80 LF won't stay running

[Ryker Carruthers]

Okay, I've got an 80 liquifire here that's been giving me fits for quite some time. I got discouraged and walked away from it for a year. We'll now I'm here ambitious again.
Yesterday I went out for a cruse on dad's TF, throttle cable broke so I got it home and I looked over at the liquifire. It had good gas in it, so I turned the key, pulled it 3 times and damn it started, had the feather the throttle to keep it alive, I kept it right around 4,000 rpm, it ran for a whopping 30 seconds. Then it petered out and just lost it. Never moved the throttle from where it was, it just died. As the rpms cake down it popped a little, and after that you could pull it and it would only make pop. Never take off running again. It had a blueish spark when dead cold, after you had it running it went to a whiteish. I swapped the CDI to a known good one and the same thing. Although it seemed to start easier.
It does have new crank seals, the carbs are mint, new jets, set to the book, air screw at 1.5 turns out. I even verified I had the right carb on the right side. It has new weights in the flywheel and new spring.
Could my problem be in the stator?
Thank you
Ryker

[discus]

Sounds like you have ignition but may be loosing fuel. Check the plus and see if they are wet. If they are and it's flooding you may need to go back through the carbs (Check the needle/seats, set the choke plungers correctly, etc.) If they are dry and it's running out of gas you might want to look at the fuel pump and lines. Has the pump ever been rebuilt? If you haven't checked the lines and pickup in the fuel tank I would do that as well. Check the impulse line from the pump to the crankcase. Get new lines on everything if you haven't done so. It could be simply loosing it's prime. Check the carb boots and make sure they aren't leaking and are in good shape. It's also much easier to get one started with a full tank of gas the first time for the year, especially if you've drained the gas out last spring. So many times the problems with the liquifire's are people don't take the time to go through everything thoroughly. These things are old and it takes more than clean carbs to make one dependable. Not saying this describes you, just saying the kawi's get a bad rap for being finicky, but it's usually setup problems and/or things left unchecked that keeps them from being good starting, good performing engines. Get a manual if you don't have one.

Good Luck

Dale

[Ryker Carruthers]

Thanks dale, I've got a book on it and tried everything I can think of, it has a new fuel pump and new lines. I've gone over them a few times to be sure of no leaks etc, the boots are new. When it dies the plugs are damp, not wet like flooded but normal damp. It has a 1/4 tank of fuel in it but I can fill it on up. When I pull the plugs after its been running usually smoke still comes out of the cylineders. The choke plungers are set as per the book, are you saying pull the carbs after its been running and see if the bowls are dry??
Thank you, Ryker

[Ryker Carruthers]

I've got another stator here. Should I put it in and give it another try?

[Packers29]

Try unplugging rev limiter also.


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[Ryker Carruthers]

Rev limiter is unplugged already

[harleysportster]

Okay, I've got an 80 liquifire here that's been giving me fits for quite some time. I got discouraged and walked away from it for a year. We'll now I'm here ambitious again.
Yesterday I went out for a cruse on dad's TF, throttle cable broke so I got it home and I looked over at the liquifire. It had good gas in it, so I turned the key, pulled it 3 times and damn it started, had the feather the throttle to keep it alive, I kept it right around 4,000 rpm, it ran for a whopping 30 seconds. Then it petered out and just lost it. Never moved the throttle from where it was, it just died. As the rpms cake down it popped a little, and after that you could pull it and it would only make pop. Never take off running again. It had a blueish spark when dead cold, after you had it running it went to a whiteish. I swapped the CDI to a known good one and the same thing. Although it seemed to start easier.
It does have new crank seals, the carbs are mint, new jets, set to the book, air screw at 1.5 turns out. I even verified I had the right carb on the right side. It has new weights in the flywheel and new spring.
Could my problem be in the stator?
Thank you
Ryker

Did you clean the carbs again since it failed to start? A year of storage is too long and will require another cleaning.
You can ohm out the stator using these specs.

Do you have the choke plungers set correctly?
Do you have fuel to the carbs?
I have seen the floats stick closed from long-term storage.

[Ryker Carruthers]

I have not cleaned the carbs since I had them off last. I can if you recommend it though, and yes the choke plungers are set correctly
Thank you for the stator specs! I do have fuel to the carbs. I know that for sure. I will get a DVOM home and check it out. Thank you harley!

[harleysportster]

I had jets clog up from sitting around. The gas I use has the typical 10% blend with of ethynol.

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[Ryker Carruthers]

I don't run ethanol in mine, 93 octane non alcohol. I'll take them off and give them a good cleaning. I just don't think that's it because it did the exact same thing last year when I was tinkering with it. Ran the same etc

[Ryker Carruthers]

Okay, I can't read that diagram. Anyway to clear it up?

[ljm]

I believe that diagram is from a Kawasaki Invader repair manual.
You can download the manual at Vintagesnow.com

[sledhead16]

Did you check the ignition coil, it could be failing after heating up and produce weak spark.

[Ryker Carruthers]

It has a new ignition coil. I will check out the invader manual.