HOW do I drain the float bowls?

The front cylinder on my 99' SV650S is not firing. There is a spark, and the rear cylinder is firing, I am wondering if perhaps it is water in the fuel. I cant find a reliable guide anywhere telling me how I go about draining the carbs though. My last bike was a 125, so it is just turn the tap off, find the hose, twiddle the screws... Help?

[jambo]

Good evening, If you were to search on misfiring front cylinder or similar you'd find rather a lot of posts.

Given the monsoon out there, one quite likely option is that water kicked up from the front wheel has got into the recess for the front spark plug, the drain hole gets clogged up and the plug ends up submerged. Remove the front spark plug cap (you will need to pivot the rad forward, on an "S" model this usually means removing or loosening the fairing panels that clip into it). Clean out the area with some kitchen towel and spray some WD40 or similar to see if it runs out of the drain hole on the right hand side of the front cylinder block. If not, clear the hole. A little silicone grease, such as sold in Malpins, smeared around the front plug cap, or a "fenda-extender" which lengthens the front mud guard are both useful fixes.

You may, however, have water in the fuel, There are drain bolts on the bottom of the carb bowls, you will need a long, ball-ended allen key and some patience to get in there. And they may be stuck, if at first you don't succeed, consider removing the airbox & carbs and doing it where you've got space. You'll need a torch to see the drain bolts in-situ. If water has got into the fuel, check that the drain tube from the back of the tank to the bottom of the bike is not clogged up, by spraying WD40 or similar into the small hole in the filler cap area and seeing if it runs out the bottom. Again, clear this pipe if there's a blockage.

'course it might be something else entirely. So have a go at the above two and feed back if you get no joy.

Jambo

Originally Posted by jambo

Good evening, If you were to search on misfiring front cylinder or similar you'd find rather a lot of posts.

Yeah, sorry about that. I did read the guide in the sticky thread, but I am tired of trying to piece information together from partial sources. I wanted the question answered directly really.

Ok, so it might involve removing the carbs then... There is definately a spark on the front cylinder, I have checked that, so no quick fix from changing the front spark plug. Would water in the fuel cause a misfire on just one cylinder though? I am thinking maybe it needs the jets looking at. Who knows...

[Spanner Man]

Good afternoon.


Water would indeed cause a missfire on one cylinder, particularly under load. As Jambo says, the drain screws are a bit of a sod to access, especially on the front carburettor.
You will most likely find that the drain screw is obscured by some of the bracketry that holds the carbs together, & some piping. You access both drain screws from the right hand side of the bike.


Cheers.

[Taipan]

I've drained my fuel bowls a few times lately. As others have said you can do it but you need a set of ball end allen keys and a pair of pliers on the end to turn them. Its fiddly but quite easy really. You get to them from the rear brake pedal side and you can see them through the carb joining brackets.