No Fuel to # 1 Cylinder - Advice Please.

[RC166LVR]

My 1980 Marysville (25K miles) - all stock (including exhaust) - always stored with Stabil - last run 02/2010 - started it today and it runs on 5 cylinders - header for cylinder # 1 not up to temp compared with all other cylinders and can feel missing cylinder chuffing in R hand muffler tip. Also won't chime in on all 6 pots in the midrange (I think this lets the idle circuit off the hook, yes?).
Plug for #1 is dry and looks good - also good spark when grounded and tested w/ starter.

Some background - had a sticky float (I presumed) last year that let some fuel out the overflow for the # 1 cylinder when running (ran fine) and "fixed" it w/ a couple of light taps on the float bowl w/ a rubber mallet.
Could this new problem be the # 1 float stuck closed (no fuel into the bowl)? I did try to tap it again with the mallet, but no help.
Obviously, tilting the motor and pulling the carb banks (shudder) is the right way to handle it from here, but a couple of questions....
1) Can a float be stuck shut and be causing these symptoms?
2) If so, does this sound like the issue?
3) Would it be worthwhile to run Sea Foam or Techron through the tank in the hopes of getting the float to unstick?
4) Is there any other checking I should be doing at this point?

Thanks in advance to all of you CBX gurus.

Not riding my CBX in San Antonio.

[daves79x]

Pull the drain hose from # 1 and unscrew the drain and see what comes out. If dry, tap on the bowl with a plastic hammer to see if you can free the stuck float (if that's the problem). If that doesn't work and no fuel is getting to the bowl, then remove the bowl (yes, you can remove #1 and #6 bowls on the bike). Might be easier to take the alternator off. Then remove the float and float valve seat. Turn on the gas and see if there is flow. Also check the needle to see if it could have been stuck.

If you have lots of fuel coming out the drain, then you problem is clogged jetting, which can be sort of cleaned if you get the bowl off. Let us know what you find.

Dave

[RC166LVR]

Thanks Dave.
Checked the float bowl on # 1 cylinder and fuel comes out, soooooooooooo.......clogged jets it is.

I'll pull the the alternator and the float bowl on # 1 (thank God it's the # 1 carb) see what I can see.
Thanks again.

[Jeff Bennetts]

I know you don't want to hear this but you might as well pull the whole bank of carbs off.

Most likely you have some clogging elsewhere just not enough to notice now. Pull them off, clean all the jets and passage ways, check the float levels, accel pump diaphram, cut off diaphram and make sure your accel pump is working correctly.

[daves79x]

Ultimately, Jeff is correct. You can't imagine what the bike would run like with all that he outlined correctly addressed. Let us know what you decide to do.

Dave

[RC166LVR]

OK, OK. Father's Day today is extra special.
Poured 12 oz (shock treatment levels) of the recommended Yamalube Ring Free Fuel Additive (black bottle) into a tank of Stabilized fuel one week ago. Ran the bike for a few minutes (I get fuel from the # 1 cylinder float bowl drain just fine) and let it sit all week.
Started it yesterday and ran it for a few minutes - no real change.
Started it this AM and still sounded like 5 cylinders but the # 1 header felt warmer than it had in ther recent past. Took the old girl out for a ride and she initially hesitated but chimed in on all 6 when it transitioned to the mains. After 5-6 miles, ran on all 6 from idle to mid range - went out for about 25 miles and I'm a new fan of this Yamalube product.
I think it still could use a carb synch, but I'm back to running very nicely on all 6 pots. It was running very sweetly (you all know what I'm talking about), by the time I got her home this AM. I had the feeing the # 1 carb issue wasn't severe or set in concrete. I bought the bike in 2003 with 15K miles on it from the owner (it was one of his two personal CBXs) of a local Honda store (Joe Harrison) here in San Antonio and it had always been stored with racing fuel in it and was well maintained. Further, I have always kept it with Stabil in it. I think I'll start it at least bimonthly from this point on and will use this product annually in my CBX. I'd love to send the whole bike to TIMS for a complete re-do - maybe in the next few years (my oldest daughter's wedding this spring has removed most of the disposable $ from my savings this year).
Interestingly, the label on the Yamalube bottle instructs one to change the oil after using this product.
Anyhow, I highly recommend this product as a shock treatment or maintenance for any vehicle, especially one as carb-complex as the X.
Thanks again for all of your input.
This is a terrific forum.