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why everyone says not to leave your petcock on prime, help!!

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    #1

    why everyone says not to leave your petcock on prime, help!!

    so I did it the other day, left it sit for a whole day on prime!! so far I've had decent luck with my floats catching it and not flooding the engine, but this time it smelled really gassy (how I noticed the problem...) but I didn't see it coming out anywhere like the airbox, so I started it up. it ran kinda quiet like, not really bad, revved fine, for first starting it in the day anyway. but then I noticed gas dripping from the tailpipes!! cut the engine and moved it a bit, to keep the tires out of it, but it was a pretty good puddle, more than I'd like to see...

    so my question to everyone is, when you flood your crankcase, does it happen thru the valves? I assume that was where all the gas was, flowed thru the carbs and into the chambers, sitting on the pistons? is that when it leaks past the pistons and floods the cranks? just curious, because most of my floodings so far have been a leaking petcock or tank dripping on the outside of the engine anyway!!!

    thanks in advance, hope it's just a good oil change, she could use that anyway!!
    Tags: None
    #2
    I imagine gas could leak through your valves but I think it can also happen through the crank case itself.

    If any of your cylinders were so full of gas as to leak out through the valves, your engine would almost surely not turn. In order for an engine to turn, every cylinder must compress. Gasoline does not compress, so the engine would stop there in its tracks. You might also damage your crank if that happened.

    Are you absolutely sure it was gas coming from the tailpipes, not rain water or sprinkler water or just condensation?

    I think you have petcock problems but you also have some other things going on that have you tricked.

    Solution is simple though: Fix the petcock. Oil change is a good idea too.

    Michael

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      #3
      just don't leave it on prime. Most of usthat have pingel valves have had to change our oil more that once till we get it right OR((sorted for foriegners ))

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        #4
        no, it was pouring out the tailpipes, and running back down the bottoms of them till it hit the bolt for the burn guard and dripped. made a one by two foot puddle 8O

        I'm now even more sure that my petcock is really working well, as it has never done it when not on prime! D'oh!

        so I wonder now if it may not have gotten in the oil? I didn't see any actually dripping up on top of the engine, nor down the sides? it all just came out when I started it up. (didn't even fill the airbox this time!) :roll:

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by snowbeard
          no, it was pouring out the tailpipes, and running back down the bottoms of them till it hit the bolt for the burn guard and dripped. made a one by two foot puddle 8O
          And you're absolutely sure that it was gas not water or anything else?

          Wierd. And dangerous!

          Michael

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            #6
            The only possible path for gas to travel from the tank and be dripping out the exhaust pipe is through the engine. There is nothing to wonder about. I doubt it is possible to flow enough raw gas through the engine to create a puddle on the floor at the exhaust pipe without seriously contaminating your crankcase oil and oil filter. You could go ahead and run it in this condition, but for scrimping the cost of a few quarts of oil and a filter, you'll probably score the bearings and fry the engine.

            Earl


            Originally posted by snowbeard
            no, it was pouring out the tailpipes, and running back down the bottoms of them till it hit the bolt for the burn guard and dripped. made a one by two foot puddle 8O

            I'm now even more sure that my petcock is really working well, as it has never done it when not on prime! D'oh!

            so I wonder now if it may not have gotten in the oil? I didn't see any actually dripping up on top of the engine, nor down the sides? it all just came out when I started it up. (didn't even fill the airbox this time!) :roll:
            Komorebi-The light filtering through the trees.

            I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. H.D.T.

            Comment

              #7
              A small amount of fuel in your crankcase will boil off when you take the bike for a good long ride. If your oil level is now dangerously high, I'd change the oil immediately (just once; any residual fuel will boil off). Personally, I wouldn't be at all concerned about explosion in the crankcase, but I'd open up the airbox to ensure you don't have fuel puddled in there!

              Comment

                #8
                A large amount of fuel in the crankcase oil and the first thing you will notice is the engine hydrolocking when you try to start it accompanied by the sounds of the starter clutch mounting bolts sheering off. :-) Been there.

                Earl


                Originally posted by dietcokeking
                A small amount of fuel in your crankcase will boil off when you take the bike for a good long ride. If your oil level is now dangerously high, I'd change the oil immediately (just once; any residual fuel will boil off). Personally, I wouldn't be at all concerned about explosion in the crankcase, but I'd open up the airbox to ensure you don't have fuel puddled in there!
                Komorebi-The light filtering through the trees.

                I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself than be crowded on a velvet cushion. H.D.T.

                Comment

                  #9
                  well I changed the oil, after a quick trip to checker, on which she ran the best she's run since I got her, for about three minutes, then started idling slowly, and trying to stall out. made it home with the goods, drained and filled the oil (they still don't carry my filter so I'll have to wait on that) so we'll see what happens on the way to work tomorrow. the oil was thin and gassy, so I did get some in it. I wonder where, as I still never saw anywhere it was on the outside?!? thanks for the support, I was a little worried about 'er for a while!!



                  And you're absolutely sure that it was gas not water or anything else?
                  yes, I can tell the difference there, and wierd and scary only begins the tale! 8O

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