Engine will not start after Shotgun

1998 VMax probably with stage 1 jets. Kerker 4 into 1. No other mods THAT I KNOW OF.

Originally was running way too rich. W help of Traumahawk, took sliders out and moved e-ring back one notch to lean it ou bu pushing needle forward. Ran much better but still rough in places. smooth in mid range and top end. Low end not so much making it a bitch to drive in town

Removed air box and side scoops.

Removed Pilot Jet air fuel screws with light air pressure. front left carb needle did not have a rubber oring on it. Previously when adjusting these, tightening this one made engine run very fast rather than kill the cylinder. others reacted normally to shutting them off.

Used PB Blaster and 100 to 150 lbs of air on and off for about a week until all the holes that seemed to need to expel air when air was shot into another one did so

Ordered new pilot jet screw kits and installed them properly, leaving them out 3 turns.

made sure all 4 little O-Rings were in place on the outside lower part of the carb and installed sliders, springs and covers. started bike without air box and it ran very slowly for a couple of seconds and then died.

installed air box. Now it won't start and backfires occasionally. choking it gets it to almost start occasionally but then backfires. Never had to choke it before.

battery is run down and charging right now.

I have no idea. I'm pretty sure all the parts are back where they where.

Help. Planning to push bike out front and leave key in ignition. PM for address in Ft Worth.

Geez, don't give-up yet. Sounds like you have been catching-up on 'deferred maintenance' and ham-fisted owner mods. Keep posting, and we'll assist you get to where you need to be.

Try the choke when you have a fresh battery, and possibly use the charger on the battery until you get it to start & run OK, then remove it. It should run off-choke pretty-quickly, < 2 minutes. You could try a bit of ether to get it running at first, and then after 'learning' how to run, and clearing it out a bit, after it comes-up to operating temp, you shouldn't have to choke it to start it. Do NOT use ether as-in 'if a bit is good a lot is better!' You could end-up w/an intake explosion &/or a fire. Always a good idea to have a big dry chemical fire extinguisher ( I recommend a 2A,10:B/C) nearby working w/gas-powered stuff. One has saved my equipment on at-least 1 occasion, and you see my screen name.

update. Removed all 4 spark plugs thinking it might be massively flooded. All 4 were wet with gas and had crud on them. they were brand new a week ago. I think some of the crap from the shotgun got down into the cylinders. Blasted out the cylinders through the plug holes with 100 psi air pressure. reinstalled plugs after blasting tips with brake cleaner and letting them dry completely. Still does not start but sounds more hopeful at times.

This is not my bike, It's my bosses. you may have read about it in other threads. Yea...nobody cared.

There should be a rescue network for VMaxes like there is for dogs.

update 2. battery had a bit left. put it on full choke and it almost started a couple of times. Removed a plug and it was pretty dry but with more bits of black crap on it. Suspect shotgun did more damage than good. will keep trying. battery must charge awhile

Still PM for location.

You just have to use the choke. I had to after I did mine.

Do what Medic said, if you have run down the battery and the voltage drops to about 10 volts while cranking the engine over the ecm will not have enough voltage to fire the plugs. I would put new plugs in her and assist the start again with jumper cables from your vehicle.

Yes the 'shotgun' did work & you have just had the crud move further-down the combustion tract, so now the muck has probably fouled the plugs. Plugs are cheap if you just get OEM-spec ones. Screw the 'forked-tailed devil' plugs & dual side electrodes, just OEM is what you need. Use the battery charger to 'boost' your battery, and keep trying. If it's that-close, I think a 'sniff' (maybe 2 seconds) of ether may entice the Fire God to work in the Hall of Internal Combustion. Once you get it running, be sure to let it come-up to temperature, resist (mightly!) the urge to "wing-it" on the throttle, no-more than 4K rpms. Once it fires, get it to hold a fast idle and let it warm-up to where the temp gauge moves into the lower 1/2 of the gauge (maybe you said the gauge was giving you fits?) or run for 4 minutes so it idles when you let-go of the throttle. Try shutting it off then and you should be able to start it w/no choke, engine warm. This might be the time to try some new OEM plugs if you remove them and they have more crud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YnhI_ECOAK4

Get hip to those girls in the cage diggin'-on Battle Creek MI's finest!

[Medics quote]
Get hip to those girls in the cage diggin'-on Battle Creek MI's finest!

There you have it John, you may have to play this video while trying to crank the Boss's bike:rofl_200::rofl_200:

choked the **** out of it and cranked on it.

It started but a crap load of white smoke came out at first.

carbs will not sync well but a trip up the freeway should fix that.

thanks to all

Glad that it worked for you.

Just got back from a ride. did some high speed on the freeway and some ultra slow on back roads at about 1500 rpm in 3rd or 4th gear. this is where it gave the most trouble. after a while it smoothed out.

It runs perfectly all across the rpm band now. I remember when I started working on it. It ran like **** below 6500 rpm. above that, it ran like crazy. It still does...