TOPIC:

Just to provide an alternative experience. I left my RC in France for three
years and hauled it out and bump started it on a slight hill with the original
petrol.
It fired up straight away! And then idled as well.

But yeah, I will be sonically cleaning the carb next time

French petrol and cheap brandy are pretty much the same thing though?

I only bang on about the ultrasonic thing is that I've a great unit at work that accommodates a set of Nordie carbs perfectly and I know it works. I've stripped and cleaned carbs to what I thought was a high standard, and I trained as a jeweller so I'm used to working to a high standard at that level, and to then see the hidden crap appear after then giving them a sonic bath. No contest.

It's a long way to Scotland to bring my carbs
John

Thanks for everyone's contribution. Topping up and recharging the battery, re-gapping the new plug and a couple of pints of fresh Shell Vpower max did the trick. Still a bit lumpy though so I think I'm going to ultrasonic the carbs anyway. Thanks for the offer Overbomber but I've actually got access to a unit in the lab at work, a few questions though, did you fully strip the carbs before putting them in the tank and if so did you replace any of the seals and if so where did you get them from? Time and temperature and fluid recommendations?

I bought T-K seal kits from Yambits, the XT600 used the same carb but with different jets.
John

I stripped them but didn't split the bodies, the seals/o rings looked ok and it was really to clear the internals that you don't get easy access to or can't see but like John says the seal kits are easy to get as the carbs are also used by Yamaha on their big singles but with different jets.
I ran it for about 1.5 to 2 hours at 65'/70'ish and used a jewellery cleaning additive that we use for cleaning up jewellery castings, it's environmentally groovy but strips grease/dirt/surface gunk of all kinds. I'll get the name of it if you like.
Glad to hear you got the bike running.