2002 Suzuki GZ250 trouble starting

[yashbhatt215]

Hello everyone I am new to the forum. I just purchased a 2002 Suzuki GZ250 for $300. It was originally listed for $600 but the owner was moving to a new apartment where he did not have a place to store the bike so he dropped the price.

He listed the bike explaining that it had a sticky exhaust valve issue. I bought the bike because I want to take up fixing it as a hobby and learn some cool stuff mechanically. I am a complete beginner when it comes to working on motorcycles. As far as my mechanical background goes I have a few months of experience repairing and maintaining CNC machines, but that is all.

The owner said that it had been running before but it is very random. Sometimes it runs and sometimes it doesn't. It sat in his garage for about a year. Surprisingly, my Dad started it the other day and when he shifted it into 1st gear it stalled. It hasn't started since. I read the Owner's Manual and found the troubleshooting section. I started trouble shooting the carburetor to see if it was getting fuel. I drained the carburetor, turned the fuel valve to PRI (prime) and fuel did in fact flow from the drain hole. Then I turned the fuel valve to the ON position, drained the carburetor, and tightened the drain screw. Next, I pushed the electric starter button to crank the engine. Obviously it did not turn on. I then loosened the drain screw to see if the carburetor filled up with fuel and it was empty. No fuel came out. I tried this twice. I then tightened the drain screw again. I turned the fuel valve to PRI and went inside my house to get something. When I came back there was fuel all over the ground! I turned the fuel valve back to ON. I tried to start the engine again but it did not work and the battery started dying. I decided to put troubleshooting on pause to charge the battery.

So two problems: FIRST, when I drained the carburetor and tried to start the engine the carburetor did not fill back up. SECOND, I turned the fuel valve to PRI and the fuel leaked out of the engine all over the ground. I know it did not leak from the carburetor because the drain screw was tight and I had a pan underneath the carburetor to catch any fuel. The fuel leaked from somewhere else in the engine.

My first step is to do as much research possible. I am searching Google and Youtube for anything that can point me in the right direction. I have not read the service manual yet, I will do that tomorrow probably. I briefly skimmed the parts manual. If anyone can point me in the right direction that would be fantastic! Thank you!