So ...need a bit of direction-was carbs, not coil pick up

[JonnyO]

... causing bogging. Battery responsible for tach problem
So after replacing the battery my tach works fine now. HOWEVER as I had mentioned a bogging problem previously and was pointed towards the coil pick up as having a broken wire. Nope.
I was unable to find a broken wire that when I pulled on it the bike would/should die. Gave up on trying to find that and put it back together. BUT WHAT I DID find was after bringing it back after a very short ride before it started to bog again was returning two hours later I found a LARGE SPOT where fuel had been leaking which ran into and leaked out of of the air box.
So I removed the airbox and the carbs.
I spent a ****load of time trying to troubleshoot the tach and the bogging. Hoping some whiz with these things can point me in the right direction rather than another Snipe hunt.
Thanks.
-Jonny

[cajun31]

I just messaged you back.

[Radioguylogs]

If there is fuel in airbox, then the float valve(s) in the carb bowl(s) are not sealing, causing an over-rich condition.

[JonnyO]

That there was. Twice. First time I thought I had flipped petcock incorrectly. THis time there wasn't a question as they were just at "ON" as I have always run my bike and I could see the drip and the fuel stain on the garage floor.
Might I ask you what you'd suggest to cure that? The repair?
TIA

[DEEBS11]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/274881260720

[LAB3]

Deebs nailed it on the best way to check float height, this will give you a no nonsense view on exactly where that float is sitting.

[Larrym]

... I found a LARGE SPOT where fuel had been leaking which ran into and leaked out of of the air box.
-Jonny

Eek!!! ( ⁰д⁰)

Iffin the fuel overflowed outta the carbs to the point where's it went backwards into the airbox (which on MY Special is actually uphill from the carbs even tho's the bike is on the centerstand and on level ground...) ╭(°ﾛ° ”)╯

Then it's wurth'a look see into yur engine oil to find out if and how much fuel made it into the engine as on my bike the intake booties and inlets are downhill/downstream of "overflowing" carbz. ( º﹃º )

Well.... (O_o)

U N L E S S you do wut I do which is put a 2x4 under the front wheel every time I park the bike overnite on the centerstand. (๑•́ ₃ •̀๑)

Allz bets are off iffin you only use the sidestand.... (´･_･`)

[Larrym]

FWIW....꒰(･‿･)꒱

The carbs pictured in the "Carb Pagoda" ain't held up to the crossbeam by magic oAr magnets. (⇀‸↼‶)⊃━☆ﾟ.*･｡ﾟ

I used reg'lar ole bailing wire but where's it threads thru the carbs/bracket Kan't be seen cuz it's behind the yellow tygon fuel lines/filterz. (⊙ᴗ⊙)

Now-a-dayz I've upgraded to usin' these thingies bought at Lowes Hardware section....





A bit mOaR secure/safer than bailing wire as each time you Test and find the level(s) ain't wheres you need'em to be? (o_O)

You gotta drain the bowls and flip the carb bank upside down (again...) to measure/adjust the float tab(s). (_Oo)

The large hose clamps just wurky better. (^_^)

[bikerphil]

Well Jonny, your 81 carbs use an O-ring to hold the needle seat in, when one goes, fuel will leak past and end up in the air box and/or the crankcase.

[Radioguylogs]

That there was. Twice. First time I thought I had flipped petcock incorrectly. THis time there wasn't a question as they were just at "ON" as I have always run my bike and I could see the drip and the fuel stain on the garage floor.
Might I ask you what you'd suggest to cure that? The repair?
TIA

I would first try tapping the side of each carb bowl with a screwdriver handle to make sure the floats aren't stuck and easily freed.

If that does not solve the problem, you would remove the carbs, take out the floats and examine the float valves. If you find crud, maybe you can clean them. Perhaps you would decide to replace the needles and the seats while you are in there. In either case, measure the float height and adjust as necessary.

Bikerphil made an important reminder.

[DEEBS11]

Don't use Chinese garbage parts.

