oh so close. . .

[williamruck]

I talked to the local Yamaha dealer and they told me that a starter circuit cutoff relay would cost me $66.49. That seems like an awful lot to me, does anyone know where I might get a used but working one?

[williamruck]

HURRAY!! OK, I cross referenced the product number from the Yamaha website with the number that was on the part and I found out that it was not the starter cut-off relay but in fact the side-stand relay. I say hurray because instead of having an expensive part to replace I can just bypass it to make sure that it is the problem. Now I have already been privy to the argument about whether to bypass it or not but I am just going to bypass it for now. I will let you guys know what happens.

[williamruck]

Alright, I have all of the starter and ignition electrical stuff worked out now, I think. The bike will turn over now and it will even fire a bit but it won't sustain itself. At first I wasn't getting anything out of the float bowls when I unscrewed the little drain plug, but I replaced some of the hoses and now it is getting fuel into the carbs but it still won't actually RUN. Is there anything I can tweek or fiddle with to adjust the amount of fuel coming in? Any thoughts or suggestions?

[YellowJacket!]

You mentioned that the carbs were rebuilt.  Do you know how well they were cleaned when they were rebuilt?  Sounds like you are having carb issues.

David

[Rick G]

YJ is right , it sounds like cruded up carbs..  Perhaps its time to  squirt a little gas in to the carb throats.

[williamruck]

Do you know how well they were cleaned when they were rebuilt?

They were rebuilt by a local RoV member and he said that they ran when they were on his vision, but something might have gotten in them, during shipping.

YJ is right , it sounds like cruded up carbs..  Perhaps its time to  squart a little gas in to the carb throats.

I will give that a shot, I think I have some starting fluid sitting around from an old potato cannon.

[williamruck]

one more note: when I loosen both of the float bowl drain screws I only ever get fuel out of the back carb, do you think one of the carbs may be clogged up?

[tben]

I had some similar problems before going through the whole sync/pilot procedure. After it fires a bit check the exhaust pipes and see that front and back are equally hot. For a long time my front cylinder would not fire, all it needed was some carb adjustments though.
Also, with the airbox off do both carbs squirt fuel when you twist the throttle. It should visibly spray out of the accelerator nozzle (copper tube pointing down throat of carb).
Lastly, new plugs/caps/wires are cheap and help a lot!

[Tiger]

one more note: when I loosen both of the float bowl drain screws I only ever get fuel out of the back carb, do you think one of the carbs may be clogged up?

Loosen one, check gas flow and tighten. Repeat with other carb. If you don't have fuel coming out of one/both, what does that tell you :-\...You have a fuel blockage somewhere my friend.
Vision carbs need to be ultra clean for them to work properly AND an in-line fuel filter is a MUST, before you reconnect to the petcock and try to fire her up. "Washing" the gas tank out, while you have the carbs off for cleaning, is always a help to. There is no short cut to this...

              8).......TIGER........ 8)

[QBS]

Re no fuel coming out of the front carb drain:  For fuel to enter the float bowl it must pass through the float needle valve.  These valves sometimes get stuck in the closed (up) position.  With at least two gallons of fuel in the tank, put the fuel petcoke on "Prime", open the front float bowl drain screw, tap the side of the front carb float bowl lightly with socket extension or long screw driver.

The shock of your tapping should unstick the needle valve and let it drop down and thus open the valve for fuel flow.  Gas should begin flowing out of the drain.  You now know that you have fuel flow to the front carb.

If you get no fuel flow there is either some type of obstruction up line from the front carb, the needle valve is improperly assembled, the drain isn't open for some reason, the tank doesn't have enough fuel in it for it to flow on prime, or the needle valve is simply really gummed up.  If the latter is the case, the entire carb is probably gummed up as well and must be dipped.

[tben]

+1 for QBS

[Rick G]

Also , use the either in your potato cannon, NOT your Vision That stuff is hard on engines and eyebrows.

[williamruck]

So if I should stay away from the starting fluid how much gas should I pour into the carbs?

[Walt_M.]

Were you able to get any fuel from the front carb overflow by tapping lightly on the float bowl? And by 'lightly' I mean don't hit it any harder than you would hit yourself on the bridge of your nose(sober).

[Kenny]

   :D  F. Y. I   In the Aircraft Industry these "Taps" are called Technical Taps.
Cheers Ken S. ;)

[Rick G]

I use a oil pump can and give 2 squirts, you could use a squeeze bottle too , but 1 good squirt is usually enough

[williamruck]

Were you able to get any fuel from the front carb overflow by tapping lightly on the float bowl? And by 'lightly' I mean don't hit it any harder than you would hit yourself on the bridge of your nose(sober).

no luck but I haven't been able to work on it much the last week or so.

[YellowJacket!]

I use a oil pump can and give 2 squirts, you could use a squeeze bottle too , but I good squirt is usually enough

I did the same thing.  Before YJ was fully built and I wanted to know if I should invest more time and $$$, I "bench Testedthe motor by using a small spray bottle and some gas and squirted it into the crappy carbs that came on the bike.  She fired up and ran as long as I was squirting.

Thats when I decided to take apart the carbs and rebuild them...and found 12 years of varnish, crud, gremlin spores and skeletons in there.  At that point, I threw them in my parts box and set out in search of a better set of carbs which I found.

David

[williamruck]

Alright guys, I have found the issue. When I put a bit of gas down in the carbs the engine will fire right up. I used a flashlight to get a good look in there and when I twist the throttle I get a healthy stream from the rear carb but only a trickle from the front. There it is, like half of you guys suggested, a gummed up get.

So here I am fiddling with a carb when my neighbor comes over and says "Hey, whatcha up to?" I reply, "trying to clean out a carb." He then goes on to tell me that not only does he know a bit about motorcycles but previous to the job he has now he had worked for a motorcycle shop for about ten years!

I spent about an hour shooting carb cleaner in it then blowing through it with compressed air, my God-send of a neighbor came by with some jet cleaning tools (really little wires) and we have continued to fiddle with it. I am still not getting much flow out of the front jet. Any suggestions on cleaning out the jet? The clog doesn't seem to be close to eith of the ends because the jet cleaning tool will move freely inside of the ends. Let me know what you guys think/.

[dj]

you are going to have to take the carbs apart, although I would only strip the front carb all the way down.  the bronze collered nozzle that shoots the gas down the carb throught needs to come off.  there is also some parts underneath it (a ball, spring, and a weight).  That is probably where your clog is.  clean that all up and put it back together and retest.  let us know if you have any questions.

To remove the nozzle just get a pair of pliers and pull it off.  Might need to rotate slightly right and left, but make sure that you DO NOT put the pliers on the nozzle tip as it will most likely break off.