Alright well I got spark, I got compression, I got fuel. but no Kaboom. I just adjusted my carbs to 14. 6 mm which is what the maual says so i dont think thats the issue.  Is there a way to see if your getting too much fuel if the engine isnt running?  Also my teacher said the plugs might be bad even though they fire outside of the cylinder, he says that sometimes if your crankin and its not fireing the fuel in the clyinder will actually be compressed into the porcelin of the plugs, so they wont fire under compression but will fire outside the engine.  has this happened to anybody?

Little more info would help.

What bike?
What year? 
Was it recently running?
Assuming not,
How long has it been sitting?
How old is the gas?
Did you clean the carbs?
What jets are in it?

Cheers

Spark plugs ... can be bad, but usually that situation he's talking about happens with new plugs.

Else - check for auxillary gound being poor or past that ... crank trigger.
Is the tank petcock open ?

Cool.
Buddha.

Quote from: BeerGarage on November 04, 2009, 10:28:22 AM
Little more info would help.

What bike?
What year? 
Was it recently running?
Assuming not,
How long has it been sitting?
How old is the gas?
Did you clean the carbs?
What jets are in it?

Cheers

1997 GS500E
Did the carbs, gas is new, hasnt run in a while but started for a few seconds 2 days ago. it kept running for like 2 or 3 seconds, and shutting off. so that meant the float heights were set wrong correct? so lowered the floats, (pulled the metal tab farther away from the plasitc bar above it, to where it is 14.6 mm from the edge of the carb to the edge of the plastic float.  The jets are stock im pretty sure.

I do not know about crank trigger.

Is fuel the problem? - spray starter fluid into carbs.
Is gas getting into the carbs? - check bowl drains.
Is choke working properly?  - look to see if cable is connected and moving well.

Pulling the tab away from the carb body will raise float height.  Height should be set at point where float needle just touches, not completely pressed tight.  Sorry if I am not explaining that well.

Have you seen this Mikuni carb article?  Awesome writeup by some Yamaha guys.

http://weislake.com/sig/mucker/carb%20tech3.pdf

good luck

Quote from: BeerGarage on November 04, 2009, 01:45:28 PM
I do not know about crank trigger.

Is fuel the problem? - spray starter fluid into carbs.
Is gas getting into the carbs? - check bowl drains.
Is choke working properly?  - look to see if cable is connected and moving well.

Pulling the tab away from the carb body will raise float height.  Height should be set at point where float needle just touches, not completely pressed tight.  Sorry if I am not explaining that well.

Have you seen this Mikuni carb article?  Awesome writeup by some Yamaha guys.

http://weislake.com/sig/mucker/carb%20tech3.pdf

good luck

yea seen that article, yea the carbs are getting fuel, yea i used starter fluid. well carb cleaner but its pretty close to the same stuff.

Shoot

You said it used to run before sitting.
You said it was getting spark.  You held the plug to the case and cranked it and got a good spark on each side.
You said it will run for a  couple seconds with the starter fluid.
To me that means electric is ok.  Am I missing some trick of the crank trigger, Buddha?

You said carbs have fuel in the bowls.  Did you check float height with a clear tube on the drains while carbs are all hooked up?

If I understood those things correctly, then the problem must be between the carbs and the cylinder.

Next thing I would do is check carb and vacuum hoses are all connected and routed properly, and no cracks or other vacuum leaks.  Bikebandit for diagrams.

Then I would check the jets are clean, and o rings are good, float height good, air screws set, air filter cleanish, sight balance butterfly valves.  Again.

If it was barely running before because of neglect, then crashed and left to sit all winter in a snowstorm, then there are different things to check. 

If it was me, I would bet it was something I was sure I already checked, and then when I finally made a list, and went through, and re checked it, I would be kicking myself because I KNEW I already fixed that.  Better kicking myself than paying a mechanic.

Good luck

hahaha dang it, im an idiot.  when i got the carbs back on (after cleaning and setting float height) we only had like 10 minetes left in class so i was in a hurry to start it up. and I completely forgot to adjust idle screw.  man i hope its that simple but im gonna feel like a huge dumba$$ if that is it lol.