Help with my carbs

[Parr8hed]

I went to get my bike running this year for the poker run that I did not have and after all of the routine stuff like oil change, waxing, new battery etc, I fired her up. She was running very rough at first, and I thought that it sounded like the vaccum advance was off of the petcock. Sure enough I looked down and the vaccum advance had slipped off. I relpaced it and the bike ran better for a minute, then started missing badly. I looked down again and noticed that gas was pouring out of the clear vent tube that runs out of the carbs on the left side. Gas was also coming out of my air filter on the far left hand carb. I have individual filters.

When I got this bike back on the road 4 years ago I had a shop rebuild the carbs. They are not there anymore and I hate to admitit, but I am SCARED of the carbs. I know that my petcocks probably need rebuilding, but can someone point me in the right direction with these carbs?

Thanks

Travis

[don07tncav]

Just print out the directions from the Tech Tips and follow them. If I can do it, anybody can!! It's actually fairly easy to do once you get over the apprehension.

[Czekus21]

Sound like a peice of dirt or rust or something in the float valve not letting the float stop the flow of fuel.

[Winterhawk]

Petcocks, Needles and Seats and Pilot jets.
It is always the same things that go wrong. Try to get comfortable in making your own repairs to these items and you and the XS will live happily ever after.
Try bench testing the Petcocks and carbs before you install them. Saves time in the long run. Try some fuel stabilizer.

[Czekus21]

I rebuilt the carbs on an XS650. I cleaned them several times. Still, even after the multiple cleanings and in line fuel filters. I still had pieces of garbage locking the float open. Fuel was doing just what your was. Overflowing and pouring out of the air cleaners. I'm still in battle with this issue and should ( hopefully ) be done dealing with it soon. Also,,, The floats " MUST " be adjusted exactlly the same. Mabee I'm too meticulous about things like this but I feel that when you are dealing with items that must be syncronized together, any miss adjustment will actually give you false readings on the syncro bar. Then you got a problem with not running right etc.. etc..

[Parr8hed]

OK, ok, ok, you talked me into it. I am going out to pull off the carbs right now. Should I order rebuild kits for them? I think that it will be easier since I do not have an airbox from what I read on the tech tips. I am not as scared of rebuilding and cleaning them, more scared of tuning them once I re-assemble them.

Thanks for the support, and expect to see alot of posts from me over the next week or so.

Travis

[John]

J'ville

Travis,
I used to live in your neck of the woods back in 88. I lived across the river in Shivley. Worked at the airport (SDF). I had an old Navy buddy that lived in N'Albany. I really liked the area there. I was I coulda stayed a few more years, and definately wish I had a bike back then. That sure is some pretty country.

[John]

Carbs

One way to avoid having to get drastic with the synch is not to touch the idle screws that are on the throttle shafts, and do not take the carbs from the rack that attaches them all together. There is no need to.

[Parr8hed]

Hey John, this is great country. I love riding here. Hope to make it to indy this summer if I have a running bike! I love being here now, but I was stationed in Pensacola for several years. The plan was to move home (here), get a degree, and return to Pensacola. Somewhere along the way I got married, had a kid, and bought a house. Might as well enjoy where I am at now!


The carbs are off of the bike. I am taking pictures as I dis-assemble. This must be a quick proceedure as I am in the living room on a coffe table. My wife is into Longaberger baskets, not minuki carbs! I will try to not take things apart too much, but that may be more confusing for me. I need not to deviate from the specific instructions! I will give it my best shot though.

Thanks for the advice everyone, here I go...


Travis

P.S. What about the rebuild kits?

[DiverRay]

Travis;
I cleaned up the carbs on my bike without any kits. You may need to find a new needle and seat for the float, but that should be it.
Make sure the floats are ALL THE SAME. this is very important to how well it runs and tunes. I set mine to the low end of the spec, and they worked very well.

[Parr8hed]

John, about the rails, I can't get the floats bowls off of the bottom of the carbs unless I take them off of the rails. Thanks for the thought though. I am on the way to get some penetrating oil right now b/c the phillips screws that hold the carbs on the rails are on good. I don't want to mess up something this early in the dis-assembly.

I will try without the kits, see how it goes. I know that i will need petcock kits though, right?

Travis

[John]

Don't take 'em off the rail!

There should be no reason to remove them from the rail. Every set that I have ever had the bowls off, I've done with out touching the mounting screws. There are demons that reside in that rail. You don't want to unleash them.

[don07tncav]

Leave them on the rails, you may need an impact screwdriver to get the screws but there is no reason to pull them off the rails.

[Parr8hed]

The float bowls on my carbs will just not clear the rails. I am not sure what is different on mine, but I tried, just not happening. I will go try again though.

Travis

[Parr8hed]

OK, I am stupid. I met a little resistance, but they came off. They just scraped by the rails, all 4 of them.

Floats are off (no rail breakage) and needles are out. What the hell is a spanner? (to take the needle seats out) I have never heard of that. Can I just take them out using a socket?

Travis