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    Draining carb bowls without spilling fuel everywhere.

    Apologies if this has been answered 10,000 times. I've been looking on here for a while + on the web in general. I am a huge noob, so please keep that in mind if I say something(s) stupid.

    Background - fuel leaking from carbs when running. No leak with engine off. Figure it's probably a stuck float in the carb bowl based on the internet.

    My mechanic is out of town for a week or so, hence I figured I'd fill the bowls with Seafoam and let them soak overnight, then drain tomorrow then go for a long ride. No big loss if I'm wrong.

    Just did this but HOLY was it tough to not spill gas everywhere. I brew beer so had a lot of spare vinyl tubing of various ID, but getting something in the gap to slide under either of the drain screws for the inner two carbs was not easy. I figure I'm doing something stupid.

    I see lots of tutorials and replies here that start "drain the carbs" but nowhere can I find a video / photos of carb draining on a carb like this. Other bikes seem to have a separate valve where the fuel runs out (on the bottom of the carb) and a screw on the side of the carb to open the valve, though I'm guessing this only works with 1 or 2 carbs. On my bike the screw is where the fuel comes out (like the drain plug on the oil pan).

    How is it done?

    *******

    Bike is a 1983 GS650GL, hence 4 carbs with two that are tough to get at. I've had it a couple of years and aside from this it runs like a dream. Fluids / filters changed + lubing done as per maintenance schedule in the shop manual.

    I don't have a garage so I'm limited to what I can do in the street - hence the carbs are staying on the bike (at least until my mechanic gets back).

    #2
    Cat food or tuna can under the bowls. Loosen drains and drip the Seafoam into the can. Have something else to empty the cat food can into.
    MY BIKES..1977 GS 750 B, 1978 GS 1000 C (X2)
    1978 GS 1000 E, 1979 GS 1000 S, 1973 Yamaha TX 750, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650B1, 1975 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, 1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk, 1972 Honda CB 350K4, 74 Honda CB550

    NEVER SNEAK UP ON A SLEEPING DOG..NOT EVEN YOUR OWN.


    I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

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      #3
      That float bowl drain sounds odd, almost like a 29mm smoothbore float bowl with the 17mm drain plug.
      2@ \'78 GS1000

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by chuck hahn View Post
        Cat food or tuna can under the bowls. Loosen drains and drip the Seafoam into the can. Have something else to empty the cat food can into.
        So I'm not imagining it.
        What I opened for the cat in the 60s I'm now buying as premier Tuna.
        97 R1100R
        Previous
        80 GS850G, 79 Z400B, 85 R100RT, 80 Z650D, 76 CB200

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          #5
          10 mm nut on bottom of bowls..BS carbs
          MY BIKES..1977 GS 750 B, 1978 GS 1000 C (X2)
          1978 GS 1000 E, 1979 GS 1000 S, 1973 Yamaha TX 750, 1977 Kawasaki KZ 650B1, 1975 Honda GL1000 Goldwing, 1983 CB 650SC Nighthawk, 1972 Honda CB 350K4, 74 Honda CB550

          NEVER SNEAK UP ON A SLEEPING DOG..NOT EVEN YOUR OWN.


          I would rather trust my bike to a "QUACK" that KNOWS how to fix it rather than a book worm that THINKS HE KNOWS how to fix it.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by Brendan W View Post
            So I'm not imagining it.
            What I opened for the cat in the 60s I'm now buying as premier Tuna.
            Mackerel tins (are they available over there?) are a handy small size for various things.
            ---- Dave

            Only a dog knows why a motorcyclist sticks his head out of a car window

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              #7
              Cut the side out of an empty plastic pop bottle but leave the cap on. Drain the fuel into the bottle and pour it out via the cap when done.
              1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
              1982 GS450txz (former bike)
              LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

              I identify as a man but according to the label on a box of Stauffers Baked Lasagne I'm actually a family of four

