Jumping did not work. I did pull out the jets when I cleaned the carb. Everything looked quite clean, do debris and no varnish. It seemed like the spray was moving freely through the ports and jets but I didn't use wire or compressed air. When it is cranking, it doesn't sound like it is even attempting to fire. I hear a high stuccato sound of the starter and a thumping of the cylinder. I will probably take the carb out again to double check and pass a wire through the jets this weekend.

 

Passing a wire thru the main jet just won't cut it.. Your pilot jet and emulsion tube aeration orifices are probably completely clogged and your needle/seat may be nonfunctional..

But good luck !

 

I agree with Rule #1 and I'd pull the pitcock and see how the screens look. I bought a KDX200 once and the screens were pretty gunked up. Oh, and did I mention that I just bought a KDX220 that I'm bringing up to snuff.

 

I assumed that you'd done the basics - for instance, fuel is making it into the bowl (via opening the bowl drain)... If not, then that has to be fixed first..

 

Yes, I have opened the drain in the float and gas is making it to the carb. After trying to start the bike I pulled the spark plug to check it and it didn't really feel wet or smell of gas. It just smelled like burned electrical metal. I haven't pulled to carb out yet due to semi-unexpected dead cat burial duty.

Could it be a clogged starter circuit? Other than pulling the choke out and blowing air through it, any other tips on clearing it out?

 

Doubtful on the starter circuit jet, but not our of the question. This where carb cleaner and compressed air is required for all the carb passages with the removeable jets out. The starter jet isn't removeable...pressed in.

The starter jet is almost never completely clogged. More commonly you can get a really funky carb to start on the choke (starter jet), but it won't idle and won't take hardly any throttle until you can get it to go wide open throttle which is running off the main jet. I think you just need more carb cleaner and compressed air...wear eye protection. The pilot jet may also need a fine wire run through to clean out stubborn blockage. If you use a small wire like from a wire brush, don't get too aggressive with it as you can gouge the brass jet.

 

Or take it apart then take the body to a shop or car parts store that does carb cleaning and get it cleaned in a carb washer or ultrasonic wash. Gets places wire and spray can't deal with, dissolving gunk that is tough to clean out. Worked in a shop, saw that and did that.

 

OP, I agree that a full soaking overnight in a completely immersed container of carb cleaner is the absolute guarantee to cleaning that carb. I don't know if you can find a shop or friend who can provide that, or if you'll have to pay for the service even if you just bring in the carb body stripped of all essentials. For just a hair over $20 you can buy a whole gallon can of Berryman's carb clean that has a little basket to dip the carb in. The carb body will fit into one of these.

This stuff works, but it is a bit nastier than the spray stuff. You'll still need compressed air, so make sure you use eye protection and thick nitrile gloves. Don't let the sprayed residue get on any paint or anything valuable...LOL!

OP, I'm still thinking you didn't use the right technique for cleaning this carb, because 2 months is usually not the window in which you get a blockage that spray can carb cleaning, the wire through the starter jet, and compressed air won't cure. I've even be able to clean carbs this way that had sat so long that the fuel looked like alien fungus growth inside the bowl...not always...but often. Compete overnight carb soaking might be required in your case, but I'd try the method I described earlier with attention to all passages and the pilot jet...and compressed air.

OP, what spray carb cleaner did you use? It wasn't just brake cleaner, was it? I'd suggest Berryman's spray carb cleaner, and maybe that's what you used.

 

Using Berrymans dip will solve your issue. Just make sure to remove any rubber and plastic parts before-it will destroy those items.

 

Fact is I just did that in getting a late friend's XT225 up for sale. Carb float bowl looked like it was bronze plated inside. The Berryman cleaner did the trick, has a little basket in the can and all. I left the parts in for several hours, sloshing them about every now and again to try to make sure the cleaner got to all parts. Reassembled and bike fired up near instantly when tried. The shop where I worked had a carb cleaner and I believe we did do some carb cleaning for others, but forget. It isn't labor intensive by any extent. About the only thing need be done is to rinse out the carbs with water after cleaning to remove as much cleaner as possible. Blowing out all the nooks and crannies could be up to the customer or done by shop.

But now I'd recommend the Berryman cleaner. I even used it to clean master cylinder and caliper parts. Good stuff.

Problem we used to get into was if the residue left behind by dried gas turned to gum and got in any of the passages, wire won't clean it and air may not. Spray may not be able to get it really cleaned out.

Right now I believe I am having this issue with an EFI unit for a Zuma 125, the scooter hasn't run in a year and a half. it is pumping fuel, new fuel pump, there is spark, it will run with a shot of starting fluid as long as there is the mist from the fluid. I pulled out the injector and tried to clean it, but I don't know if that is really possible. The position it sits would leave gas from the feed sitting in the injector. There was some gooey substance there. I washed it in the cleaner for a while, but still no gas flow. Now it goes to a dealer for diagnosis.

Boy is EFI really nice... not. One with the carb gets taken care of easily, the other with an injector has to be trucked off for special diagnosis. I doubt I will ever own an EFI dual sport unless there is a way to drain out the injector. I'll take a carb any day. Unfortunately street bikes are another story, no carbed versions left and a bank of four carbs sucks too.

Oh, the injector is only $164... I did have to spend around $50 on the carb because in trying to get the float pin out I broke the float (around $14 on ebay) and there was a broken valve deal on the side of the carb that was broken and epoxied up, (another $35 on ebay or Amazon). But the first was my fault and the second someone else's fault, no fault of the gunked up carb.