Issues after carb clean/rebuild

[pjm204]

I hooked up my carbs on my gs1100e after rebuilding them and the number 1 carb is leaking pretty bad and the number 3 carb appears to be leaking a bit as well.

I replaced the float bowl gaskets, seat gaskets, rejetted to 122.5 main and 47.5 pilot. 3 turns out on the fuel screws. I set the float height to 21.4....they were at 19.5. My first thought is that something is up with the float height. The bike ran decently prior to the rebuild so my guess is that I made the height too high so they are overflowing, however if I am measuring correctly which I think I am, I am still under the proper height of 22.4. Also, the bike did start up but seemed to be missing a bit and it would shut off if I turned on the choke...

HELP!!

I'm going out to the garage to remove the carbs which I didn't want to have to do since the airbox is a PITA.

[Steve]

With a level of 21.4, your floats are too high. (Actually, they are right at the limit of the specs ... 22.4 +/- 1.0 mm)
(Remember, the carbs are upside down when you set this.)

Also, are you sure you are measuring from the bottom of the step, not the top? If you measure from the top of the step, your actual level would be closer to 15 or 16, which is WAY too high.

Besides the gaskets that you say you replaced, did you inspect the condition of the float needles? The taper on the tip needs to be flawless. The slightest wrinkle in that smooth cone can keep it from seating and stopping fuel flow when necessary.

.

[BassCliff]

Hi Mr. pjm204,

Did you install one of Mr. Rober Barr's o-ring kits?


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[pjm204]

I did replace the o-rings on the fuel tubes. I don't think this is where it is leaking from anyway. I'm thinking it has something to do with the floats or needles.

[pjm204]

any ideas? the carbs didn't leak before the rebuild....so I can only assume it is the float height but the leaky one was in spec....do I leave the gasket in and measure off of it?

[dirtyfingers]

I'm going to assume when you say leak, you mean out of the emulsion tube and the main air jet are spilling gas or even the float bowl vent. (Not a float bowl gasket leak.) Then it is probably related to the floats. I've done many carb rebuilds in my day and have acess to hundreds of factory service manuals that all the specs, but I do it by eye. Sometimes when you get new needles and seats they may not always be manufacured exactly the same way. After 20 years the company that made that stuff has most likley changed tooling and methods of manufacturing, which may have altered the size of the end product. Previous float height specifications are now incorrect. You're going to have to do it by eye. Hold the carbs vertical, (bowls off) then slightly tilt them so the floats just touch the needle pins, notice that they are spring loaded. Without compressing those springs set your float height. Most plastic floats have a casting line right across the middle, bend the float tab to make the gasket surface and that line parallel. Them make sure they are level all the way across. Usually it's spot on. While you got the bowls off pull the needles out just make sure theres no crud in there to hold them open

[pjm204]

I didn't replace the needles and seats with the ones in the rebuild kit. The needles look good so I figured they were okay to use again and probably better than the K&L ones. Yea, the gaskets were not leaking, it was just leaking everywhere else.

[chef1366]

You replaced the o-ring under the float seat?

[pjm204]

yes I replaced the o-ring under the seat

[pjm204]

Okay so I checked the float heights again and made sure they were all at 22.4. I put the carbs back on and none leak. It starts and runs but the idle seems to climb and its popping/backfiring a bit.

Current setup is V&H 4 into 1, stock airbox. Carbs jetted to 122.5 main and 47.5 pilot. Fuel screws were at 3 turns out but I am about to try 3.5 turns. I also just put on 1997 Suzuki katana coils as the ones on there were wrong and did not fit the mounts(PO installed them i guess). I'm not really sure how far in to turn the idle adjuster.

Any ideas where to go from here?

[pjm204]

Okay well I gave it another go....currently at 3.75 turns out. It still backfires a little bit. It sorta sounds like it has an air leak but I can't tell. I doubt it has anything to do with the new coils.....
give me your input please

[pjm204]

BTT i need some help please

[chef1366]

Put ther K&L float needle and seats in and set the float level at 22.4. I've used the K&L and never had a problem with them. Ask saltymonk if his carbs leak because he has my old carbs on his bike. I bet not.

[pjm204]

The carbs don't leak anymore and are set to 22.4. The bike runs now but either needs to be sync'd, has an ai leak, or the coils are bad. It seems to miss a at idle, you can hear it from the exhaust and it isn't as smooth as it should be when I ride it. However I think its minor because he runs decently and has good power.