350X leaking gas when riding a wheelie???

[250sxer]

I have been riding wheelies with my X but never real slow or for a distance of more than about 100 FT. My buddy got on the trike and rode a wheelie for about 150 ft. but started in 1st, shifted to 2nd in the wheelie and was going kinda slow moreorless just balancing the X. That is when I noticed that a steady stream of gas was flowing out on to the motor from what looked like the carb bowl.....Is this normal? My guess is that it doesn't leak as bad when riding a wheelie fast in 2nd or 3rd. Because when he set it down, it started spitting and sputtering like the bowl was out of gas. It died but restarted after a few kicks......Let me know what you guys think...

[DeePa]

was it out of the overflow tube? Do you have an overflow tube connected to the bowl of the carb? I can only think that on such a wheelie, the trike is up for longer than normal, and all of the gas shifted in the bowl and went over the overflow tube and went out the bottom of the carb.

As for the last part with the bowl being out of gas afterwards, I have no idea...How much fuel was in the tank?

[250sxer]

I do have an overflow tube and there was about a half tank.....not sure it this is normal or not.....
I ride wheelies on my sx for 500 feet and that doesnt happen. But if it is the overflow, then that makes since that it only happens when riding a slow wheelie. If I am hauling ass on 2 wheels, then I am probably burning enough fuel that it doesn't overflow even though it is tilted......Not sure, never seen this before.

[250sxer]

Has anyone any more ideas...?
Where are ya'll at...lol?

[max]

This Is Common. Gas Will Come Out Of Any Bike With The Front Tire In The Air. I Use To Ride Alot Of Wheelies On Lots Of Diff Bikes And They All Leak Gas Out Of The Carb
Max

[crackshot]

don't do wheelies.

[TravEX]

i haven't wheelied the X much yet, but on my EX i haven't had that happen, even after 1/4 mile wheelies on the pavement, never a gas smell or gas out the overflow tube or anything,,,have the trike running and stand it up on the grab bar and see what happens,,,later

[TravEX]

don't do wheelies.

but they are SO FUN!!! :naughty: :Bounce :w00t:

[MTS]

it is normal

[AZ250R]

I think stuff like this is really common when doing something like that, for prolonged time (more than a few seconds), on any older carb'd bike/trike.

Imay have a fix for it though... What if you loop the overflow tube (you'll need a really long one) up & over the frame then back down below the engine!?!? Might help, not sure, just a random thought from my sub-conscious. ;)

[250sxer]

i haven't wheelied the X much yet, but on my EX i haven't had that happen, even after 1/4 mile wheelies on the pavement, never a gas smell or gas out the overflow tube or anything,,,have the trike running and stand it up on the grab bar and see what happens,,,later

I never smelled gas when I was riding them either....you are going to fast, the smell is behind you and if the engine is hot (which it is) the gas leaking on it vaporizes. I didn't notice it until I saw it leaking out when my friend was on it.

[Tri-ZNate]

the only time I have gas leak when in a wheelie is when the trike is on the wheelie bar, facing toward the sky.

[brapp]

its quite common its jsut when the carb becomes a diffrent angel and it just pours out the overflow and downt worry about it.

[bigredhead]

I think it would depend on how much you're gasing it when wheelleing.

A low RPM wheelie won't burn much gas to it would overflow on most machines.. but a high RPM wheelie would suck enough gas to keep the flow going.

[trikerider2oo7]

i had the same question a while back...i asked howdy and he said it was because it floods the float and needs to get the extra fuel out.