Topic: Help me get floats unstuck without taking carbs off?

[killersoundz]

Hey guys I hope the mods will let this one slide since it's not for a SOHC bike. I'm working on a 82 magna v45. Already took the carbs off once and cleaned them got it running great. Then water got in the gas somehow and I let the bike run out of gas on accident. Then it sat over night and now it won't get any gas in the bowls. Is it possible water rusted the float valves stuck closed that quickly? It seems unlikely to me that all 4 of them would get stuck like that but that's what it's looking like right now.

In case you don't know getting the carbs off this bike is a whole ordeal so I'm trying to think of anyway to avoid it. I tried blowing on some fuel line hooked up to the carbs main fuel inlet but nothings going through, even with all the bowl drains open. How about some low psi compressed air or something?

[lucky]

You need to take the carbs off and do this right. It may be over your head like you say. These v45 engines are much harder to get the carbs on and off than  the CB750.

Two of the carbs are down draft and two of them are side draft.

[scottly]

A lot of bikes, starting in the early '80s had vacuum actuated petcocks. Once you run out of gas, the system runs dry, and the short vacuum pulses generated while cranking the motor don't allow enough fuel to fill the float bowls before the battery is run down. Look for a position on the petcock marked "P", for prime. If there is no prime setting, apply vacuum to the diaphragm until the bowls fill.

[killersoundz]

You need to take the carbs off and do this right. It may be over your head like you say. These v45 engines are much harder to get the carbs on and off than  the CB750.

Two of the carbs are down draft and two of them are side draft.

Yeah I've already had them off once. NOT fun to work on

Btw, these bikes have a fuel pump since the reserve tank is lower than the top of the carbs. the fuel pump just pushes the fuel up hill to fill the bowls.

I don't know what's blocking the fuel from filling the bowls. I thought about it more and the float valves are rubber tipped ones.

[Gordon]

Hey guys I hope the mods will let this one slide since it's not for a SOHC bike.

We have a very active "Other Bikes" section on this forum.

[Xnavylfr]

Ifthese carbs have drain screws down by the overflow tubes , open them and drain the carbs. Make sure the fuel shutoff (right side next to fuel filter)is open, turn on the key and you should hear a click,click( fuel pump working)till the bowls fill. If you don't hear any click= no fuel flow TO pump or no flow FROM pump!!
Try spraying some starter fluid past your air filter to see if it will try to start!!.


Xnavylfr(CHUCK)

[apehanger 550]

  If we go with the theory that the carbs are not priming up and if the carb bowls were filled up by some act of God, and then the bike would run--- then here is what I would try.
  Wal-Mart sells a glorified tool that works like a hypodermic needle. It is made to suck and measure two cycle oil out of a container to mix with gasoline. People buy them to mix small quantities of gas for those tiny weed eater engines. I usually only mix a quart at a time,and this tool works great for that purpose. So what you have is a small vacuum sucker to help fill your carb bowls. Use the tool to inject the gas through the open bowl drain screws,and then tighten them closed after you fill them from the bottom drain, using a piece of fuel line connected to the "needle"
Then with full bowls,hopefully the bike will fire up. I do not have an answer as to how you will know how much gas is just enough without overfilling the bowls,but once you know that answer,the tool has graduated measurements built in for easy repeatability of results.
 The tool should be safe to use with gas, but there are no guarantees. Be careful of fuel spilled on the bike while filling the bowls, and use some sense before you try to fire it up. We do not want you to catch yourself,the bike,or the garage on fire!!