Thanks as always gents for your suggestions and insight. I rely on help 100% when I find myself in these situations, and remain hugely grateful for all of it. My ambition far exceeds my skillset, but the learning curve is priceless.
Started off yesterday with a list, checked the thing twice and had at it
Sorted out the KLR and GL and moved on to the Better Devil. Checked the float levels with a trick I'd just been told about. Attach a clear hose (I used an old battery breather hose) to the overflow nipple of each carb in turn, open the drain screw and you can see the fuel level in the bowl matched by the fuel in the hose
Carb 1 -
Carb 2 -
Carb 3 -
Carb 4 -
Carb 2 may be a mm or two lower but otherwise they're all right on the button. Hooked up an auxiliary tank direct to the fuel rail on the carb (bypassing the vacuum fuel pump on the carbs), started the bike, removed the manifold from the carb to the air box on carb 1 and cracked the throttle to see if any gas was spraying out of the nozzle inside the carb throat - it wasn't
and gas is pissing out of carb 1 overflow tube
So, have found at least one smoking gun. Or two. Namely, float problem in carb 1 - maybe the seat. Also, no gas spraying out of brass jet inside carb throat in at least carb 1, so I'll need to check where the block is and get it cleared.
Also, had me a brainwave. I'm going to need to re-do the fork seals (no idea how they're blown already, they were brand new) but anyway. Getting the front wheel off the ground on these bikes is a headache of no small proportions without a centre stand, but I'd removed it way back when. Had the thing sitting around so cleaned it up and re-attached it (minus all the springs) and oh yeah, once I get the bike on the table and weigh down the rear end, getting the front end off should be much easier. Centre stands. Don't want to live with them, but damn they have their moments
