Carbs venting gasoline

[rehed]

Hi All,

    I have a '97 GS500.  I had cleaned and sealed the gas tank.  I also took apart the carbs, cleaned, and replaced the gaskets.  I'm almost positive I got all of the various tubes hooked up correctly when I put it back together.  Now it's venting gas from two drain tubes, both the carb and air box (I think).  It also won't stay running.  Is it likely incorrect float height or could it be something else?  I was hoping to get some experienced suggestions before I take it apart again.  I appreciate any help.

Steve

[tt_four]

One of the hose diagrams online is backwards, I can't remember which. You might have followed a diagram and still gotten the hoses mixed up. I can't remember which hoses it was, I think it was just the hoses between the petcock and the tank though, and that wouldn't make carbs do what yours are, it would just mix up the normal and reserve lines. 

[PachmanP]

Did you mess with the float height at all when you took it apart?  It shouldn't really change.  You can check it with a hose on the carb drain. More info on the wiki.

Where is the gas coming from on the carb?  I mean to get gas coming out of the breather hose your carbs would have to be completely full i would think  The hose on the top T isn't hooked to anything is it?  That will cause flooding/gas in airbox.

[rehed]

I started in on it this afternoon.  I did the float height check with the tube from the carb drain, one was close to being right and the other was much lower than the gasket.  I then checked the routing of the hoses and rechecked my manual.  Shouldn't the line from the petock go to the top rail T fitting and the vent line on the bottom rail T fitting?  Somehow I had the opposite (I must have had my manual upside down).  I plan to check online to confirm the fuel line routing as my manual sucks.  I don't want to but I'm going to have to take it apart again to set the correct float heights.  I'll update with my progress - this is trial and error for me.

Steve

[BaltimoreGS]

Shouldn't the line from the petock go to the top rail T fitting and the vent line on the bottom rail T fitting? 

The line that flows fuel connects to the lower T by the float bowls.

-Jessie

[tt_four]

What size tube do you guys use for the float bowl drain, and where'd you pick it up at? I grabbed some of the smallest tube they had at home depot and it's still too big for the fitting. I can drain them that way, but it's not tight enough to check the floats.

[rehed]

Ok, so the manual was not upside down and I did have the fuel line installed correctly.  So the only other culprit could be incorrect float height or possibly an o-ring not sealing?  I had purchased a rebuild kit with the gaskets and the float needles which is all that I replaced other than one diaphram which was malformed.  I did it last fall so I don't remember all of the details - I'm just trying to get it running so that I can sell it.  I plan to run the problem by my mechanic tomorrow and start on the carbs this weekend.  Keep you updated.