Bike only starts with starter fluid!!

[MikeNW]

I owned my Shadow for 8 stinkin' years before I realized that the enrichers were not working      "D'Oh!"

The problem was- I was not pushing the handlebar knob hard enough to pull the enricher pins off their seats.  I sprayed some lube into the handlebar mechanism, which helped it turn, then I could actually use the enricher.

I relate this because I could not get the damned thing to start when the temp was below 70, unless I used STARTING FLUID, sprayed into the air box.  Now it starts right up, and even has a fast idle!
Your problem just HAS to be the "choke" circuit somewhere. 

[calvert0014]

hmmm... maybe it is the choke/enricher but i have no idea where the problem could be. since i first started this thread ive been through the carbs/choke at least 5 times!!! and everything SEEMS fine, and the choke SEEMS to be working After i use the starter fluid!! i just don't know what else to look for. could this problem be electrical??? i have spark but it doesnt look quite BLUE it has a little bit of a Purplish color to it, is that bad? either way i think im just going to go out and buy new spark plugs wires ect. (i have NGK's right now, should i stick with them or try a different plug?)

[calvert0014]

ok, i have another clue, yesterday i went and i tried to start it (without the fluid) i got nothing, it just cranked and cranked, so then i go and see if jumping it will do anything... nothing it just cranks away like before. so finally push it up a small hill and decide to push start it, next thing i know it fires up and runs like normal (without any starter fluid). this did nothing but confuse me even more!! please guys any idea whats going on?

[calvert0014]

nobody's ever had a problem like this? i have ABSOLUTELY no clue what to do Next!!!

[calvert0014]

i guess im going to have to start carrying a can of starter fluid with me from now on

[yamahonkawazuki]

hey man, when you say youve " been through" the carbs, did you completely dis-assemble them, clean ( via soaking overnight) in carb cleaner ( sold in 1 gal cans) re assemble tehm, install FRESH plugs re- sintall the carbs, then try it? or , umm can you elaborate what your procedure for teh carb cleaning is?cause mine did the exact same thing. ( both of them) the 97 NAD the 94. both corrected after a thorough cleaning

[calvert0014]

well, ive disassembled them completely except for that big plastic part, they seem to be stuck in the carb. i haven't soaked the carbs, mainly because im not sure what it will do to the plastic part. but ive shot carb cleaner down every tube/hole and used wire, and im pretty sure nothing is clogged. i did put in brand new spark plugs and that didn't seem to change anything. did i miss something, is soaking overnight essential?

[Tawcoma26]

hey man sounds like we had the same problem...well kinda. My bike would only start when I put fuel straight into the carbs. My bike is also a 91 and I had a lot of problems with it to. My fix was playing with the air/fuel mixture screw and my idle. Everything ran great after that. Also putting your carbs in a bucket of gas is a good thing since its only like 3 bucks for a gallon. Good luck with your bike though and I hope everything goes well.

[calvert0014]

thanks alot for the info, how many turns out did you finally set the mixture screw to? does my problem sound like the mixture needs to be richer or leaner? also can anybody tell me why it would start when bumping it down a hill but crank and crank with no signs of starting even when jumped?

p.s. i think my mixture screws are set to 2.5 turns from the bottom