Drain float bowls... How? And will it help?

[GregM.]

Sorry, beginner time again. Hey, a few months ago I didn't even know what a float bowl was Thanks for your patience and time....

Can you walk me through the steps to do this correctly??

(From what I've learned here)... my intention is to easily see if my floats could be sticking... Causing gas to keep running in after my '80 850 is shut off... Causing my intermittent BAD fuel odor.

If I take the screw/plug out of the bottom of the float bowl, will I drain maybe a bunch of junk out. This is bad, right? Maybe I won't get anything, I'm not sure what to expect.

Whatever happens... can I then spray WD-40, or carb cleaner, or you-tell-me-what, up in there and maybe clean out something that may be causing my floats to be sticking? (If they are sticking, that is)

P.S. I've checked my petcock sort-of and I believe that's not the problem. But this intermittent (maybe 50% of the time) BAD fuel odor is not good and causing me to not ride much. Thank you for all the lessons.

[redliner1973]

Actually, the floats do not really 'stick' as much as just the needle and seat getting worn or crud inside. If you remove the bowl drains, you will usually get some fuel out them, but to really clean tehm up/check for wear, you must remove teh carbs and do a complete cleanup. It is really not as hard as it looks, and will cure a multitude of sins as far as the engines performance is concerned. I take it this smell is way more pronounced during riding/engine running than with it off?

[GregM.]

Thanks Tim, ..and no, I don't notice it (the bad fuel smell) when riding. Which, BTW, the bike runs and idles just great.

I have sniffed around a little bit when the bike is just standing there idleing, but I'd say that I really didn't notice anything major.

Right after it's shut off, I have been sniffing around really good (since noticing this issue), and all I get is that "hot engine smell". You know, hot air with a little smell of oil, gas and exhaust. It doesn't really concern me.

It's later, maybe a couple hours, or several hours later, that the strong smell is noticed by just about everybody (again, this is only happening approx. 50% of the time).

Thanks... I'm just trying to figure this out and see if I might be able to diagnose (sp.) anything by learning to drain the bowls and squirt something up in there.

[redliner1973]

I see...If it is only smelling when parked, that petcock is looking really suspect...Pull off the vacuum line from the carb, put the hose in a jar (remove tank and do this if it makes it easier) and see if the jar fills up over time. If any fuel is in that jar, your petcock is toast and allowing fuel to drain into your #2 intake and the airbox causing the smell. Also make sure your not leaving the petcock in the 'prime' position!

[SqDancerLynn1]

What you need to do is remove the carbs, remove the float bowls, remove the floats, remove the float valve/ needle CLean them & REPLACE the sealing O ring.

The O ring is most likley your problem

[redliner1973]

The O ring is most likley your problem

The 'O' ring will only leak if fuel is getting to it in the first place.

[GregM.]

Thanks a ton you guys... I've read some of your posts before... along with all the other regulars. I know these basics are boring for you all, but it's really helping me learn what is going on here. I hope I'll be able to save you some typing time and give some productive advice my self, one of these months.

So.... it sounds like I won't be able to just remove the drain screws, then squirt some magic elixir up there to make my floats work correctly.

And yes, I hear you (and from what I've read in other posts) petcock rebuild or carb clean. I'll get to it little by little as I get a work space organized and parts ordered. Of course I'll start with the petcock cause it's easier.

Always looking to learn more from you all... any other advice...

[Anonymous]

Here's one: I dealt with (and still am) this last week. I pulled the tank and put it on pri, and hung it on a ladder with a long fule supply line. I pulled the airbox and ran/stopped the bike thru several cycles. No gush, but the smell was there. Seems to be the old float bowl gaskets are tired. They get wet and smell. They may even seep visually. use your finger or a q-tip to swab around them and whiff o' jiff! There goes about $30 more bucks you didn't want to spend.

My (temporary) solution was to use a fuel resistant goop on the gaskets. At first, no smell but it's coming back. With the bike on the kickstand, the gasket on the carbs I believe are Wet from the interior and it has all day to be that way.

Looks like that may be the issue. I'm starting to lean to the side of "if you tear em down to clean them, go ahead and spring for the $75 or so for full rebuilding kits".


mike