gas in the air box?

[iclrag]

I finally got some free time, after inspecting my bike after previous issues (wouldn't rev passed 2,000 or take any load, also started pumping fuel out the exhaust) I found that there was a brand new spark plug threaded about 4 threads into the block (WTF??!? I haven't done plugs in my bike since the day i got it) so I went ahead and replaced them both with brand new plugs (still concerned as to where the first one came from...) and hooked everything up again, low and behold, after cranking for about 3 seconds everything below the carb is covered in gas, there is gas all over the ground, and a decent amount in the air box, no obvious place of which this is coming from, so I can only assume the gas is being fed the wrong direction some how. definitely going to tear into the carb and see what's up, anybody ever have a similar issue?

[Watcher]

Could be float needles stuck and overflow tube blocked.  Would cause fuel to back-flow into the air box.  Might be a good idea to just open them up and have a look.

[iclrag]

I took the bottom of the carb off, and the rods that extend through in intake into the top of the carb were not seated properly, one side literally fell out as i took it off along with the springs and washers, I re-assembled and put it all back together. After putting it back on my bike (assuming that was the issue) I hooked up the fuel lines, and gas poured from the over-flow tube (the T connecting the top of the carbs) and again flooded into the air box. Time to take it all off again and to a complete cleaning on the entire carb and inspect everything i guess

[Watcher]

Fuel overflowing from the carbs in general means the fuel isn't being shut off.  I'd look hard at the floats and needles/seats.


What springs and washers fell out the bottom of the carbs?  The only thing in the bowls (bottom half) are the floats, needles/seats, and jets.  The rods and springs/washers associated are all part of the slide system and accessed through the TOP of the carbs, not the bottom.

I feel like this is a stupid question but... Did you mount your carbs upside-down?

[iclrag]

Fuel overflowing from the carbs in general means the fuel isn't being shut off.  I'd look hard at the floats and needles/seats.


What springs and washers fell out the bottom of the carbs?  The only thing in the bowls (bottom half) are the floats, needles/seats, and jets.  The rods and springs/washers associated are all part of the slide system and accessed through the TOP of the carbs, not the bottom.

I feel like this is a stupid question but... Did you mount your carbs upside-down?

I don't think it's possible to install the carb upside down with the throttle cable and choke cable, they are pretty directional, but I had the same thought myself. Although the more I think about it, the more it feels up-side-down, the idle screw is on the bottom, and the vent hose has never been removed and I taped it to mark it as a vent hose (just a rind around the end). but its a fair question. That was just the bottom when I had it in my hand, the floats are all loose and appear to be working properly from what I can tell, everything looks spotless, the weird part is that there was no fuel in the bowl what-so-ever after i took it off and took it apart, this one has me puzzled. I'm a diesel tech by trade and I'm already not a fan of carburetors, but this just doesn't add up. I swung by my local bike shop and inquired about them doing carb rebuilds for me, they quoted me $165-$220 PER SIDE to do the work, so there goes my other options, I might just be buying all new internals and starting over

[iclrag]

Also, does anybody know the size / thread pitch of the gas tank bolts? mine seem to have walked off somehow

[iclrag]

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the needle on the float easily slide in and out? one side is acting as if it is completely jammed up, I have to actually push it in and take it out of the hole, seeings as how this is what stops the fuel from flowing once the bowls are full, I feel like this should be a smooth action. the other side seems alright, but I may do a thorough cleaning and buy new ones. any thoughts on the matter?

[Watcher]

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the needle on the float easily slide in and out? one side is acting as if it is completely jammed up, I have to actually push it in and take it out of the hole, seeings as how this is what stops the fuel from flowing once the bowls are full, I feel like this should be a smooth action. the other side seems alright, but I may do a thorough cleaning and buy new ones. any thoughts on the matter?

The needles should have no resistance going into and out of the seats.  I remember mine borderline falling out while I was fiddling with my carbs, I almost lost one!

I'd say you found your issue.  Now just to diagnose why and correct it.
Might be able to clean them really good, but if you haven't already replaced them I think a new needle and seat should be on the shopping list.
Just be sure to buy both the needle AND the seat.  Not much worth in replacing one without the other.

