Guess whats gone wrong with my new 400!

[cadwell14]

Hi, Brought a uk spec 400 a month ago. 8.5k on the clock, looks all original as far as my amatuer eye can see. Running fine until I put it on reserve one day. Looked on here for ideas and I'm guessing I've pulled some crap into carbs.

Carbs are balanced,plugs are fine, rev's rise and fall as they should, but stalls when I stop. So I've got the message (clean & referb carbs)Just two question - from cold it will idle ok, but if you check the plugs after 15mins 3 & 4 plugs are wet. Any ideas why these 2 in particular should do this?
                                             - Is Jay still the man to talk too about getting the parts? Can't find anywhere here in the UK to get whats needed.

Any ideas greatly appreciated.
Cheers
Ann

[Chris H]

Hi Ann,
Im in th the UK, what parts are you after? sounds like the idle system in the carbs is in need of a clean.

[cadwell14]

my mechanics told me to get Gaskets, o rings etc. He thinks it needs a good clean and that its probably letting too much fuel through the washes/o rings. I've found various websites in USA where I can get the bits from, but it would be nice to get them from one place and save on postage. As cleaning carbs seems to be a regular need, for this bike, I'm going to try and persude him to let me look/help so I can do it myself in future. Only brought it as a winter hack, but it's kind of got to me (and I don't normally like 4 cylinders).

[mosquito]

Problems after going to reserve make me wonder if there's rust in the tank too.

Not being able to idle and having wet plugs in 3 & 4 make me wonder if big pieces of the gunk went to those two carbs and are holding the float valves open.  (If that happened it would make the fuel levels in those bowls too high and cause those two to be too rich.)

Personally, before buying parts I'd ensure the tank is clean and do a 'mini-clean' of the carbs.  That would be using carb cleaner and compressed air only to clean the jet holes and removing only the float bowls (and not separating the carbs from each other).  A mini-clean should get major gunk out of the way but doesn't risk damaging / needing to replace any seals except the float bowl gaskets and those can be fudged with liquid gasket goop.

[cadwell14]

Hi,

If I had a garage, I would just try and clean them, but I've tried to do bits before on other bikes, and however careful I am losing thinks is just so easy out of doors. I really had to rev it quite hard to get it too start on reserve, so I think you are probably right. As I've got to pay a professional, I'm going to get the 'O' rings changed, 'just in case'. The bike hadn't been started for 11 years, before being filled with new oil & petrol last year, so with 8500m on the clock and no decernable modifications, I'm guessing everythings still original. I'll be using the bike every day, so I'm hoping spending a little bit of extra time & money now will work out cheaper long term.

Waiting until first week in Oct, when MOT is needed as well, to have it done. So hopefully I'll be posting a happy post in a couple of weeks. :thanks:Ann

[mosquito]

Wow. It sat for 11 years and it was in good enough shape to go?  Very nice.

But yeah, I'd prolly want to replace all of the rubber in the carbs too.  GL :)

[cadwell14]

Thats what I was told, but who knows.

Before posting my question, I read lots of previous posts, and some mentioned replacing some of the screws. What screws and what sizes? I know the answer is somewhere, but I can't find it. Should they be a certain metal? I've got a briliant old fashion hardware shop near me, so if I can get some that are easier to work with I will (something tells me if I keep the bike long term, I'll need to clean the carbs again).Ann

[gsxr400 racer]

Still shipped/posted to your door AIR MAIL 7-14 days carb kits for:
Bandit 400 in the US or Canada $80.00 out side US $120.00
GSXR400 GK73A in the US or Canada $80.00 out side US $120.00
GSXR400 GK76A in the US or Canada $120.00 out side US $160.00

All Kits come with when applicable:
4 Carb slide cap orings (b4, all gsxr's)
4 fuel screw orings (b4, all gsxr's)
4 emulsion tube orings (b4, all gsxr's)
4 float bowl gaskets (b4, all gsxr's)
4 float needles (b4, all gsxr's)
4 fuel block orings (only gk76a's)