Hi guys, got myself a 1985 fz400r that won't start, the plugs seem to be dry but I've had the carbs of three times to clean and check them and they seem to be fine, there is fuel in the bowls but its not getting to the engine, am I missing something?
Any help is mug appreciated :-)

Three things will prevent fuel entering the cylinder if you are 100% sure the plugs are bone dry;

The fuel levels are far too low in the bowls.
All the jets are blocked.
There is insufficient induction to the cylinder (Holed pistons/incorrect valve timing/clearance/cam chain snapped etc).This is so unlikely it should be ruled out really.

You previously enquired on float height !
Stand the bike upright and use a clear tube to measure the float levels.
If you have no tube; a clear battery breather pipe can be utilised.
Mark the fuel level on the bowls with a felt pen.
Strip the bowls and see if the level you marked is anywhere near the level of the jets.

Has this bike ran whilst in your possession.?
It would be rare for all jets to be blocked on all 4 carbs if you have stripped and cleaned them.
Does the fuel pump provide sufficient and sustained fuel flow ?

Take the plugs out;clean them spotless and burn off any deposits on a gas ring before retrying and deciding they are totally dry.(new plugs are better)
You should see and smell a fuel mist with the plugs out if motor is spun up if fuel is entering cylinders.
Next time you have carbs off; shine a torch down the inlets and observe the valves when spinning motor.

With the airbox off, choke on full, lift the carb slides one by one and spray a good amount of carb clearer down them. then hit the starter and keep it pressed in. Listen the motor it should start spinning over quicker, keep spraying a bit of carb cleaner at the carb mouths (sometimes you get a pop through them). Hopefully the engine will start to pick up a bit you still need the starter pressed in, but try to feed the throttle in a little at a time untill it runs.

If the engine doesn't spin quicker and doesn't pick up then start to suspect the valve tollerances. It may be the bike will run but when the engine gets cold it's a dog to start again, this is a classic valves symptom. The metal in the head gets warmer with all the carb cleaner being burnt, closing the tollernaces on the valve seat so you get compression and your engine runs. Then it cools down and looses it again.

Right guys, thrown new plugs in sorted the carb out and she's popping and banging, but I've only got 12v on the battery just popped it on charge, will the battery be part of the problem?

The Fzr's splutter like f*ck if the battery is undercharged and duff.
Jump a good battery to it.

willandrip wrote:The Fzr's splutter like f*ck if the battery is undercharged and duff.
Jump a good battery to it.

Haha good to know
I've got it on charge now ill go test it in a hour cheers :-)

Is it running ... and popping and banging or not running pobbing and banging ???

The plug leads are numberred on these with No1 at the generator side, either way it runs wasted spark even if the HT leads were reversed it would still run. Could the Low Tension wires that supply the coils have been swapped from 1+4 to 2+3 ????
there should be a RED / White wire to both, a Grey to 2/3 and an Orange to 1/4

Evilchicken0 wrote:Is it running ... and popping and banging or not running pobbing and banging ???

The plug leads are numberred on these with No1 at the generator side, either way it runs wasted spark even if the HT leads were reversed it would still run. Could the Low Tension wires that supply the coils have been swapped from 1+4 to 2+3 ????
there should be a RED / White wire to both, a Grey to 2/3 and an Orange to 1/4

I'll have a look wen I'm home, the previous owner has completely wired the coils up wrong, plugs in wrong order and wiring on wrong coils....

That could be the one then

My coils have a red and white cable to both and a orange to one and a grey to the other, everything seems fine but still no joy, not running but still popping.