Gas Leak - Ugh!

[Rockman]

We have an 83 Big Red and an 84 Big Red. We had not ridden them since last November. Prior to putting them away for the winter last November, we added fuel stabilizer to the tanks, ran the stabilizer through the lines and then topped the tanks.

We brought them home from our cottage a few weeks back so we could clean them and re-do the brakes this winter. The 83 started up on the 2nd pull and warmed up fine. Everything was good.

We pulled the 84 out of the garage, turned the fuel shutoff to on, hit the electric start and on the second try, it fired right up.

Then I smell gas...look down and there is gas pouring out of the overflow tube underneath the seat. I turn off the engine and shut the fuel off. I got a container to catch the fuel from leaking all over the driveway. I checked to see if any of the houses were torn or come loose but everything looked good. I unscrewed the gas cap as I thought there maybe too much pressure but that seemed fine.

So I managed to clean the driveway up and rode the 83 around the neighborhood for a bit and left the 84 to rest.


What should I look for? Did I put too much gas in the tank and the overflow is doing its job or ??? The tank is full but not up to the top.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

Rockman

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Sounds like a sticking float. It could just be a little varnish on the float pin, or there could be a little piece of crud in the fuel inlet valve causing it not to close completely and flooding out like that. You will need to remove and open up the carb to find the cause. Whatever it is, its needle, seat or float related....

[fabiodriven]

Before you take the carb off, give it a few wacks with a screwdriver handle or something. It may just loosen up the floats enough to get them working again.

[redrum]

RIDE is correct and so is fabio...i'd try the latter first

[Lil Earl]

sounds like the floats in teh carb are sticking

[tri again]

Best is to turn gas off and let them run gas out of the carb......next time.
Or use the floatbowl drain.

I've taken off the fuel line off the tank and drip in a little mystery oil or 2 stroke oil, open the float bowl
drain and blow into the line.
It will force whatever down thru your float valve and just MAYbe loosen it up
or scare it into working.

Or take it apart and do it right..
Shouldn't take more than 1/2 hr, off, apart, and back on.

Just be glad it's not one of the models fabio just had to go thru.

I shouldn't say this (advocate irresponsible cheating)
but
sometimes the vibration from simply running them is enough to
convince the floats and valve to behave.

Keep a fire restinguisher handy in any case.

[El Camexican]

RIDE is correct and so is fabio...i'd try the latter first

Agree, but will add to "tap" or "rap" softly with the plastic, or wooden end of whatever you use. I recently paid $80 for a new float bowl for a Keihin because the last owner bent it so badly from hammering on it that the o-ring would not seal properly. If a few sharp raps with the plastic end of a screw driver won't do it (strike the radiuses, not the flat spots of the bowl) its time to open it up and clean it.

[coolpool]

Once you have the float sorted out by trying the above mentioned advice, I'd run a little "Seafoam" in your tank to help clean up any other crud that might be lurking around. It can't hurt.

[Rockman]

Thanks everyone for your comments and tips!

I won't be able to get back to checking into the problem until later in the week but this at least give my mind some ease as to what could be the problem.

Always a great resource for help!

Rockman