carb question

[Guest]

My carbs were rebuilt about 10 months ago, but I finally just got the bike running yesterday for the first time. They are tuned pretty close to where they need to be, and the bike is running great. I'm having an issue with the brass plug/screw thats on the bottom/side of the float bowls. Two out of four of them have a slow drip. Do I just replace these, they are as tight as I can get them, but they are still dripping somehow. Also, after the bike has been running for 5 mins, gas starts spurting into the overflow tubes and of course onto my garage floor. Not Cool! It spurts a significant amount of gas even after the bike has been off for 5-10 minutes. Any suggestions on what the problem might be?

[Steve]

There is an o-ring or fiber gasket around the screw, not sure which applies to your carbs.

Simply replacing the screw will not fix the problem, you need to replace the gasket.

Also, fuel should not continue to flow after the bike is OFF. Do you have the petcock set to the RUN position?

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[rustybronco]

There are o-rings on those brass screws. You need to replace them.

Did the person who renewed your carbs replace all the o-rings with new, properly set the float heights, check the inlet needle and seats for damage and check the fuel tank petcock for leaks?

[GSX1000E]

www.cycleorings.com (Robert Barr on this forum) sells those O-rings for the outrageous price of $.01 a set if you also purchase the O-ring kits for those carbs. You will have to hurry as he is leaving for an extended ride in the near future.

[rbaldenegro]

I would hope that the mechanic did all that, but it would seem more plausible that he didn't buy new orings for those screws, I'll get on it right away. Also, yes I do have an on off switch, but the carbs were spurting fuel into the over flow lines while the bike was running as well. Would that over flow have anything to do with the o-rings allowing air pockets to form or something?

[Steve]

Nope, no air pockets.

If you have fuel coming out the overflow tubes, the level is set wrong or fuel is bypassing the float needles.

Sounds like your "mechanic" needs to do some warranty work.

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[rwnielsen]

It sounds like your needle valves aren't sealing or you have a stuck (or sunk) float.

[rbaldenegro]

ok thanks for the advice guys, i'll get back on the mechanic.

[rustybronco]

You may be better off finding another mechanic.