Vacuum hose cross caused leak

Quick1 · November 29th, 2013, 10:56 PM

Now that my car is totaled, I only have this bike that's been sitting for a couple years to get me around- but paying to have it repaired was out of my realm of possibilities. So, I did my first carb cleaning myself, but it was still clogged when I tried it out. The second cleaning, I took the tops out and some hoses off and was much more thorough, but made the noob mistake of attaching the vacuum lines back together wrong. I connected the #2 carb's vacuum to petcock instead of to coasting enricher and connected #1's vacuum to coasting enricher. This caused fuel to dump out of the overflow hose.

I figured I screwed something up during the carb cleaning and bought another new carb (off a running bike), but when I noticed the hoses were routed differently (the new carb had fittings for California), I swapped them over from the old carb (not knowing they were wrong). When I saw the fuel coming out the overflow again, I realized I was duplicating the problem & I researched and found the crossed vacuum lines. I reattached them correctly and it stopped MOST of the fuel coming out the overflow, but not all- still has a small stream that only flows when petcock is ON or RES. My first question is what do you think is wrong inside the carb now? Possible damage to the coasting enricher diaphragm? I figured maybe I should give up and leave it too a professional and took it in to the local Kawasaki dealership, but he started in with the sales pitch of thinking it needed not just carb work done, but probably the petcock too (I had installed one off a 2007) saying I damaged it from installing the vacuum hoses to it wrong. He wanted me to leave a deposit of $400, but estimated it will cost a minimum of $800!!! Guys- I'm not doing well financially (which is why I tried to do the work myself)..... I don't HAVE $800 to fix my old bike!

My second question involves spark. I pulled my spark plugs and tested them by arcing to the frame and I have a pretty good spark. But after reinstalling them, neither hooking up either of the carbs nor squirting starting fluid directly into combustion chamber will start engine. Any ideas on why a plug that sparks and has fuel, won't ignite?

Right now, I own a broken bike and a wrecked car and no way to get to my job....... I hope you all can help me figure this out.

agentbad · November 30th, 2013, 04:39 PM

Well if you've tried starting a lot you might have drained the battery so there's that. I don't think it would hurt the carbs if you hooked up the vacuum hoses wrong. Maybe you have a stuck float. Sounds like the dealer is just trying to hustle you.

DaBlue1 · November 30th, 2013, 05:01 PM

A bike that old and that has been sitting for a while can have a list of possible problems. I would definitely have a compression test done on the cylinders and think about getting another (good) IC Ignitor to rule out if yours is bad or not. Even though you have spark, it may be timed wrong.

Also, have a look at the Trouble Shooting Guide.

Quick1 · December 1st, 2013, 01:32 AM

The thing is that I had it started last week until it ran out of gas (the fuel line wasn't hooked up), but when I connect the fuel line it overflows gas and won't start.
I pulled the carb again and checked the float and they are both at 18, so within range of 17 +/- 2. I checked both floats and in perfect shape with no debris on the needle or down in the seat. Floats were checked and do- indeed- float.

Quick1 · December 1st, 2013, 01:37 AM

Keep in mind that BOTH carbs are doing this.....the original which has been cleaned thoroughly and the new one which was pulled from a running bike.

agentbad · December 1st, 2013, 03:43 PM

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=110362

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=146834

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...n_the_carbs%3F

Alex · December 23rd, 2013, 01:48 PM

OP - did you get everything sorted?

Quick1 · December 23rd, 2013, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

OP - did you get everything sorted?

No.... I don't have access to covered storage & the rainy season hit here in Seattle. I think the veterans admin might fix it for me in a month or two. Lost my job already.....

Alex · December 23rd, 2013, 02:13 PM

Shoot - sorry to hear that.

Quick1 · December 23rd, 2013, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alex

Shoot - sorry to hear that.

It's ok. I'm just unable to tear into it and troubleshoot. I live where it can't be left torn down & a pain in the arse to reassemble everything after trying one thing. I learned a LOT about rebuilding/understanding a carb and not so intimidated by trying to fix it myself, so I got that out of it!

Plus, it's nice being a part of this community. Pretty sure I'm a Ninjette rider for life!

