ok so i bought a 86 zx600 in september and the previous owner said that the bike didnt start up well cold. Ok so i ripped apart the carbs, cleaned the jets and bowls out...thats it! i didnt adjust a thing in the carbs. i have spark, and fresh gas. But when i crank the engine and pull one of the plugs its dry. Is that normal? Im playing with the choke and everything...any thoughts?

 

Did you find alot of crap in the bowls? Did you clean the pilot jets real good? It takes a few tries sometimes to get carbs nice and clean, especially if its a bike that has been sitting with bad fuel in it.

 

Yup, the low speed circuit is really picky on being cleaned.

Welcome to KF

 

do u mind clarifying on what the low speed circuit is? and im pretty sure i gave the carbs a thorough cleaning. i drained the bowls prior to storage. the thing is the bowls have fuel in them and i have spark but when i pull the plugs them come out dry....i think they should b wet so there might b a problem with the suction system? just throwing that out there. thanks

 

 

Vacuum leaks are probable, and so are blocked fuel passages. The fuel inlet needle and seat are prone to clogging for example. Pretty much a process of elimination.

edit: Hope you checked the fuel filter and the fuel tap as well.

 

cleaned the fuel tap(petcock?) and fuel filter is brand new..i actually added the filter..bike didnt have one before. thanks for the diagram...i pulled the carbs again to clean them...is there a standard preset for the pilot screw??????

 

I think that 2 and 1/4 turns out was a general pilot screw adjustment.

 

ok i pulled the carbs recleaned the jets.....readjusted the pilot screw and adjusted the idle...it was all the way closed!