About to give up on 550

blackfire2800 · L Plate Warrior Joined: 27 Sep 2009 Karma :

I have posted on here previously about my 77 cb550k. It went into storage not running. I have replaces the plugs and gone through the carbs. The battery is charged and still nothing The compression is all good on each cyl. Not sure what else to do. Any ideas?

When I took apart the carbs two were full of fuel and two were empty. THe carbs were soaked in cleaner and I thought that would do it, I also blew compressed air through all the jets/ports and they were clear.

27cows · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2009 Karma :

Presumably it's sparking OK. The first thing I check for in cases of mysterious non-starting for no obvious reason is the fuel cap breather.

virus · World Chat Champion Joined: 17 Aug 2006 Karma :

take the carbs off and turn it over with plugs in and leads attached, squirt a little bit of neat petrol down each cyl seperatley and see if theres a pop/bang from all 4.

If only 2 or none go bang then youve not got the ignition system sorted out.

Cheers
John

p.s. keep a fire extinguisher handy
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own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

stinkwheel · Bovine Proctologist Joined: 12 Jul 2004 Karma :

On the assumption that it's a points ignition one, have you files, gapped and set the points? If it's been sat for a while, there is a good chance they are coated in a varnish-like deposit that does not conduct electricity.

You can clean the contact surfaces with either a proper points file or by trapping a small piece of emery paper in them then pulling it out a few times (each way up). Follow that with a squirt of electrical contact cleaner.

Also, no fuel in two carbs, it's not going to run until you sort that out. Has to be between the fuel tap and the needle valve, there's not much to check.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.