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2001 Kawasaki Ninja EX500 diagnosis/troubleshooting; starts and idles fine but when given throttle bike dies- help?

I pulled the carbs off and there’s a float that sticks and I have a new carb kit on the way but is this the main culprit or is there other underlying issues that I might want to check out? Any and all possible suggestions or directions as to where I should possibly look would be much appreciated, I want to look it over thoroughly- thanks in advance. 

4 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    3 weeks ago

    I had a 750.  I pull out the CHOKE button and leave it out about half way after the bike starts as it takes awhile to warm up.   I ride it that way and maybe after 5 miles I remember to push the choke button in(off)  Bike ran fine through-out that period.  A hell of a lot easier than taking the carbs apart. It does not hurt the bike ANY.

  • ?
    Lv 6
    3 weeks ago

    It's not "float" that sticks,  it's  Needle/Seat. Unless it is holed and submerges (rare with plastic ones)

       Edit: "Stuck float "  can mean Flooding, too. Too much gas can wet plug and stall just as bad as not enough. In fact. until plug dry again,   even starting fluid won't work. Brass floats on old Amals and SUs could be weighed w/a  balance to see if they were leaking;  would weigh more than they should.

      Wait  'till new part(s) arrive, then, go thru  All carbs, by the book. Check/set  All  floats, spray out all orifices/jets w/carb cleaner;  snug screws on vac chambers. Look at All  needles--often, rubber  tips break or split. Check that  slides open with slight resistance, drop in one second. Putting  an  air tip on that hole above venturi can be  used to see if slides open properly under air flow.

       My old Honda would get dirt in a pilot jet and stall on acceleration .

      If still problem, tighten base gaskets, spray WD-40 'round the carbs at a idle. Any change in revs indicates a Vac Leak.

      Might wanna replace plugs, too, as a matter of course. 

     Remove line from carbs, turn on gas. Look for Flow, not dribble.  Remove tap/filter, clean it. Try it without gas cap,   may have poor  venting.

        Edit:  His bike has Four Carbs; Plural. If one has a problem; very good chance other 3 are ready to go, too. Time to clean/check float levels on all. Or, he Might just have to pull 'em all off, again, in a thousand miles or less.

       Ref: Had '83   CB650, dirty carbs/tank were constant  bugaboo. Went thru 6 needles in 8 years/24K. Constantly synching, too. 

      Took about two minutes warm up   to get more than 20 hp out of the old 650. Then, enricheners  off ( no actual  "chokes" ),  ran fine.

  • adam
    Lv 5
    4 weeks ago

    float is stuck. Not letting enough gas in. Yup thats the problem. 

  • Anonymous
    4 weeks ago

    Engine is running lean due to bad carb and/or a vacuum leak.  Rebuild the carb and check or replace all vacuum lines.

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