Time to Fire Up the Beast....but no gas!

[Rockitdoc]

Time to see if this beast will start.  Hooked the fuel up, checked for spark, again, saw spark, and turned her over.  Cranks fine, but no explosion noises.

So, I rigged a contraption to get fuel to the beast with the fuel tank removed so I could see the interior of the carbies while cranking the throttle. Should make adjustments easier later, also. 

Anyway, fuel is not getting to the interior of the carbs.  Removed the brass screw plugs on top the pumps and squirted in some fuel.  Fuel ran down into the mouth of the carb and when I cranked her over, explosion-type noises happened  , but no start.  Obviously, the fuel pump must need primed to get the fuel from the bowls into the carb interior when the throttle is opened.  I've been rooting around the site, the manual and even Google, but can't find the process.  All help appreciated.

 

[Laverdian]

Scott, you're not far off. You need to make sure there's no air locks and the float bowls are full of fuel. I normally just feed in petrol from one side and make sure I get fuel out the hose on the other side. For the accelerator pumps, when you've removed the brass caps, I use a tube and syringe to suck petrol up from the bowls to prime the galleries. You will need plenty petrol to fire her up easily but if you're squirting fuel around make sure there's not too much flowing in to the cylinder, you don't want a hydraulic lock at this stage.

Ian

 

[Rockitdoc]

Thanks, Ian.  I found a short passage in the Green Book that says to remove the brass screws, fit a tube in and suck some fuel up into the tube, then blow down to push the fuel back into the chamber. I did this and it worked.  Throttles now squirt fuel into the carbies!  My battery's down a bit, so I'm charging it up to full.  Want to make sure there's enough electrical molecules to make fire with the fuel.

You will need plenty petrol to fire her up easily but if you're squirting fuel around make sure there's not too much flowing in to the cylinder, you don't want a hydraulic lock at this stage.
Ian

Tell me more about this 'hydraulic lock'.  What is it, and how do I prevent it?

 

[Dellortoman]

American electricity must be different to Australian. Ours comes in electrons, not molecules.

 

[mauricejota7604]

You dont need the accellerator pumps working to start the engine pulling those choke plungers up will offer more than enough fuel to start the engine.
Hydraulic lock you dont want to know about that!!!!!

 

[Terry Dymond]

Hydraulic lock; when a carb floods and fuel flows down the inlet manifold past an open inlet valve and fills up the bore. If you are unlucky, the engine will try to compress the fuel on the firing stroke (and as we know from physics 101, a fluid can't be compressed) resulting in a bent conrod and/or other assorted mayhem.

Lesson: ALWAYS SHUT THE FUEL TAPS!!!!

 

[Rockitdoc]

American electricity must be different to Australian. Ours comes in electrons, not molecules.

Electrons, molecules; what's the diff?  Both invisible.  Probably don't even exist. 

 

[Rockitdoc]

Hydraulic lock; when a carb floods and fuel flows down the inlet manifold past an open inlet valve and fills up the bore. If you are unlucky, the engine will try to compress the fuel on the firing stroke (and as we know from physics 101, a fluid can't be compressed) resulting in a bent conrod and/or other assorted mayhem.

Lesson: ALWAYS SHUT THE FUEL TAPS!!!!

What are the odds?

 

[Terry Dymond]

With flooding carbs and leaking or open fuel taps? Pretty good.

 

[Davo]

Electrons, molecules; what's the diff?  Both invisible.  Probably don't even exist. 

Rockitdoc is pretty close - but perhaps it should be Rocketsurgeon 

Oh, and speaking as one to whom it has happened, with Dels angled forward as they are on triples, leave your fuel taps on and watch the wallet empty faster than you can say 'What's that hole in the crankcase for?" 

 

[Rockitdoc]

Rockitdoc is pretty close - but perhaps it should be Rocketsurgeon 

Oh, and speaking as one to whom it has happened, with Dels angled forward as they are on triples, leave your fuel taps on and watch the wallet empty faster than you can say 'What's that hole in the crankcase for?" 

Thanks guys.  I have a habit of turning the fuel valves off on my vintage machines, but I've never had one where forgetting to turn them off could result in unwanted crankcase ventilation (only flooded carbies and hard to start).  Thanks for the heads up.  Now, I wish I weren't so senile!