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Hi Gents,

Thanks for all your comments and suggestions and apologies for hijacking Tonto's post.

Certainly a lesson to be learned as far as the English language goes when naming something in the US/Canada and what we think it is in the UK.

Anyway, spent the last few days wondering the best way to tackle this (couldn't do anything anyway as work gets in the way) and where I could get lacquer thinner from. Doesn't seem to be a common product in the UK unless we call it something else. The bike is booked in for an MOT on Saturday, so I'm thinking if I cant get it started there's no point. Plus the fact, I need to catch a plane to Portugal late on Saturday so wont be back in the UK for 10 days so any carb adjustments will need to wait until I return.

So I thought I'll put the battery back on the trickle charger so there is plenty of life in the battery for when I try to start it using Tim's hairdryer method. Before I locked up the garage, I thought, I'll just see if it will start. Ignition on, choke on and first press of the starter button it bursts into life. Now this is a bit different to what Tim is experiencing. Mine totally refused to start, the following day, after setting up the carbs yet three days later it starts without a problem. The witchcraft of carburation.

Back to the Cellulose thinners, I cant find any resources that mention the substance will attack aluminium. However, lemon juice, or citric acid, will etch aluminium and if left in the substance long enough will certainly damage it. Not sure if Zed Thirteen just left his carbs in water or a mixture of water and lemon juice but not something I would recommend.

I'll keep you updated and lets hope the bike starts on Saturday.

Regards

Martin.

I just want to say thanks to you guys for turning me onto laquer thinner, as well as clearly pointing out the differences in other thinners.

Well, my Z13 has struck up on the button for 4 consecutive days (since the latest hair drier escapades) - and all now seems fine, but I know I'm deluding myself and must bite the bullet and get the carbs off yet again to make absolutely sure there are no rogue contaminants hiding. Best source some lacquer thinners asap.

In hindsight I cant beleive I consciously chose NOT to get a DFI model, and waited for a good early carb example to come along, believing the carb models were less problematic . Whats the old maxim "Every rose has its thorn" - think my Z13 has a whole briar patch.

My A4 will not start after standing unused for a week or so. It is something that the carb Models do.
I just give the air box a little squirt of starter fluid (ether), wait 10 seconds for it to become gas, push the starter and off she goes.
Once she warms up, she will start normally, idles great and gives 112 hp from the rear wheel. No tinkering, just riding.

Of course, when these bikes were new they did start, no fuss, no bother- for the first year or so. But it didn't take long , maybe a couple of years before the bikes short comings began to show up. And hard starting was one of those. So in most of North America where the riding season is quite short , the bike was put away for the winter without any preparation and then come next spring, it wouldn't start and so in frustration the bike was either pushed back in the shed or sold. This goes some way in explaining why there is so many of these bikes with such low mileage. By the early 1980's Kawasaki then decides to go to fuel injection to help solve the problem. The Honda CBX, Gold Wings etc of a similar vintage were a few years from fuel injection because they weren't having the same problems.
Having said that. I don't have a hard starting problem with my bike , even when it sits all winter. I have installed clear fuel line from tank to carbs so I can see that the fuel has got to the carbs. I turn the fuel tap to prime and listen to the fuel running into the float bowls - which takes a minute or so and then hear the float valves shut the fuel flow off- indicates the bowls are full. I can only get my little work shop to about 10 degrees or less right now. With two pushes on the starter button of about 5 seconds each the engine will start. On gasoline only. This process is only necessary if the bike has sat for extended periods - ie. more than a week.
However, the carb/ starting problem has been a major issue for alot of people- no question about that . The two other bikes I have were purchased from owners who had given up on the bike , and the starting issue was the big reason for selling, and over heating was the second reason.

tackelhappy, I notice you have an MV Agusta. Please can you give us your opinion on the bike?

Apologies to all for straying from the subject of this thread.