[eviltwin]

Well, I bought my cl360 ('74?) and the guy said it had been sitting for "2 months" (which could be years) and wasn't running.
So... I cleaned out the old gas and put new gas into the clean tank,
checked the oil and replaced the battery. I spent sunday "cleaning" out the carbs, which were totally clean (apparently though some jackass had stripped the screw heads though), and found one of the reasons I can't start it.
The needle thing that hangs down from inside the carb was just laying in there and not screwed in like the other one. So i put it back where it was supposed to go.
After trying to start it for 10 minutes I finally get it going. It was backfiring a little. I rode it for about 15 mintues or more and
white smoke started coming from the carb area/under the gas tank/unidentifiable area. Then the engine didn't want to keep running on it's own (not without giving it some throttle), and I was tired and didn't want my bike to catch fire...so I put it away and promptly got sick with the flu.
I went back to try to start it again today though, and it is a no go.
I guess my next plan of action is to check the spark plugs (as it looks like there is a little bit of oil on the manifold on the right side) and see if they are still good.
Other than that, I am open to suggestions.
But it was running and lots of fun for like 15 minutes or so.
-brent

 

[eviltwin]

quote:

is this your first bike?

When you rebuilt the carbs did you:

- strip them completely and soak the body in carb claner?

no, i just kinda of sprayed them out and sprayed out the jets and stuff, they were so pristine it didn't look like it needed doing.

quote:
- check all the proper factory settings with a manual like float height and air bleed screw?

uhh... i am quite sure i didn't do that...
I found those settings in my manual ( 18.5/0.73 float bowl and 1 turn for the pilot screw) but i didn't even think to do it. i was just following the manual and it never said anything like that.

quote:
- use new gaskets?

...no... they seemed okay, and honestly i was just trying to see if it was going to work at all.

quote:
Did you clean and gap the plugs?
Check the points?
clean out the petcock?
Check the manifolds for cracks in the rubber?
Check to see that the battery was taking a charge?
What does the bottom of the gas tank look like?

no, i haven't done any of that yet. I got sick before i could keep working on it. the petcock flows nicely. the battery is new. gas tank is clean.

quote:
I'm guessing that the white smoke you saw was from gas leaking out of the carbs somewhere.

meaning i need to look around and see if i didn't put something on correctly? there are four tubes that come out of the carbs. two big and two small. the two big go to the petcock but i have no idea where the 2 small ones go. are they just drainage or something? my manual sucks, it doesnt say anything about it.

quote:
2 months is not enough to turn a bike from running to not running unless you left it outside in the rain with the gas tank open and the plugs out.

yeah, but i suspect the guy had a problem with it before hand, e.g. it stopped running and then he decided to sell.

quote:

These bikes need battery power to run and won't run under 2000 rpm unless the battery has a charge - if your charging system is not carging and you are running it down with the e-starter then it will have a hard time running.

BTW did you change the oil and fiter?

not yet. the oil seemed passable and i was just trying to get it started.

quote:

These 360s are finiky on the choke when it is cold - usually I start the GF's with the choke on and then quickly shut it off to let it idle and warm up.

i have been using the choke, and it sounds like it is Almost going to start and then won't.

Thanks so much for your feedback and advice. I have lots to do still it seems.
-brent