[JonnyO]

OK. I've read, before, of the debacles caused by chinee *rap parts, so yeah, that much I understand.

Has anyone a source for OEM?

"Well Jonny, your 81 carbs use an O-ring to hold the needle seat in, when one goes, fuel will leak past and end up in the air box and/or the crankcase." THAT'S what I was hoping to read- the most likely cause. TY.

"I would first try tapping the side of each carb bowl with a screwdriver handle to make sure the floats aren't stuck and easily freed." Probably should have. Too late for that now. They're off the bike. The first time it happened when I returned several hours later I expected the bogging to still be a problem yet it fired up and got me back home like normal. It was every subsequent ride, after that that continued to be an issue and where I checked the pickup coil wiring and replaced the battery which solved the tach intermittent function issue.
If that does not solve the problem, you would remove the carbs, take out the floats and examine the float valves.-will do. If you find crud, maybe you can clean them. Perhaps you would decide to replace the needles and the seats while you are in there. In either case, measure the float height and adjust as necessary."
Is the "seat" the gasket Bikerphil referred to? What would one use to clean the needles?
THANKS GUYS!

For your amusement:... I thought, " I'll remove the entire air cleaner box to make it easier to get the carbs off!". HAHAHAHA! Nope. What a PITA. Couldn't get it out, past the carbs. *RAP! Got the carbs off and finally managed to get the box off. YAY. Then when I got it out and turned it over all the fasteners began to fall out as I had also removed the bracket which holds it onto the frame.You would have enjoyed watching me try to get it all back together. By the grace of God, ONE of the long brackets which is connected to and held in place by the bracket did not fall out or I would have had NO IDEA how and where each piece went! AS it stands I seem to have three, not four, of the "rubber oblong vibration washers" with the brass pieces in each end. I had a picture that did show show two were between the bracket and the airbox. The third? Not sure. Where the hell is the fourth one!?

[Larrym]

"Has anyone a source for OEM?"

Yup! (^_^)

OaR at leat I thimk I do.... (O_O)

https://www.jetsrus.com/

That's where's I orderered all of the parts I needed to replace the the stuff from the Chinee/Taiwan Kits I bought/installed frum Flea-Bay. (_Oo)

I M P O R' U N T- Jets-R-Us anint the most user friendly website so's you gotta already KNOW details you'd N E V E R know about yur carbs unless you HAD to know....., Y'know? (╯•ᗣ•╰)

Fortunately, the info to get you started in yur seach at JetrUs is right here-

https://xs11.club/forum/maintenance/carburetors/140-carburetor-facts-models-and-jetting

Good Hunting! ( ˘▽˘)っ♨

[JonnyO]

"Has anyone a source for OEM?"

Yup! (^_^)

OaR at leat I thimk I do.... (O_O)

https://www.jetsrus.com/

That's where's I orderered all of the parts I needed to replace the the stuff from the Chinee/Taiwan Kits I bought/installed frum Flea-Bay. (_Oo)

I M P O R' U N T- Jets-R-Us anint the most user friendly website so's you gotta already KNOW details you'd N E V E R know about yur carbs unless you HAD to know....., Y'know? (╯•ᗣ•╰)

Fortunately, the info to get you started in yur seach at JetrUs is right here-

https://xs11.club/forum/maintenance/carburetors/140-carburetor-facts-models-and-jetting

Good Hunting! ( ˘▽˘)っ♨

Thanks Larry.

So I'm thinking shouldn't I just replace the "jet needle o-ring"...since that's the culprit of the leaking?
Otherwise I'm better off having someone competent rebuild the things rather than me trying. I also will probably have an actual physician remove/replace any of my parts as I've no experience with that, either. lol
Anybody here do such a thing? Obviously it ain't free. I'm aware there'd be parts and labor costs.

[DEEBS11]

Changing parts is only half the job. You *MUST* set those float heights with the method shown in this forum topic. And follow with a sync. Skip any step and your bike will run but not run right.