December 23rd, 2013, 01:48 PM	#7
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	OP - did you get everything sorted? __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

December 23rd, 2013, 02:13 PM	#9
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	Shoot - sorry to hear that. __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

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November 29th, 2013, 10:56 PM	#1
Quick1 ninjette.org member Name: Jeff Location: Port Orchard, WA Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 1992 Ninja 250 Posts: 20	Vacuum hose cross caused leak Now that my car is totaled, I only have this bike that's been sitting for a couple years to get me around- but paying to have it repaired was out of my realm of possibilities. So, I did my first carb cleaning myself, but it was still clogged when I tried it out. The second cleaning, I took the tops out and some hoses off and was much more thorough, but made the noob mistake of attaching the vacuum lines back together wrong. I connected the #2 carb's vacuum to petcock instead of to coasting enricher and connected #1's vacuum to coasting enricher. This caused fuel to dump out of the overflow hose. I figured I screwed something up during the carb cleaning and bought another new carb (off a running bike), but when I noticed the hoses were routed differently (the new carb had fittings for California), I swapped them over from the old carb (not knowing they were wrong). When I saw the fuel coming out the overflow again, I realized I was duplicating the problem & I researched and found the crossed vacuum lines. I reattached them correctly and it stopped MOST of the fuel coming out the overflow, but not all- still has a small stream that only flows when petcock is ON or RES. My first question is what do you think is wrong inside the carb now? Possible damage to the coasting enricher diaphragm? I figured maybe I should give up and leave it too a professional and took it in to the local Kawasaki dealership, but he started in with the sales pitch of thinking it needed not just carb work done, but probably the petcock too (I had installed one off a 2007) saying I damaged it from installing the vacuum hoses to it wrong. He wanted me to leave a deposit of $400, but estimated it will cost a minimum of $800!!! Guys- I'm not doing well financially (which is why I tried to do the work myself)..... I don't HAVE $800 to fix my old bike! My second question involves spark. I pulled my spark plugs and tested them by arcing to the frame and I have a pretty good spark. But after reinstalling them, neither hooking up either of the carbs nor squirting starting fluid directly into combustion chamber will start engine. Any ideas on why a plug that sparks and has fuel, won't ignite? Right now, I own a broken bike and a wrecked car and no way to get to my job....... I hope you all can help me figure this out. Last futzed with by Quick1; November 30th, 2013 at 03:57 AM.

November 30th, 2013, 04:39 PM	#2
agentbad ninjette.org sage Name: bob Location: Earf Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Ninja 250, 2006 SV650N Posts: 642	Well if you've tried starting a lot you might have drained the battery so there's that. I don't think it would hurt the carbs if you hooked up the vacuum hoses wrong. Maybe you have a stuck float. Sounds like the dealer is just trying to hustle you.

November 30th, 2013, 05:01 PM	#3
DaBlue1 Long Time Rider Name: Blue Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	A bike that old and that has been sitting for a while can have a list of possible problems. I would definitely have a compression test done on the cylinders and think about getting another (good) IC Ignitor to rule out if yours is bad or not. Even though you have spark, it may be timed wrong. Also, have a look at the *Trouble Shooting Guide*.

December 1st, 2013, 01:32 AM	#4
Quick1 ninjette.org member Name: Jeff Location: Port Orchard, WA Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 1992 Ninja 250 Posts: 20	The thing is that I had it started last week until it ran out of gas (the fuel line wasn't hooked up), but when I connect the fuel line it overflows gas and won't start. I pulled the carb again and checked the float and they are both at 18, so within range of 17 +/- 2. I checked both floats and in perfect shape with no debris on the needle or down in the seat. Floats were checked and do- indeed- float.

December 1st, 2013, 01:37 AM	#5
Quick1 ninjette.org member Name: Jeff Location: Port Orchard, WA Join Date: Jul 2013 Motorcycle(s): 1992 Ninja 250 Posts: 20	Keep in mind that BOTH carbs are doing this.....the original which has been cleaned thoroughly and the new one which was pulled from a running bike.

December 1st, 2013, 03:43 PM	#6
agentbad ninjette.org sage Name: bob Location: Earf Join Date: Apr 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2005 Ninja 250, 2006 SV650N Posts: 642	http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=110362 http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=146834 http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...n_the_carbs%3F