Hey everyone I finally decided to jump on forums and ask for some guidance. I have a 1980 KZ550a that I got from a buddy. The bike was sitting for a few years and hasn't been started. I changed the coils, starter solenoid, rectifier, battery and cleaned the carbs. I spray a little starter fluid in the carbs when I try starting the bike and it putt putts but then it dies right away (no fuel I assume). I checked the float bowls and they do have fuel sitting in them. Not sure what's happening that the fuel isn't getting to the cylinders? Hopefully someone can help me out.

 

Welcome to KF and congrats on the new ride. Verify float heights and the basic adjustments (as in the slow circuit). Sounds like you are on the right track.

 

Personal observation from what I'd seen in a bike shop over the years...

Pull off your carbs. Disassemble the general carb bodies, but do not tear down the rack of carbs or pull out all the butterfly linkage. You should pull out slides, needles, unscrew the jets, remove floats and float needles, all the loose stuff, but don't break down the general block of carbs. Then take it to a motorcycle (or car) shop that actually dips them into an agitating carb cleaner. That machine works like a washing machine to get the cleaning solution into every nook and cranny. You just can't do that with some spray and air gun.

Clean and check the main and pilot jets. The pilots can easily be clogged with varnish gum from the dried residue of the old gas when the new gas comes in contact with it. It can flake off and turn to gum or just plug pilot jets.

after carbs are cleaned (the shop should wash off and rinse out the carb block with water, if not then you should and blow them off) reassemble them. Check float levels and install them. Hopefully all will work well. You will need to balance the carb after firing up the bike, otherwise it may idle roughly or not come down when reved up.

I hope this helps. We saw several dozen clogged carb sets every spring. The longer the bike sat the worse it was.

 

Just to fill people in on the problem I was having.. Apparently on this bike you need to have the airbox and airfilter installed when trying to start it. They complete a vacuum which helps push the fuel into the cylinders. Bike is running now just need to tune it up! Thanks everyone for their suggestions.