Motorcycle repair – should be minor – just gotta start her up…

[m2]

Great condition, older 81 Kawasaki sat in the garage most of the winter. Despite me trying to go out and start every few weeks to keep it turning – it is now not starting up.

Did all the regular stuff – charged batteries, checked plugs, put in fresh gas, tried a little starting fluid – just not lighting up. I need someone with a little more knowledge and experience than I have to swing by my house and help me get her started up. I think the gas just sat too long in there.

I’m at 206/992-7518.

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[Wednesday]

Rebuild the carbs

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[ToddinWestwood]

Is the bike turning over? The cold weather over a winter can kill a battery pretty fast. It will charge, but it will crap out after one try turning it over.

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[Joan]

Gramps taught me a few things about motors, and his sage observation has saved me many trips to Visa Mechanic Town: a motor needs fuel, spark, and air to run.

Do you have fuel in the tank? Is the petcock set to RUN? Did you disconnect the fuel line from the tank to be sure fuel is running freely and getting to the carb?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve “run outta gas” for turning the petcock to the wrong position! LOL

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[CM]

If it only sat for the winter, it’s probably just bad gas. However, it’s bad gas in the carbs. Best and usually easiest to try is to drain the tank and make sure it got all good new gas in it. Then drain each carb float. If they don’t have drains, just take the float bowl off, but watch it if the float comes out with it. They can be finicky to get back together on the bike.

Then, open the petcock (to “Prime” if it’s an option) and try it again.

I’m assuming there’s a spark. If you haven”t checked it, just take one plug out, reconnect it to it’s wire, hold the tip very lose to the head and have someone else try to start the bike. It should arc to the head.

Good Luck. If you tell me what model, I can try to find out if the carbs will fall apart when you take off the bowls or not.

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[m2]

Thanks CM – its an 81 Kawasaki GPZ550. I just ordered a manual for it as well, because I figured I’d have to deal with the carbs. I’ve just never worked on a bike before – so don’t know how complicated cleaning them and getting them started can be. Isn’t there something also about tuning/timing them after I’ve cracked them all open and getting them cleaned?

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