gas leak, still smoking

[lnb001]

Finally got my carbs fixed, got everything put back together, and in the middle of replacing my clutch lever I noticed gas leaking all over the left side (as you're sitting on bike) of the engine.  I looked around and also saw gas leaking from my k&n lunchbox where it connects to the carbs.  I dropped my bike last week on the left side so I don't know if that could have caused anything?  I turned my gas from prime to regular and it seemed to stop leaking, i wipe everything up and start up my bike.  Everything seemed ok, got a little backfire but it seemed to go away after a few turns of the throttle.  The engine started smoking again around the headers for the exhaust, and also got some smoke out of the exhaust itself.  Could this still be burnoff from whatever was on the pipes of my Jardine before I installed it?  I also put a gallon of regular gas in the tank accidentally earlier this month when I first brought my bike out for spring, don't know if that could cause smoking?  One final note, when I rejetted for my exhaust I did 122.5, 65, 147.5 and 3 turns out on the airscrews.  Just wanted some advice before I go and take apart everything tomorrow morning.  Thanks!

-Lucas

[ben2go]

The leaking is prolly a float hung open or set to high.The jetting I'm not sure about.The smoking could be from the exhaust coating that prevents corrosion.How much have you ridden the bike since the exhaust install?It should burn off after a couple hours of riding.

[lnb001]

How do I adjust the float?  I've found a bunch of threads on floats but none of them actually say what the float is, where it is, and how to adjust it.  I don't think i've messed with my float any, so I dunno if that is it or not.  I noticed on the bottom of the carbs the two brass caps that cover the air screws. There are two sets, is it possible I popped off the wrong set and was screwing with my float?  This doesn't have anything to do with shimming my needles does it?  I've barely ridden my bike since rejetting, so I guess the smoke could still be burnoff.  Thanks.

-Lucas

[ohgood]

mmm... remove the float bowls (two screws underneath the carbs) and the floats are what holds that little pencil looking brass doo hickey in. they raise it / lower it and supply constant fuel to the carbs. they effect mixture as well throughout the operating range. something easy to set, even easier to check.

on either side of the carbs (on the float bowls) is a screw that is parallel to the ground. phillips or whatever. tight as hell, likely got some rust on it too. find some clear vinyl hose that fits the spigot on the bottem. then open the screw mentioned earlier, and turn your petc0ck to PRIME. it should be about at the seam between the float bowl and the bottom of the carb.

you want to have your bike on the center stand, on level ground to check float height. there's a really nice thread or twenty....

http://gstwin.com/float_height_check.htm

i didn't need to type so much i guess

[lnb001]

found the floats, i pushed the tab down, so wouldn't that make it so they didn't fill as much?  After putting everything back together, turned my bike on and it seemed ok at first but then it started leaking again.  I had it set on prime.  I'm gonna do the float level test with the clear tube here in a minute.  Please any help would be great, Im really at a loss here.  Thanks.

-Lucas

[ohgood]

just remember, with the carbs right side up, higher floats = more gas, lower floats= less gas.

after you get some tubing it should make a little more sense. we're assuming the needle valve is in good condition. when you pull the floats out to adjust them, the needle valve should come out also, and it should taper down to a sharp point. if it's worn or pitted at all it should be replaced.

some people are good enough to adjust the tang on the bike. i'm not.

[bucks1605]

I don't if this helps but, when I put my carbs back on my bike they leaked gas. I eventually realized I had hooked up the hoses incorrectly, so gas was just coming straight from the tank and dumping out at the carbs. My exhaust smokes too, and I'm pretty sure it's from the tach cable which leaks onto my pipes. Just thought I'd let you know the symptoms of my similar problems.

[Kurlon]

If the floats on your carbs are set correctly and working, if you hook the tank up directly too them they shouldn't leak/piss gas.  My mini's run that way, with just an on/off valve inline.  When I switch to 'on' the carbs get gas, with no vacuum petcock keeping things from flowing till the motor turns over, and no leaks.

Which reminds me, I have to redo the gas plumbing on my GS, the vacuum setup is going away as I want to be able to assertively shut the gas off when I'm off the track.

[lnb001]

So basically if I push that little metal tab down that holds the floats on, that will raise the floats and I will get more gas in the carbs?  Can I do this with the carbs on the bike or do I need to take them off and undo the float caps and everything?  It seems like I might be able to unscrew everything with the carbs still on the bike.  Thanks.

-Lucas

[GSnoober]

Carb floats are adjusted in MILLIMETERS; how well-calibrated are your eyeballs and thumbs? In 20+ years of doing (mostly Honda) carb repairs, I've NEVER been able to properly adjust floats without sitting at my workbench, with the carb disassembled in front of me. If anyone knows of a method for setting floats without removing the carbs from the bike, I'm ready to learn...

[ben2go]

Carb floats are adjusted in MILLIMETERS; how well-calibrated are your eyeballs and thumbs? In 20+ years of doing (mostly Honda) carb repairs, I've NEVER been able to properly adjust floats without sitting at my workbench, with the carb disassembled in front of me. If anyone knows of a method for setting floats without removing the carbs from the bike, I'm ready to learn...

I use a clear hose to check the level to the bowl line.I put it on the drain and raise it up by the carb.Open the drain screw and see where the level comes to.Should be even with the top of the bowl.If it's off I drain the bowl,remove the 2 bowl screws,adjust the metal needle tang,reassemble.and recheck.Make sure you have the bike on flat level ground and securely on the center stand.

[ben2go]

This should work on all year bikes. http://www.bbburma.net/FloatHeight.htm

[GSnoober]

I use a clear hose to check the level to the bowl line.I put it on the drain and raise it up by the carb.Open the drain screw and see where the level comes to.Should be even with the top of the bowl.If it's off I drain the bowl,remove the 2 bowl screws,adjust the metal needle tang,reassemble.and recheck.Make sure you have the bike on flat level ground and securely on the center stand.

Yeah, that never works well enough for me; I tried that method when I first started working on carbs, and only got pissed off (I didn't own a lot of tools, or know much about carbs in those days, and I was lazy enough to want to avoid pulling the carbs anyway). Of course, I was working on FOUR carbs at once (Honda SOHC fours), so it might be somewhat easier with the GS. OTOH, I always check / adjust the floats while I'm rejetting, so I've never tried to adjust the GS floats with the carbs still installed...

[ben2go]

I normally do adjust the floats on the bench.Some times I get in a hurry and do it on the bike.