was off the went to the gas station the next day and filled it then went to work and the thing died on the way to work i guessed i rode with it off for like a hour, hour and a half with it off

 

Hmmm, I'm glad you are giving me more ideas. My inexperience with non-fuel injection doesn't help. What you were saying about the carbs makes the most sence to me.. The bike is new to me.. and has been sitting for nearly 1 1/2 years to two.. That would explain alot to some people.. but not me...So now the battery's about dead... and I need to drain and get cleaner gas? (if I fill it up again with more new stuff will that dilute the dirty crap enough to get home? and carb cleaner? is that at any auto store? I've heard of getting them "jetted" what does that mean? I'm low on money so taking it to a shop is my last resort.. but I would like to figure this out with your help. Can you go into more detail with the carberators and the spark plug thing.. I don't think it's that.. but for any other explanations can you name more syptoms that I would notice.. because.. when it IS running, it's perfect! oh and the fuel valve switch I tryed starting it in both on position and reserve.. it's quite hidden on my model. I'll wake up early in the orning tomorow to try and get it started again.. but I might have to get it towed.. doah![:@] any advise is helpful.. and I really appriciate your help so far. thank you.

 

I wouldnt take it to a shop before you try some easy and cheap things first. To me it sounds like a fuel problem and not ignition. If the gas in your tank is 1 or 2 years old then that is your problem for sure. Just drain it out and put some new gas in dont worry about cleaning the tank or anything like that the little amounts left over will be diluted and not affect anything. If thats not the case and all your gas is new then try cleaning out your carbs and making sure your air filter is good to go and no clog in your exhaust. I agree with slowpok when he says ignition problems are more intermitent, and can be a pain to figure out anywhere from a loose wire to broken componet. Try to charge your battery for free at autozone or checkers sometimes you can save them

 

ok. I had a very strong feeling it was a fuel problem.. but what.. hopefully it's relatively a simple fix.. cuz it's startin to get sunny. and with finals coming up I don't know if I can handle the stress of it being in the electrical. (If you read my other post you know I already have those problems: horn wire pulled out, tailight has second thoughts about lighting, and blinkers in front refuse alltogether.)
How first off will I clean my carbs? I don't mind if you treat me like an idiot with intructions.. I'm sure it would help me and other people who read it more if we get it in laim-man's. Don't I need to be able to start it to run carb cleaner through it? If I do need to drain the gas.. which I hope it doesn't come to that.. (that sh#t is expensive these days. just kiddin) but whould I just take the tank off and let it flow out the bottom? or tip it over? Would that damage anything? I do know I need to check my air filter.. seeings as I just bought the bike.. I hope the last owner put in a k&n to make my life easier.. but I doubt it. Again, I can't thank you helpers enough.

 

make sure ur normal idle is around 1400 rpm

 

Yeah.. when it used to idle normaly it was around there.. last night I would use the choke because that's the only way I could get it to turn over.. and then it would idle high (normal) and then completly drop off and die.

 

If the bike will only idle with the choke on then the problem is clogged pilot jets. The choke circuit bypasses the pilot jets on most carbs, and the pilot jet operates from idle to part throttle.