[iclrag]

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but shouldn't the needle on the float easily slide in and out? one side is acting as if it is completely jammed up, I have to actually push it in and take it out of the hole, seeings as how this is what stops the fuel from flowing once the bowls are full, I feel like this should be a smooth action. the other side seems alright, but I may do a thorough cleaning and buy new ones. any thoughts on the matter?

The needles should have no resistance going into and out of the seats.  I remember mine borderline falling out while I was fiddling with my carbs, I almost lost one!

I'd say you found your issue.  Now just to diagnose why and correct it.
Might be able to clean them really good, but if you haven't already replaced them I think a new needle and seat should be on the shopping list.
Just be sure to buy both the needle AND the seat.  Not much worth in replacing one without the other.

I got myself a can of Berryman's B-12 CHEMTOOL, one squirt and all the green magically vanished, re-assembled and did an off-the-bike test (fuel lines hooked up, long hose and funnel to simulate gravity pressure, filled it to the top of the funnel and let it sit for a couple minutes after the bowls filled.), no-leaks what so ever! needles now slide like butter on a hot skillet. I fully intend on replacing them with the seats in addition to the jets just in case, but for now I'm trying to get the thing up and running with as little investment as possible since i'm moving soon and would like to ride it (so I have more space in the truck) to my new place. going to test it on the bike tonight!

[Watcher]

 

[iclrag]

After one problem comes another! bike started up fine and ran fine for about 30 seconds... then it decided that 4,000 RPM's was a good idle (I began video taping at this point), I figured with all the seafoam in the tank and the fact that I used a little WD40 on one of the gas lines because it just wouldn't go onto the fitting, so, me being the brilliant person that I am, I went ahead and gave it a little gas, now smokes pouring from the exhaust (but not the header anymore! which is piping hot in just a few seconds now) and low and behold, my bike starts shooting flames out the exhaust! YES! I ALWAYS WANTED A RACE BIKE! but, this is my old daily driver, so I shut the thing down and brought it inside and called it a night. Oil is full, so thats not the issue. I can only assume now that I fixed the original bad carb that now the other one got stuck open and was just dumping fuel  the entire time and it was over-fueling one side?

I had chalked up the white smoke to condensation, once I get all the parts i'll be rebuilding the carbs and draining the tank and putting fresh fuel in it, i'm hoping the issue turns out to be a combination of condensation in the tank (white smoke) and a bad needle or jet and I can get it back on the road again. hearing it run today (for however short of a run it was) made me want to start daily driving it again.

a little back history, it was parked for two months at a time for about a year with no issues, I then moved and it sat at my parents place for roughly two to two and a half years without being ran, at which point it was loaded onto a moving truck along with my stuff and hauled to me, and all these issues have sprung up. just incase that helps narrow it down, it ran great when it was parked.

[iclrag]

I'd also like to add that when I shined the flashlight down the tail pipe the smoke in the light actually protected a rainbow inside the pipe, but it neither smelled like gas nor oil, and the oil didn't really smell like fuel either so i don't think its piston rings.
also, for about 8 moths it was stored outside, but under a motorcycle cover

[Watcher]

Stored for that long, especially outside, could mean water hidden in a lot of places.
There could have been a lot of water built up in the exhaust, and if you haven't put fresh fuel in the tank I'd do that as well.  Old fuel, and fuel with water in it, aren't conducive to good running engines...

[iclrag]

Stored for that long, especially outside, could mean water hidden in a lot of places.
There could have been a lot of water built up in the exhaust, and if you haven't put fresh fuel in the tank I'd do that as well.  Old fuel, and fuel with water in it, aren't conducive to good running engines...

That's what I'm thinking for the smoke issue, fresh fuel and i'll give it another go, then I can narrow it down from there I think. unfortunately the motorcycle shops are all closed today and tomorrow on my day off, so I can't get the rebuild parts until Tuesday.

Thanks!

[iclrag]

Atleast a week out on a rebuild kit, kinda bummed but it'll get here eventually


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk