Motorcycle Repair: 1988gsx600katana, air fuel mixture, compression stroke

Question
My bike will fire with starting fluid ,but will not run once fluid is gone seems to be getting plenty of gas and spark and will not stay running. I cleaned carbs and changed plugs but still nothing. I believe I have fire order right but if you know exact please let me know this also Thanks   JOSH

Answer
Hi Josh,

The firing order is: 1 2 4 3. Cylinders 1 & 4 fire together, and cyclinders 2 & 3 fire together. While both plugs arc, only one of the two is completing the compression stroke and about to burn the air-fuel mixture on the power stroke. The other cylinder is 180 degrees out of phase.

If the engine runs on ether, but stalls when ether vapors are gone: the carbs are not delivering fuel. I suspect the carbs need cleaned and/or adjusted, or the petcock is not allowing fuel to flow. Could be a problem with a vacuum line or varnished petcock.

If you had provided an email address as requested, I would have returned professional carb cleaning, tuning, and sychronizing files.

Respectfully,
Mark Shively