Alright, I have been pounding my head against the wall that last few days trying to fix this problem. I cant get my bike to run so i can take it for a spin. I have a 1999 Kawasaki Ninja 500.

So, before I put the bike away for the winter months the bike has run perfect! I did leave for work one day and came back to find my bike tipped over on its side. I dont know how long it was laying there(not more than 4 hours) or if the problems its having now is even related.

I went to go start the bike up the other day and it would start. I thought the engine may have been flooded so I held down the start button, opened the throttle, and turned the petcock to off. After a minute or to it started up, and ran fine. I let it run through all the gas in the lines before i turned the petcock back to on. Once I did that the engine died. I tried starting it again and still wouldn't start. So once again I turned the petcock to off and the engine started up. Then, turned the petcock to on and the engine died again.

I took the petcock apart and cleaned it up real good and it still does the same problem. I then ran a full can of Carb cleaner through the carburetor. Still does the same thing. I took the carburetor off and cleaned it and put it back on. Same problem. It seems as if the engine runs fine without a lot of fuel running in the carburetor. but once I turn the petcock to 'on' and gas starts to flow, the engine shuts of or has an extremely hard time running. and it doesn't sound good.

So to sum it all up, the engine will run with the petcock in the 'off' position, and will not run in the 'on position'. Any help or advice? Thanks!

 

Fresh gas? Don't waste your time, starter, or spark plugs trying to fire-up that de-oxygenated fuel from last year..... If that doesn't do it, it's time to clean the primary jets.
Welcome aboard, St3v3.

 

I put some fresh gas in it today and ran it for a while with the petcock off. Then turned it back on. I did this a few times to get some fresh gas in the lines. However, it still has the same problem. When the petcock is turned off it runs and idles fine. Then I turn it on and it cokes up and dies.

How do I go about cleaning the jets?

 

www.bikebandit.com has detailed parts diagrams. Hope that helps, good luck.

 

Cleaning the jets, fresh gas, whatever is just pissing about initally.

The bike runs with the Tap off, and stops when it's on. So the engine, carbs and ignition system are all basically OK, as is the fuel.

Pull the fuel line and check that fuel flows freely with the tap on, and stops with it off. If the tap's working properly the first thing to check is probably the floats for sticking, and the associated needle valves, but I really suspect a problem with the fuel tap.

btw - pump fuel isn't oxygenated. It loses some of the volatiles while standing, but 2 year old fuel should still be capable of starting and running an engine although it'll be a bit down on power.

Rob

 

Diesel fuel maybe. My old 9 will snort, crackle, and fart if I leave the gas in the tank longer than 2 months; let alone 2 years.

....but what the hell do I know.

 

The petrol that we use for the outboards , especially the 4 horse for the tender, gets little use and may sit in containers for three or four years.

Last year, servicing them, I had no problems at all with two year old petrol. This time the 4 horse is reluctant to start. That may be because the fuel system wasn't drained down and the carb's gummed up, or it may be because the fuel is finally getting past its use by date, but that's three years old. The 4 horse is also a 2-stroke and the can holds a 30:1 pre-mix.

The 4-stroke motor started up fine on its three year old fuel.

Longest I've stored petrol and used it in a bike was about a year when a project got delayed, and that started up OK.

I know that American petrol seems more inclined to degrade than ours, but I find it losing enough volatiles to be noticeable in just a couple of months a bit hard to swallow.

For info - the spare diesel cans we keep on the boat are often unused for two or three years and never give any problems, but that's diesel, not petrol.

Rob

 

The gas we use is not the same as the gas our dad's used period! This stuff today is almost biodegradable. They don't want it to last long anymore. It's a wonder anything even operates on it anymore. Its got more ingredients in it that tobacco. Just another old dude's opinion.

 

I hate to correct you, but we are lucky to get gas to do what it was intended to do even a couple of months after we buy it. This stuff is garbage!

 

Well after taking it all apart its finally running great!! The problem was the with Float Valves. One of them had some buildup and wasn't moving like it should. I cleaned them both off and put it all together and its good to go! Thanks guys for your help!!! I really appreciate it.