Disconnect throttle from carb?

[Rorc]

Hey guys, super new here. I bought my first motorcycle, a 1980 XS 400, last year and just took it out of storage. Drove it for a month, and it was awesome. Now it's not running post-storage.

I tried changing the spark plugs, new battery, putting in fresh gas, draining both carbs, and checking the air filters. It turns over, but it only chugs, and backfires sometimes. Never really fires up.

So now I want to try cleaning the carbs, but I can't get it all the way off. It's connected to the throttle cable. Does anyone know how to remove the cable? Or should I just not mess with it?

My engine/mechanical knowledge is pretty much zero, so if there are easier troubleshooting steps I'm missing, please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Lego]

Disconnect, and clean the carbs, of course you have to disconnect throttle cable, its very easy. You need to almost completely dismantle carbs to clean them good, so if throttle cable is an issue for you, i recommend you to take the carbs to nearest bike shop and ask them to clean them for you.

Or with common sense and good reading of manual and this forum, you will be able to do it, with patience and attention of what you are doing.

read this: http://www.xs400.com/threads/a-bunch-of-how-tos-in-a-thread.10715/
watch these videos from member bcware: http://www.xs400.com/threads/1978-carburetors-for-beginners.6375/
read this: http://cycles.evanfell.com/2008/09/how-to-clean-a-motorcycle-carburetor-the-right-way/
and last but most important: http://cvmgestrie.com/assets/mikuni_bs-cv_carburetor_rebuild_tutorial.pdf follow this procedure when cleaning.

 

[Rorc]

Thanks for the info!