front cylinder will not fire! Help!

[wingysataday]

I can't figure it out. I pulled the front carb and blew out the jets, they are clear. I then blew every hole out with the carb cleaner. I put it back together and still nothing. If I drip starting fluid in the top of the carb it will idle great. If I even attempt the throttle the thing dies. I drained both the float bowls and they were pretty equal. I also replaced the spark plugs and checked them, they are fine! I'm running out of options here. Help me please!

[Pete.L]

Fuel Starvation????
I know you can make it tickover (with a little help) but as soon as you touch the throttle it dies....can it get enough? is the vacuum tap ok? fuel pipe kinked or something?

Pete.l
Send us a free plane ticket and I'll come have a look I could do with a little Sunshine about now

[wingysataday]

what is the vacume tap??? Thanks for the reply!

[cupasoop]

The bit on the bottom of the tank where the hoses connect to. If you had the tank off, check the smaller hose is on the correct side of the tap. theres 2 places it can connect to, one works and one blocks the fuel or switches the vacume tap off.

Plane tickets also greatfully accepted.

[wingysataday]

I think the tap is ok. The rear cylinder fires just fine. There are no kinks in the lines either.

[delmeekc]

check the ht cap, they are supposed to be solid inside and the fronts are prone to breaking inside just on the bend (try a gentle wiggle - the cap not you - side to side and you will hear/feel it. hold the cap where it is joined to the cable and just below the bend of the cap).. if this is ok then check the cap is screwed onto the ht cable properly, it may need cutting back slightly as the core may have deteriated abit. check the carb balancing and that the pilot fuel air mixture is rich enough on the front one.

Del.

[wingysataday]

what is the ht cap?

[essexbloke]

Doh, Del he's a merican....

HT lead/Cap = Spark plug Lead/Cap

[wingysataday]

The spark is good I checked it. because it will run fine if I drip starter fluid in the cylinder. It ran fine before I got into an accident. So something must have just came loose or something I just don't know what? Thank you guys so much for your help!

[delmeekc]

did you check the cap like i said, check it, you kick yourself up the butt if turns out to be that later. If it has gone then you will still get a spark if you crank it over - worth a look.

The obvious one is the diaphram in the front carb has split so there is no vacuum to lift the slide.

or the next thing is a compression test i guess.

hard to tell when your over the pond.

Del.

[Johnny Wishbone]

In the last 2 weeks my Storm has come down with similar symptoms, I've checked the cap and the lead and granted, the carbs need balancing but still, get this.....

Two weeks ago, I filled the bike at the local garage, found out I had forgotten my phone/wallet etc so tore back to the house to get them. Just pulling into the estate, about a mile up the road, the bike begins to cough and splutter - front was mis-firing. Parked up outside the house, and 5 minutes later when I hopped back on she was fine!!

Last night, the same thing, got petrol on my way home (different garage, so it's not the petrol) and again, about a mile down the road, front acts up. Barely made it home. Checked the bike over, nothing amiss. Fired her up about 2 hours later and she seemed fine. What the f**k!?

The only thing I can think of that both instances have in common is that they were both on a completely full tanks and both times I drove the bike fairly quickly home immediately after each fill. Dunno if it makes any difference but I had her leaned over fairly hard (there are a couple of nice big roundabouts out my way ) and it was about 30 seconds after that both times that she began to act up.

Yours in motorsport,

Very Confused

[Pete.L]

I've had one of the vacuum slides stick open befor now
It only used to happen if I had been riding hard and suddenly slowed down or if I stuck my chin on the tank and cruised above 140mph for a little while on the moterway and then slowed to come of the exit ramp.
That turned out to be the front slide sticking. Pulled it out and checked and trimmed all the edges on the slide and it's been okay ever since (touch wood)

Pete.l

[Johnny Wishbone]

Nice one Pete - that sounds about right. Still though, there've been a load of instances where it didn't happen, the only thing that was different these two times was the fact that I had a full tank - I wonder if that has any significance.

[RQ]

Bike's a bag of bolts so JW!!!

[Johnny Wishbone]

What!!??? You take that back!!! At least my huggers not falling off and my rear light isn't loose.... anymore.... Oh, and give me back them cans!

By the way, slide problem sorted - thanks again Pete!