              Comment


                #8
                I'm with Grimly on this one. Mackerel tins or else my favorite snack food ---- sardines. Don't knock it if you haven't tried it. A can of sardines + some club crackers + a glass of milk and you've just made a tasty noon time meal.
                Larry

                '79 GS 1000E
                '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
                '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
                '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
                '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Originally posted by LAB3 View Post
                  Cut the side out of an empty plastic pop bottle but leave the cap on. Drain the fuel into the bottle and pour it out via the cap when done.
                  (huh! I'm going to try this! Sardine tins et al are so easy to spill getting them out)

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Some of those water bottles can be pretty slim and work even better, either way you can squish it some to fit in and the shape gives you a good reach.
                    1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
                    1982 GS450txz (former bike)
                    LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

                    I identify as a man but according to the label on a box of Stauffers Baked Lasagne I'm actually a family of four

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I prefer the sardines in mustard.
                      As for using the small tins, I always lay a rag under the carbs first, then the tin and when done draining, just slide the rag out towards you until you can pick up the tin. Have never lost a drop from the two inside carb bowls doing it this way. YMMV.

                      Almost forgot to answer the question. No I am not of French Canadian descent. Not that there's anything wrong with the FC folks.
                      Last edited by alke46; 05-05-2019, 10:52 PM.
                      Larry

                      '79 GS 1000E
                      '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
                      '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
                      '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
                      '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by LAB3 View Post
                        Cut the side out of an empty plastic pop bottle but leave the cap on. Drain the fuel into the bottle and pour it out via the cap when done.
                        Hehe, if the bottle is cut in half, why would you need to pour out the caught fuel out through the cap?
                        :cool:GSRick
                        No God, no peace. Know God, know peace.

                        Eric Bang RIP 9/5/2018
                        Have some bikes ready for us when we meet up.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Originally posted by gsrick View Post
                          Hehe, if the bottle is cut in half, why would you need to pour out the caught fuel out through the cap?
                          I think he was referring to cutting a window into the side of the bottle. Lay it flat and catch the gas in the window, then remove cap and pour. That's the way I read it anyway.
                          Larry

                          '79 GS 1000E
                          '93 Honda ST 1100 SOLD-- now residing in Arizona.
                          '18 Triumph Tiger 800 (gone too soon)
                          '19 Triumph Tiger 800 Christmas 2018 to me from me.
                          '01 BMW R1100RL project purchased from a friend, now for sale.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            If you had a boat full of water you could empty it a couple different ways: Turn it over and spill the water wherever it wants to go or pull the plug and let it drain where you wanted.
                            1980 Yamaha XS1100G (Current bike)
                            1982 GS450txz (former bike)
                            LONG list of previous bikes not listed here.

                            I identify as a man but according to the label on a box of Stauffers Baked Lasagne I'm actually a family of four

                            Comment


                              #15
                              If you want to get fancy-schmancy, you could whip up something like this from a piece of aluminum tubing:





                              On a bank of GS carbs, the angled open end probably wouldn't work, but I think cutting a window in the side of a hunka tubing could make a nice neat tool along similar lines. I'd need to figure how to cap or seal the ends of the tubing, since I don't have a way to weld thin AL. Maybe squash and crimp? Dunno. You could also maybe make something similar from a hunk of large-ish clear vinyl tubing. Might be handy to see what you're doing, and occasional contact with gasoline shouldn't hurt it all that much.

                              Or, yeah, just save the can next time you give your fuzzy buddies a treat.
                              1983 GS850G, Cosmos Blue.
                              2005 KLR685, Aztec Pink - Turd II.3, the ReReReTurdening
                              2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Magma Red Power Corrupts...
                              Eat more venison.

                              Please provide details. The GSR Hive Mind is nearly omniscient, but not yet clairvoyant.

                              Celeriter equita, converteque saepe.

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                              Co-host of "The Riding Obsession" sport-touring motorcycling podcast at tro.bike!

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