HELP!!! Gas In Engine

[Anonymous]

Wow.. I tried to start my GS the other day and it wouldn't turn over, and I noticed that the clutch lever seemed to be stuck in I didn't have any time to fiddle so I put it back in the garage.

Today I went to see if I could figure out what was wrong, I was going to pull the clutch cover and make sure everything was still good in there (I replaced the clutch last year). So I dropped the exhaust, put the catch can under the bike and removed the drain plug.... Gasoline (mostly) started pouring out of the case... 8O more than two gallons.

Apparently someone left the fuel cock on prime last time they rode the bike.

What can I do to fix the bike? Is the engine toast now? I have drained all of the oil/gas. Should I put more oil back in the bike?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[Mr. Jiggles]

If the engine wouldn't turn over it might have been due to gas in one (or more) of the cylinders. To me this would mean that gas recently got into the crankcase but doesn't mean that it didn't happen earlier as well. It could be due to the petcock being left in the prime position. You could also have a faulty petcock - see if gas flows from the valve when in the "ON" position with the engine off.

As far as the engine's health goes, it depends on if and how long the engine was run with contaminated oil. Change the oil AND filter and see how it goes. I'd think that if it was a prolonged contamination you'd first see it clutch slippage.

[jimcor]

Before you put oil in the engine. Remove the plugs and see if the engine will turn over. Be careful! You are checking for a condition called 'hydrolocked', when a cylinder has filled with gasoline. NO OPEN FLAMES, OR SMOKING!!! In fact do this outside and put a rag over the head. If the engine turns over and shoots out many, ounces of gas from one or more spark plug holes, you're a lucky man. If the engine turns over and no gas shoots out the spark plug holes, you are a lucky man, never leave your petcock on prime again. If the starter engages but the engine will not turn over, you have probably bent a rod. I really hope you didn't.

[rphillips]

Can't figure how gas in the crankcase could be felt thru the clutch lever, but it could have saved your engine. It sounds like you probably caught it before any damage was done. The first thing I would do is get the needles & seats in the carbs fixed. If they are working properly, even if the petcock was left in pri. position, the fuel would stop flowing as soon as the carb bowls were full. Then new oil & filter & see what happens. & like billbbb said, check the petcock to see no fuel will flow when in the on position, unless the eng. is running .

[gspaul]

All good advise, I would put some cheap oil ,run it for about 3 mins then change to the right oil, it just flushes out any gas left in the head or anywhere else.

[Mr. Jiggles]

Good point Jim. Whenever this has happened to me rather than use the starter I've instead put the bike into 3rd or 4th gear on the center stand and cranked the engine by turning the rear wheel. I've always been afraid that with the plugs out that somehow one of the ignition leads might ground out and cause a spark.