Bike won't stay running

Okay so I picked this bike up a couple weeks ago and have been getting it back to running again after 20 years. I replaced all the broken things on it and tried starting it up it will start up but only with some starting fluid, it will run for a second and slowly die out, I've tried with the choke on and choke off as well. It will run way longer with me giving it some gas but only with choke on. I know gas is going in but am I not getting enough or is it too much gas? I'm not the most guru person with bikes this is my first one infact but I know engines decently well and it still stumps me. I've got amazing spark as well checked all of them by shocking some buddies lol

 

You didn't say you have done this, so... carb clean. A real one.

Go and read WaveyDavey's thread.

https://vfrworld.com/threads/vf500-carb-rebuild-kits-resource-for-parts-wanted.60925/

 

Oh yeah I forgot, I did go through those and had them clean as a whistle, fuel is brand new too, thank you for reminding me

 

OK, good. I am really not being rude, but please give a brief summary of what your "go through" was?

We can chase our tails for the next 2 weeks if it is what normally happens when people say they have "cleaned" V4 carbs.

 

detach and check that the fuel line from tank to pump is flowing freely [filter not clogged], and try bypassing the pump relay.

 

What year is it? Gravity of fuel pump fed? Is there fuel in the bowls if you open the drain? Is it possible your A/F screws were turned all the way in and never backed out?

If you did a bench sync you may also have the idle tooootally out of whack if you didn't back it back down.

But like captain said, a summary of what you have done would go a long way towards educating some guesses.

 

No you're all good sometimes I need the slap on the wrist for somethings lol I've on through and split the carbs sprayed everything with carb cleaner and little bags for all the bolts and other pieces alike soaked the jets sprayed out the floats and everything other hole I could get into put ot back together and tried running it, If you feel like I missed a lot I'm more than happy to go back through them, again I'm not the most guru with bikes and carbs are definitely not my strong suit

 

It's an 86 so it should be gravity fed I haven't seen any sort of pump

 

Also I'm not sure what you mean by A/F screws I suck with names for parts

 

The fuel tank parts fiche for the 1986 VF500 shows an auto shutoff on the petcock. There is a rubber diaphragm pulled by engine vacuum to allow fuel flow. See part 16953-ML0-034. You sure this is in good order?

 

Hey, you're good. It sounds like you really went in and gave it a shot.

He's referring the the pilot screws. They are the tiny screws with a "needle" on the end, and a spring, tiny washer and tiny o-ring. You had those out, right?

 

Yes that thing works amazing it

 

There's a vacuum delete mod that I recommend. When the diaphragm fails it leaks fuel thru the weep hole into the v of the engine.

 

Your symptoms are classic "dirty" carbs. There are so many little things that have to be gone thru. The reason I am hounding on this because I have seen it A LOT. These carbs are not easy and just a couple stupid things can have a great effect on the run-ability.

 

Yes i had those out and I had a buddy help me with all of this he's a damn good bike mechanic so it still makes me wonder what's going in there I'm gonna try and see if maybe my petcock has something still stuck inside I went thought and cleaned the he'll out of thay too but it doesn't hurt to go through it one more time, anymore ideas?

 

I already went through that as well

 

Gotcha okay I'm gonna go through them again this weekend and triple check everything for it

 

Get them out, set up another work space, take some pics and ask some questions. One more go thru and I think you got this.

 

Sweet thank you so much, I'll keep you updated on how it goes. Side note my 2nd cousin was the original owner of the bike and he says there was a overflow for this bike but he doesn't remember where it is do you have any idea where it is on the bike

 

is the vent line open to the air ?