Starts when choked--stops when not choked
 

Hi friends,

I have a 2006 500 Kawasaki Vulcan that will start up with no problems when the choke is on, but immediately shuts off when the choke is turned off. I figured the carbs needed to be cleaned so I uninstalled, disassembled, cleaned, and reinstalled the carb and it started and stayed on! I took it for a test drive and it went about 1000ft before the same problem started happening again. Any ideas are greatly appreciated.

I don't think you got all the crud out of the idle circuit and it is clogged again. Usually takes a good cleaning with a carb washer or ultrasonic cleaner to get into the passages where spray and wires can't go, cleaning all the crud out. After working in a shop for a number of years, I've seen it a lot. The bike had been sitting for a number of months without being run, liquid in the gas evaporates off leaving some residue that can flake off or turn into gummy crud and clog up pilot jets and idle circuit - the reason why it only runs on the choke, can't get fuel through the idle circuit.

I appreciate the response! I did use the carb cleaner, and let the pieces sit in there about 30 minutes. It's entirely possible I should have let it sit for longer, but when I inspected the pieces it looked like the holes were all clear.

There are passages you cannot see down through in carbs. There are a couple tiny holes along the floor of the throat around the butterfly of a CV carburetor. Idle circuits have small passage ways going at angles to get gas and air from one place to another,

The washer and ultrasonic cleaners will vibrate and move parts around getting cleaner to places and agitate it not possible with sprays. Plus we would run carbs in an agitating washer for two to eight hours to make sure they were as clean as we could get them, didn't want to do work twice, but even with a lot of time sometimes it took two cleanings. Environmental friendly cleaners are weaker than what we had back when I worked at the dealership. Takes more effort and time to clean.

Just saying putting parts in a container and letting them sit isn't the same as a constant agitation to get the cleaner into all possible places.

Read some

reviews

reviews

, first one I saw they ended up leaving their parts in overnight. Not saying don't use it, just saying don't expect miracles like 15 minutes to a clean part. Remember, we ran a couple hours minimum in a machine with an oscillating drive working the parts in the basket to get carbs cleaned completely and much longer on really bad ones. I think the shaking of the parts is the real trick.

I really appreciate the informative feedback! The bike is actually running now, but I re-installed the choke slider improperly so I need to uninstall it again anyway and I'll probably do another more thorough cleaning per your suggestion.

If it's flowing and running maybe do the Seafoam treatment. If they're running sounds like that stuff works for sure under those conditions. A gas treatment that cleans as it flows. Sure better than taking off the carb again.