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D g
Lv 7
D g asked in Cars & TransportationMotorcycles · 9 years ago

how to clear a flooded motorcycle?

When I bought the bike it had a carberator problem so I got sloppy using too much throttle then when i got it fixed one night I accidently hit the throttle like before the fix and It flooded the engine .

I dont want to open the starter case if I dont have to so I am thinking If I pop the sparkplugs out and then put it in second and roll it a bit this should clear out the fuel ... is there any drawback to this method of fixing the flooded engine..

when I checked the sparkplugs they were wet so they are getting fuel and the battery is fine ... I have tried various levels of choke and have also tried it with full throttle starting and nothing..

should I maybe cover the cylinders with a bag to keep out dust ...

any help would be appreciated ... the bike was working great after the fix so I am thinking it is this boneheaded flooding that caused it to stop starting...

Update:

the bike is a 1983 yamaha virago 500 ...

Update 2:

yes i know the proper way to start I also had a bad vaccuum line on the carb when the bike was bought and I didnt know about it until it was fixed and to get it started sometimes with the bad vaccuum line I had to choke it fully all the time and then in the colder times add throttle to just add a bit more ...

this is why I flooded it this time I wasnt thinking and just went into habit of hitting the throttle... I am aware of the way the mikuni choke works on my bike its an enrichment choke not a cut off air choke .. so the mikuni actually adds more fuel to the enjine when its engaged...

my question wasnt how to start a flooded engine because the standard ways were NOT WORKING ..

I wanted to know if ROLLING the bike with plugs removed would push the EXCESS GAS OUT THE EXHAust port and into the muffler so the cyllinder can dry more quickly ....

6 Answers

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  • 9 years ago
    Favourite answer

    Letting the engine sit would "clear out a flooded motor". Gasoline is volatile and evaporates. If you have enough that you have liquid gas sitting in the cylinder, you have an issue with your carbs. A wet plug does not indicate an issue, it's normal for a cold engine starting. Holding the throttle wide open while cranking will clear a flooded engine. Same thing in carbureted cars. If you're going to try that route, shut the choke off. The choke prevents the vacuum slider from rising as quickly so the mixture stays rich.

    I have owned a Virago 750 which is quite a bit different from the 535, but it liked to start with a quick crack of the throttle. I don't know how the carbs compare between the two. The 535's look like the bigger bikes, but they are a whole different animal. My 750 had Mikuni carbs, not the Hitachi ones. It ran like a champ. Starting is finicky on big Viragos too (920's 1000, 1100's). With stock configuration, they don't always start without a bit of throttle.

    Sounds like you don't have spark. Pull a plug and check. Could be a fouled plug. They don't have much voltage out of the coil when starting so even minor fouling could cause it not to start. There are some fixes for the big bikes including adding an additional ground off the battery. I don't know if 535's have the same starting issues, but check the plugs and your spark.

    If there is gas pooled in the cylinders, Pull your oil plug and see if there is gasoline in the oil. If there is, change it. The float needles are stuck open. Tiny microscopic debris will hold it open enough to leak. Clean the carbs, and Install an inline fuel filter so it doesn't happen again. Don't run a bike with fuel in the oil, you'll destroy the engine. I have rebuilt a set of carbs, gone for a test ride, gotten home, and had the float valves stick because I didn't have an inline filter. I had to clean the carbs again. The tank looked clean too. It doesn't take much.

    If you're really stumped, go to Viragotech and sign up for the bulletin board. It's the best resource I know of for XV's.

    Source(s): Viragotech.com 3 different Virago manuals.
  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

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    If it's totally flooded is won't turn over or start. If it's a little flooded it just won't start. If gas leaked into the crankcase oil that's not a good thing, if not than it no big deal. Pull the spark plug(s) and crank the engine over with the plugs out, if fuel comes out the hole(s) that a good thing, put the plugs back in after it clears, try again to start. If it sorta wants to start, turn the throttle to fully open and hold it there while turning the engine over, presto!

  • 6 years ago

    This Site Might Help You.

    RE:

    how to clear a flooded motorcycle?

    When I bought the bike it had a carberator problem so I got sloppy using too much throttle then when i got it fixed one night I accidently hit the throttle like before the fix and It flooded the engine .

    I dont want to open the starter case if I dont have to so I am thinking If I pop the...

    Source(s): clear flooded motorcycle: https://shortly.im/JT0ma
  • 9 years ago

    Pull the throttle all the way wide open, turn the engine over, when it starts to cough keep the throttle wide open but stop cranking. Hold that position for 30 seconds than try cranking again, as soon as it fires up back off on the throttle a bit, don't want to over-rev a cold engine.

    Source(s): Never flooded any fuel-injected bike in my life but flooded a few bikes before fuel-injection was born. Riding/racing/wrenching for 49+
  • Tiger
    Lv 5
    9 years ago

    When you are applying choke and throttle while starting, it's flooding the engine more.

    Do this. Park the motorbike in a clean place such as your garage and open the spark plug. Keep the hole open for 2 hours. It'd evaporate the volatile fuel.

    Burn the spark plug point in a blue LPG flame.

  • mn
    Lv 7
    9 years ago

    opening the throttle wide...& cranking clears a flooded engine..

    the correct way to start a cold bike is..

    choke on.. key on.. hit start button.. throttle should not be touched..

    when bike fires up it should idle high... about 2000 RPM.. as the bike gets warmer the revs start to increase.. then you close the choke & it runs normal & idles at about 1000 RPM..

    if the bike is warm... you should be able to just put key in & hit the start button...

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