Need help clarifying float adjustments / fuel system problems

[frerebo]

Hi everyone. I've finally gotten around to putting my 2002 GS back together after a frontal impact about a year ago, and I wanted a bit of guidance before I continue just to make sure I'm on the right track. I am a slow learner when it comes to mechanical st00f so please bear with me 

So, as part of some overdue maintenance (bike has been sitting for a while) I cleaned the carbs but in one of my more brilliant moments forgot to check the floats before putting carbs back on. Bike Wouldn't start initially so I measured the float heights with a piece of plastic tubing attached to the carb drain screw, and sure enough, the right carb's fuel was about 8mm above the float bowl gasket, while the left carb was level with it. 

Anyway, after starting the bike up and some troubleshooting I discovered that gas only flows to carbs while primed. Engine would run at about 3k rpm for 2 minutes then at 1500 for about 30 seconds before cutting off. I drained the gas from the carbs just to confirm the right carb had did indeed have much more gas leftover.



So just to clarify...

Because there was more leftover gas in the right carb, that means the right float is *higher* and the left float (with less leftover gas) is *lower*, right? Or do I have that backwards?

Does the excess gas in the right carb mean it's creating a more rich mixture meaning higher rpms?

My frame petcock is weirdly different from the photos/diagram on gswiki, so I kind of guessed, but since gas is able to reach the carbs when primed, that means I'm looking for a vacuum leak right? Which lines etc. should I check?

Thanks!

[Fatasianboy]

It sounds like the problem I had, the vacuum hose from the left carb that goes to the petcock (the smallest inlet, was cracked and not feeding fuel to my carbs. So it'll drain the bowls of the fuel Inside them then die. I'd prime it, and start, same thing, runs then dies after a little. So check to make sure 1) your petcock is in working order. What I did was remove the petcock from the bike, then hook up a bottle of water with a hose to to the inlet for the "on" position(number 4 in the photo) and then attach the vacuum line(the smaller inlet that's not pictured in the photo) to a vacuum brake bleeder to be sure the diaphragm inside the petcock is working correctly. Water should flow into 4 and out of 3 while vacuum is applied. And if it isn't that's a problem. If fuel is creeping through when no vacuum is applied, that's also a problem.

If that works, then check to see that you're getting vacuum suction from the carb.