andy.262
Active Member
So I picked up a 97 GTI 720 on the cheap that appeared to have fuel issues. I checked and verified it is getting spark. The fuel lines are black and look newer (not the grey tempo lines), and appear to be free from the dreaded green goo, so I assume someone must have already replaced all the lines. Compression is about 100 psi in both cylinders.
I cleaned and rebuilt the carb (single carb) using some genuine Mikuni replacement parts and kept some original if they looked OK. I set the pop-off, pops at 38psi, drops to 20 and doesn't leak after that. I put the diaphram back on and put in 10 psi and it held for 2 minutes without leaking.
Now I still can't get this thing to even try to start. The starter is brand new and it cranks nice and strong. I can crank and crank and I get absolutley nothing, no a single pop or bang or anything, as if its getting no fuel at all (which is why I suspected fuel issues). Just to elminate possible issues with the water seperator and fuel selector, I ran a fuel line from the "on" nipple at the tank directly to the fuel inlet on the carb, and still getting the same non-response to cranking. I know this is not recommended but I shot some starting fluid in there 1 time just to confirm that I'm not crazy and this thing is capable of making noise, and it did kind of crank a few extra times and smoke a little, but not nearly as strong as I would have expected.
Where would you recommend I go from here?
Is it possible that some of those original carb I left in there could be preventing it from starting even though they looked fine and even though the carb pops-off correctly and don't leak? As far as I can tell the carbs have either never been opened or were previously rebuilt using genuine parts, judging by the lack of paint chiping near the screws and the correct red nipple on the diaphram.
I cleaned and rebuilt the carb (single carb) using some genuine Mikuni replacement parts and kept some original if they looked OK. I set the pop-off, pops at 38psi, drops to 20 and doesn't leak after that. I put the diaphram back on and put in 10 psi and it held for 2 minutes without leaking.
Now I still can't get this thing to even try to start. The starter is brand new and it cranks nice and strong. I can crank and crank and I get absolutley nothing, no a single pop or bang or anything, as if its getting no fuel at all (which is why I suspected fuel issues). Just to elminate possible issues with the water seperator and fuel selector, I ran a fuel line from the "on" nipple at the tank directly to the fuel inlet on the carb, and still getting the same non-response to cranking. I know this is not recommended but I shot some starting fluid in there 1 time just to confirm that I'm not crazy and this thing is capable of making noise, and it did kind of crank a few extra times and smoke a little, but not nearly as strong as I would have expected.
Where would you recommend I go from here?
Is it possible that some of those original carb I left in there could be preventing it from starting even though they looked fine and even though the carb pops-off correctly and don't leak? As far as I can tell the carbs have either never been opened or were previously rebuilt using genuine parts, judging by the lack of paint chiping near the screws and the correct red nipple on the diaphram.
