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I have an 82 Maxim that just got running by replacing the 2 spark plugs. Now it will run for a couple cycles and then quits. Took plugs back out, one on left (sitting on bike) black and wet. The other little black, not wet and wipes fairly clean.
Cleaned the carbs the other day.....spick and span.
There is spark, assuming there is fuel cause it would run, but driving me crazy cause now won't restart.
Revved up nice, rough idle though. (would die if not on throttle)
Could it have something to do with the screws on the top of the carbs closest to the block? Assuming they are fuel inlet screws.....which way is lean/rich, in or out?
Help is greatly appreiated!

If they are idle rich/lean adjustment screws, a good rule of thumb is run them in gently until they bottom out, then back them out 1 1/2 turns. You mentioned you had the carbs off and cleaned them ? Do you have all the carb boots and intake peices/parts and vacuum hoses sealed up properly ? It sounds like you have a very rich fuel mixture and it's flooding, I assume you got all the carbs back together correctly ? XS

I have the 2 boots connected @ the carbs to the block with clamps and the other side is in the boots to the air box.
When I reasembled the carbs I gently snugged everything inside as I found it.
Have the vaccuum hose and the fuel line hooked correctly, but come to think of it there is another (what seems to be) vaccuum nipple on the right side. Have it plugged.
I thought it was running rich from experience with cars, but none with bikes. Just learning as I go along.
Guess I'll start by resetting the screws in the morn and see what happens.

I turned the screws to seat them then backed them out 1.5 turns. Tried to start but would not. Used a little carb cleaner to help and it went.
Revved a while but when came to idle it quit. Tried to restart and it all it does is rotate.....does not seem to want to catch.
Pulled the plugs again, and they are alot cleaner (not black) than before.
Anyone have any ideas on what would cause it to start one time run when on throttle, quit on idle and not restart?

If it started with the aid of the carb cleaner and then quit, it sounds like it is not getting gas thru to the plugs. Can you get gas to flow from the drain nipples at the bottom of the carbs ? I'm trying to determine if there is a blockage before or after the gas gets to the carbs. If gas is getting to the carbs but not to the plugs, then the carbs are still plugged. No matter how good you cleaned the carbs, if the tank has dirt, rust or water in it, the second you turned the gas on, it contaminated the carbs again. Did you take precautions with an inline filter and gas tank flush ? XS

Ah crap.....I never even thought about the inline filter. I should know better, since I made the precaution of changing the type of inline on my 84 Camaro. That would prob explain Y when I do get it started that it runs like crap! Won't idle (as I had it doing for about 15 mins) and have to keep on the throttle.
I thought that the purpose of the screen on the petcock was to keep out the contaminents. But apparently not?
Thanks for refreshing my mind about the filter......I'll give it a try and let you know.
One other thing....the screws that control the idle speed, I assume that they are to be set the same?
Oh and it seems that there is more pressure coming out of the left pipe vs. the right pipe (old pipes....rusty). Should they not be the same?

The preasure coming out of the pipes would be the same on a normal good running bike, but you would have to have all cylinders fireing in order to have them equal. As far as the idle screws go, once you get the bike running, you will use those to sync the carbs and set your idle speed. At the moment you need to concentrate on getting it running on all cylinders. XS

I understand getting it running....it only has 2 cyl anyway. I know it will run, but going to check for anything that may have got into the carbs to cause it run rough and not start prop.