Fuel leaking thru airbox question

[eddiev]

Hi to all, (gs1100gl 1982)
A couple of months back I rebuilt my carbs with great success. I probably did 1000 miles with no problems. This morning I set out on a long trip. 100 miles in and I start pouring fuel from the airbox (only while the engine is running). Air filter was soaked with fuel. (I figured a float was badly stuck) Happy to have found a shop that fixed it. They said the #1 carb float was out of adjustment. They were sure it wasn't stuck, just out of adjustment.
Now, I could have easily screwed up the adjustment during my rebuild but wouldn't I have seen this problem almost immediatly. How would a float so easily get so out of adjustment.
I'm worried the real problem is still lurking. I rode back home over 200 miles with no problems.
Any thoughts, please.....
(notes: I also replaced petcock during the carbs rebuild and petcock was in the run position during this fiasco).

Thanks a bunch,
Eddie V

[eddiev]

Just as a note, any searches seemed to point to a stuck float. One did say something about adjustment but I can't understand how it could go out of adjustment so much.
Thanks.
Eddie V

[chef1366]

Either that or a bad o-ring on the fuel inlet valve.
I've had fuel spit out when a cylinder isn't firing also. Bad spark plug cap.

[eddiev]

Thanks Chef,
What do you think about the shop saying the float was just out of adjustment. I'm worried they may have only moved the problem away for now and it is still lurking.
Thanks.
Eddie V

[chef1366]

Thanks Chef,
What do you think about the shop saying the float was just out of adjustment. I'm worried they may have only moved the problem away for now and it is still lurking.
Thanks.
Eddie V

Unlikely since you didn't have a problem before.
They needed something to charge you for.

[cyclefvr2]

probly the oring in th needle valve gone bad, or the needle and seats wore
,and the tank petcock, diaphram is blown, letting fuel run in all the time??
when the tanks build up air the tank diapham usually blow leading to wore out needles and seats, bikes flooding out , fuel in the cylinders ect...
, i dont see the floats just going out of adjustment

[robertbarr]

Since it overflows only when the engine is running (and supplying vacuum to the petcock), the petcock is ruled out.

I'd suspect a bit of foreign material made its way to the inlet seat and lodged it slightly open, or your inlet valve/seat is getting crabby in its old age. I have never heard of a float 'going out of adjustment'.

My standard reply for this is to drain each carb bowl through some cloth, to look for foreign gunk / glop / rust. Repeat with the fuel tank -- agitate the tank now and then and drain the fuel into a container, filtering it through some white cloth, and see what kind of 'surprises' are hiding in there.

If all is OK & clean, I'd replace that needle valve & seat with OEM. There are times when these things will leak intermittently with no apparent cause, and the result is of course maddening (not to mention dangerous). I've examined the culprits as closely as possible without finding any visible clue, but replacing the offending inlet seat / needle with quality OEM usually solves recurring headaches like this.

They're expensive -- I had to shell out something like $35 for an OEM for my late-model Bandit -- but that was the first and last time I've had to mess with the carbs; after that, all I do is ride it. That is the goal -- original reliability.

[eddiev]

Thanks RobertBarr,
I'm totally in agreement with you. I was expecting the shop to show me something that caused it to be stuck and I would have felt much better. I rebuilt those carbs a couple of months ago. Funny thing is I remember the first carb giving me trouble pushing the seat in with the new o-rings. The other three I touched with silicone and they popped right in. I hate the thought of pulling the carbs off again but maybe I will change the needles and seats. Where do you suggest I get the oem parts from? I already have plenty of o-rings. I don't know if you remember but I wound up buying four sets from you. I thought I'd need one per carb. Your package included enough for four carbs which is a great deal and I thank you a bunch.
One thought though, the mesh screen on the seat is so fine I can't imagine something big enough to get through???
Thanks.
Eddie V

[robertbarr]

I hate the thought of pulling the carbs off again but maybe I will change the needles and seats.

I'd just change #1. The other three seem to be working fine.

Where do you suggest I get the oem parts from?

Not sure on that bike. Anyone?

One thought though, the mesh screen on the seat is so fine I can't imagine something big enough to get through???
Thanks.
Eddie V

And on top of that, there's a fine screen on the petcock. Still, sticking inlet / overflowing carb is one of the most common problems here, and as often as not, there will be phlegm in the carb bowls. No idea.

[chef1366]

I have some good floats and seats