xs1100 gas in my oil?????

[clint]

i have a 1977 xs1100 i went out on a 2 hour ride last week ran fine parked the bike. 5 days later i try to start it and it starts right up smokes like a train then i check the oil its full of gas any ideas please help????

[The Lorax]

Check for stuck float(s) and or bad needle valves. if the fuel flow doesn't stop @ the needle valve, it will rise up into the carb body, flow into the intake (and the airbox) find its way past the rings and into your crank case,. (at least that is how I understand it). pull the carbs, got through them, from stem to stern. clean everything, multiple times if needed. find out what path the fuel is taking to find it's way into the crank case. most definitely, something is rotten in the state of carb-ville. Have a nice day and ride safe

[tarzan]

You might want to take this question to the xs/xj forum(it is right under this forum on the main forum page).There is a thread just like it there right now.It sounds like bad needles and or seats in carb or carbs to me.Search the site there is real good info on fixing your problem.

[Incubus]

It's a conspiracy between your carbs and your petcocks. If every thing is working correctly you have two barriers to gas in the oil. If the vacuum petcocks are working right, they shut off the gas flow when the bike is not running. Of course, from my experience, they never work right and always let gas flow freely. Other might disagree, but I say these vacuum petcocks are the work of the devil. I hate them.

But even if the petcocks are in their usual state of screwed, the needle valves in the carbs should shut off the fuel. The floats are pushed upward by rising fuel in the bowls, shutting off the feed. It does not take much, however, for these needles to stick open. A bit of grit, a funny jostle. If you see the fuel leaking you can usually stop if by a light tap on the carbs just to jostle the needles free.

When both of these shutoffs mechanisms fail, rising fuel flows from the carbs either into the airbox or an open intake valve or both. If it goes in the valve it gets in the oil. Do not run your bike with gas fouled oil. It can lead to expensive problems later on.

Pull you carbs and clean them, particularly the needle valve. Replace your petcocks with petcocks that turn off manually.

Patrick