Needle Jet Assembly

[ToddG]

I got my '98 cheap from a dude that couldn't get it started for $1000 with only 1700 miles. As usual, the tank was rusted bad. I decided to not go the tank strip and coat route and just order a new one. It's now installed and looks great!. The bike really looks like new!

The only problem is it won't keep running. I cleaned the carbs and put everything back in the same order but I question if that was the "right" order based on the previous owner couldn't get it to run.

I'm trying to get the order of needle jet right. When looking down the slide, I put the spring retainer in first with the o-ring side towards the bottom then slid the needle through that all the way down. I didn't take anything off the needle. The spring goes down the hole and the cap with little o-ring gets tightened down.

Tell me if this is the right way.

Thanks!

[The Buddha]

Hey I want that rusty tank ...
Name a $$ ...
Now onto your carb problem ...
Cool.
Buddha.

[The Buddha]

The needle has the E clip on it right.
There is a little white spacer under that E clip.
The larger stepped spacer also whitish in color has to sit on top of the E clip as the bike is sitting.
So I would guess you have the spring retainer under the needle when it should be on top of it.
BTW what O ring side ... the needle retainers dont have O rings.
Cool.
Buddha.

[ToddG]

I'll have to check when I get home but the retainer is currently on the bottom of the needle stack and it's got a black o-ring on one side. No wonder I couldn't find the o-ring in the exploded parts diagrams! I'll move the retainer to the top too and see if that solves my problems.

[commuterdude]

Heys probably got the vacuum cap o-ring on the needle jet!

[ToddG]

OK now it doesn't seem to be running rich like before and I did swap the spring retainer to the top of the needle. The problem is it starts great when cold and idles at 4k rpm with the choke on. As it gets warm and I turn the choke down the idle goes lower and lower until she dies. I start it again and it will barely get to 800 rpm and if I give it throttle it sputters and the rpm's are not steady and it eventually dies. With starter fluid I can get it to start and run up to high rpm but it again slowly dies. It's almost like it runs out of fuel. After I let it sit a while it starts right up and slowly dies. The idle adjustment has no effect on the rpm. I'm wondering if the previous owner messed with the mixture screws. The caps are off.

[The Buddha]

Set air screws to 3 turns out.
Cool.
Buddha.

[ToddG]

I adjusted the mixture screws to 3 turns out. Still no change.  These are what the book calls the Pilot screws right?

[ToddG]

Finally found my problem. The petcock under the tank wasn't allowing much fuel despite the fact the slot was verticle. I twisted the valve back and forth a few times and fuel started flowing normally. The bike started right up after I buttoned things back up!