1977 XS360 - Hard to cold start...

got20z

1977 XS360
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Northeast Kentucky
My XS360 project that I'm wrapping up is hard to cold start. I've only rode the bike a few times but once I get it started it runs pretty good and idles pretty good. Once it's warm and has been running within the last few hours it is also easy to start (usually first kick).

When it has sat for a day or two it is a different story. It takes up to 10 minutes for me to start it and being kick-start only, pretty much sucks.

It has stock airbox and filters, I just went through the carbs and they are very clean. Exhaust is a MAC 2 into 1. Spark plugs are new as well.

I haven't checked valves but it seems they should be fine as the bike only has 3400 original miles.

Anybody else have this setup and have similar problems?


Thanks in advance.
 
Make sure the valves are adjusted then sync the carbs with a manometer. If haven't already done it make sure points are clean and gaped to spec and timing is also good. Also after sitting for a few days it it a good idea to prime the carbs first. The oem petcock has a prime selection on it. Try also to use only non-ethanol gas as ethanol gas will settle after a few day and can make starting hard.
 
I was commuting on my bike right up until it was getting below 45 degrees Fahrenheit here. It was much harder to start in the cold and I let it warm up for at least 5 minutes before taking off. Something that I always did and still do even as its warming up around here, is to turn the fuel on and set the carbs to choke. Then, I will give it a couple kicks (sometimes more) and get it all primed before I turn the ignition on to start it. This also gives a chance for oil to prime as well. I always try to kick start my bike before resorting to the E-start, that way I wont kill the battery and be stuck.

keep off the throttle when you prime it. You want the butterflies in the carb to be closed so the engine will pull the gas in.
 
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