Another "fuel from the overflow tube" thread

[Guest]

Did the carbs last summer. Had no issue until earlier this week. Bike suddenly started running poorly, idle suddenly dropped and it stalled at stop signs. Had been running beautifully until the last run.

Spent yesterday working on installing a new R/R (thank you, Old-skool for your help with that job.) Charging nicely at 13.99 at 5k rpm now and wired direct between the stator and the R/R with a used Shindengen 541E R/R off a Kawasaki four-wheeler. Will do the coil relay mod once I get the fuel leak sorted.

Started it up after getting the wiring job done and discovered it was leaking fuel from one of the over flow tubes.

Spent some time today trying to figure out where the gas was coming from. Only the left carb is leaking and it only leaks when running.

Did confirm that the petcock is NOT leaking, nor is there fuel coming out of the right carb. Pulled the top off the left carb and visually inspected the diaphragm and needle. No obvious hang up and it seems to be seating in the bottom properly. Nice solid "thunk" as it slides into the seat and it feels like it is sitting securely in the bottom.

So, I suppose that means I've got to check the fuel level in the bowl and figure out if the float is set too high, or too low, whichever.

Any words of wisdom before I jump back into the carb?

[hampshirehog]

Float height won't have altered by itself so if it was right last year it will be fine now. I'd bet that the float has just got stuck; try tapping the side of the float bowl with a small hammer and see what happens.

[oldrookie]

Will do. Be nice if that was all it is.

[oldrookie]

Did not appear to be the solution.

Runs great for a few minutes, then begins to bog down and stumble. Fuel then drips out the overflow tube and a pretty good clip.

Looks like I have to pull the carbs.

[Mekanix]

Needle valve is definitly not seating.

Can you pull just the bowl?

Adjusting the float height will help push the needle valve closed and seem like it fixes it but that isn't the way to do it and causes other problems.

If you can pull the bowl and the float and needle valve then you can see what the problem is.

It could be just some dirt stuck in the seat or it could be sticking.

If you take the needle and seat out there is one way that I know of to recondition them if the needles are not grooved.

Put some Autosol metal polish on a Q-tip and put it in a drill. Polish the seat and needle tip. It's worked for me quite well.

.

[oldrookie]

Pulled everything today and found a bit of metal on the side of the needle jet that might have been holding the jet up and letting fuel flow. Cleaned it out, hit everything with compressed air and it seems okay now.

Hoping to get a test ride in.

[oldrookie]

Got a 45 minute ride in at a variety of speeds. Bike seems to be running as well as it ever has for me.

I'm wondering if that needle was messed up from the beginning--almost had to be--since the bike now pull higher into the rpm range in first and second more easily.

No drips from the fuel overflow lines.