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So I'll continue my monologue here.

Anyway, I managed to clean out the tank without any of the expensive things that were suggested. Basically,
1. Solution of vinegar and water left overnite.
2. Drained vinegar, & used washing soda solution to clean it out.
3. Flushed w/ water a couple of times and dried out w/ hair dryer.
4. Couple of bottles of rubbing alcohol to drain out the water.
5. Dried out w/ hair dryer.
6. Sprayed and coated inside w/ WD-40 to act as sealant.
7. Rinsed out w/ some gasoline.

How'd I do??

Most radiator shops will clean, seal, and pressure test a fuel tank for $50 to $100. You would have to pant the tank.

Or you could get a bottle of fuel tank sealant and apply yourself.

Is this for a lawn mower or an expensive motorcycle? I only ask because while your process is admirable I'm not sure the long term lasting effect your procedure is what you will want. The stuff they have on the market is very forgiving,affordable and accessible. If you're gonna go through all the steps of taking apart what ever it is that you took apart..........

Wouldn't the gas negate the sealing affect of the WD40?

At least your getting your hands dirty which is more then alot of owners that I know. And each process is a learning experience. Good for you. It may save your butt 20 years from now.

Thanks for the replies guys.
Actually, my original post was supposed to be a follow up post to a previous thread, but somehow I managed to make it a new thread...

It's for my 2003 Kawasaki Vulcan 500 ltd. I haven't used it in a couple of years, and I figured I'll give it a shot. Never been too handy w/ engines... (helped my dad clean carbs a couple of decades ago w/ his 100cc)

Anyway, I filled 'er up this morning w/ fresh gas and gave it a shot. Amazingly, after a few tries, it started up... got it moving a few yards w/ high throttle, and that was it.

Now it does that clickety sound (is that the starter motor turning over?) after a couple of attempts. Every once in a while it seemed like it would take, but it dies instantly. Btw, I also put in a new battery...

I played around with the idle knob to the point I don't know how far from normal I am. I've putzed around w/ the choke.

Can someone tell me if I flooded the engine? and if so, how do i fix it?

i'm contemplating a carb clean, but am not sure if I should attempt that w/ my current level of expertise...

Help! If I give up, I'll probably have to have it towed to the shop ($100+) and it'll probably be $300-$500 to fix it...

Rabidrao,
So it's clicking when you try to start it? It's not turning over? If your battery is new and charged, that's most likely a simple connection. Check to make absolutely sure your battery leads are clean and making good contact. Also check the contacts around the starter motor and coils to make sure they have not gotten corroded or dirty while your bike sat. In some bikes, there is a connection between the battery's negative pole and the frame of the motorcycle. I'd check that connection too.

You might have to charge up the battery if you've drained it trying to start the engine.

And as was said before, good on you for getting in there and working on it! That's how you learn!

I had to be towed home once and it was just the battery cable was loose. Embarassing. At least your bike is home!

thanks coffee_brake!
actually, the battery connections are good. I tried again after some time, and the engine turns over and starts roaring like it's going to take off, and then it sputters and dies. It turns over easier with the choke open. But after 3-4 attempts, it starts the clicking thing... as in "hey i tried 3 times, now stop bothering me, i need rest!"
I went thro' this process about 3 times yesterday... each time after some rest, and each time got the same result. like u said, i didn't want to drain the battery trying to start the bike.

one more thing, when I first started it, and it really took off for a few minutes, I was so thrilled I forgot to put the choke back in and forgot that the petcock was on PRIME... so fuel started flowing through. And even though I was throttling it real high, it did leak a bit before I realized my stupidity. That's why I was wondering if maybe I flooded the engine w/ gas, and what to do about that.

Oh yeah... another thing. When I put the petcock back into the fuel tank, it only had one of the 2 diaphragms in it. The lower one had rotted and when I took out the petcock, it just crumbled. Couldn't find a diaphragm or a petcock online, so I put it back without the bottom diaphragm. I don't intend to keep it that way, 'cos it could let crap into the carb later. But for now, I figured it shouldn't stop me from starting the engine, as the inside of the tank is REALLY clean....

OK now it sounds like carbs...and is therefore beyond me. I'd screw the idle adjust back out a lot (if you screwed it way in). If that doesn't help, then is sounds like either a jet is plugged or the needle is stuck in a carb.
Your Clymer's manual would be a big help. But when it comes to carbs, I'm afraid I'm not much help at all!

Roaring at very high RPM's, then dies....hmm.

sorry to but in, but im a mechanic by profession. note,without having the bike in front of me i cannot say what it is for sure but....sounds to me like the carbs are plugged up. when it revs high its because its lean. then it dies because it burned up the little bit of fuel it could get. a carb clean is definitly in order. hope this helps.

Thanks toolbox! That definitely helps! It confirms my suspicions... unfortunately, I haven't had much experience putzing around w/ motorcycle engines (Kawasaki Vulcan 500 Ltd). I was debating attempting a carb clean myself, but after much reading about the complexity of the task and hearing advice, I'm tempted to just call it quits and tow it in to the dealer to do it. I'm afraid of the cost... just towing might be close to $100... and if I remember correctly, carb cleans aren't cheap...upwards of $300? I'm handy w/ tools and do a lot of stuff around the house, but the most I've done on the motorcycle is to dismantle the tank and clean it... Do you think it would be significantly cheaper to attempt a carb clean myself?... and do u think I should try it?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!!!

Thanks!

from the information youve given me i wouldnt sugest doing the clean yourself. to save money you might call your local shop and see if they'll cut you a deal if you bring in the carb off the bike. that saves the towing fees and should lower the cost of having the job done. if you dont already have a service manual you can find them for around 15 or 20 dollars. it should have simple directions for carb removal and reinstallation. hope this helps!