What do I check for overfilling carbs

[timebombprod]

Was trying to look for older posts and what I was told to check for the issue of my bike overflowing gas into the engine and airbox. I am supposed to check the pilot jets and float bowls right? Is there anything else to check?

Fuel valve has been tested nothing goes through unless I suck on vacuum line and prime works fine and shuts off when back to normal position

[rphillips]

Float height (that's what regulates fuel height in float bowl) then needles & seats + "O" rings.

[Burque73]

To check the float height, you'll need to pull the carbs and flip them over. Remove the bowls super carefully and hopefully avoid tearing the paper gasket. I use a thin blade like a putty knife or even a butter knife to gently separate the carb body and the float bowl from the gasket, usually being able to reuse it.

Nessism's rebuild guide, along with the shop manual will walk you through it. There are a few improvised setups to check the fuel level once the height is set. In fact, before tearing open the carbs, you can use that tubing setup to see what the height is and isolate which carb is causing the issue. Maybe it's just one of the four.

[timebombprod]

Needles, seats, and o rings are main jet and needle jet right? Have a brass ring inbetween the two

Also noticed that 1 of my 4 floats was sticking up high when carbs were placed upside down, spring piece was stuck. I flipped em over like they'd be sitting normal and then put them upside down again, 3 of the 4 floats were sticking high and only broke loose when I pulled the float up and not pushing it down, being that it gets the float stuck would that affect it in the way that would make my bike overflow?


Edit: wait the seats and o rings are the problem I'm talking about, wait so is that a problem?

[steveb922]

Read the guide that Roger linked 2 posts above this one. It will explain the terminology, how to rebuild that area of the carbs, and how to check the float height and fuel level.

[timebombprod]

https://youtu.be/C1qQbwHO0gk

Video of them sticking a bit not bad

[timebombprod]

Checked the seats and o-rings, one of the four seats does not budge at all when fully sat, other 3 had a tiny bit of play. Took them out and resat them and the sticking problem really doesn't happen anymore, barely at all. 1 of the 4 now sticks instead of 3, and itll go down super easy if I just slap the side of the carb it knocks it loose again.

So gotta check fuel level. An old kook was the first one to suggest that a while back shouldve done it then.

[Rijko]

https://youtu.be/C1qQbwHO0gk

Video of them sticking a bit not bad

good on you for posting that video.
There is no "a bit not bad" where float valves are concerned.
ANY sticking is BAD.

[Nessism]

Use the clear tube method to measure fuel level. Also make sure your tank is clear of rust and debris which can foul the float valves. This won't tell you what's wrong with the float seat/needle system, but it will tell you if there is a problem.

[timebombprod]

Use the clear tube method to measure fuel level. Also make sure your tank is clear of rust and debris which can foul the float valves. This won't tell you what's wrong with the float seat/needle system, but it will tell you if there is a problem.

is seafoam a problem? for bikes this age is it something you dont want. pretty sure theres seafoam mixed with the gas in tank.

gas tank was cleaned and sealed by yours truly in the very beginning of getting this bike, that was the first thing i found out AFTER i bought the bike that the whole inside oof the tank was rusted to crap.
when looking at the bike my friend and i checked all the electrical stuff to see it all works, it did. it turned on and my friend ran it around the neighborhood and said it rides really smooth once you're riding, we knew there was no rear brake but found out while we went to buy it.

[rphillips]

Seafoam can't hurt anything. May not help, but surely can't hurt. Like he said, floats & needles got to work freely, not nearly nor pretty good. be careful removing the floats, the posts get broke often & that's not good.

[pdqford]

I’m not a CV carb expert, but back in the day I remember some carbs had an extra tang on the float mechanism that you could adjust to establish maximum allowed float DROP. Looks to me like when you turn your carbs right side up, some floats are dropping too far and binding. That’s why when you then turn the carbs upside down the floats stick. You need to get your Sherlock Holmes hat on plus magnifying glass and study what is making the float hang up and correct the problem. (I can’t see the problem from way over here :-)

[metalfab]

For mysterious carb leaks and overflows I set them up in a tub with the bowls off. If the tub is labeled on the bottom PE or HDPE is is petroleum safe, Use super light rubber bands and hold all of the floats up, put an IV type fuel supply and use charcoal lighter fluid in the IV, it isn't as flammable as gasoline. If you have a needle and seat that isn't sealing you can spot it easily. If you don't have a needle and seat leaking it is likely a float level issue. Be sure your float isn't dragging on the float bowl, or where it pivots. They have to move super freely.

[rphillips]

When I got my "83" 1100E a carb was leaking. took the carbs of 3 or 4 times before I found the "O" ring on one of the seats was bad.

[bwringer]

I've seen this happen several times when a new owner moves a petcock lever that hasn't moved in years. Assorted mung from the crusty petcock then makes its way into the needles and seats and props one or more the needles open.