Drain carbs on xs850

[80xs11ms]

My xs11 has nice easy bolts on the bottom to drain the gas out. On my '81 xs850 I don't see bolt, just a 1/2 inch downward piece of the cast carb. Can't tell what brand, I think stock. Don't want the fuel to sit in there.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Teach,

You can find some very helpful LINKS, like to the Yamaha Online Parts Fiche Web Site and view the exploded diagrams for system components like carbs, similar to this one from BikeBandit's OEM parts locator:



Note, part #21 on the bottom, there is a screw that fits into that pipe sticking down from the side where you can possibly drain the carbs if they aren't too filled up with gunk!

Thanks for posting in the proper FORUM! Welcome!
T.C.

[planedick]

Carb drains...

I have a bank of 4 carbs like those. They have a drain valve on the side of the bowl like those. Unscrew the valve a couple of turns and the fuel comes out a hole in the bottom. I don't know what kind of bike these came from. I was led to believe it was an early model XS1100.

[John]

If I'm not mistaken, The 850 had Kehein Carbs, not Mikuni's, didn't they? The 750 used Miks tho...

[80xs11ms]

xs850 carbs

It's great being the student instead of a teacher for a change, you guys are great. I did find out tht the original carbs are HSC34-ll x3 Hitachi? The drain plug on the bottom side of the carb, although quite small, was not gummed up and drained fine. I don't have a large bottom plug.

First I crawl then I...

[fredintoon]

screws are better

My XS11 has drain plugs while my XS650 has the drain screws. Here in Saskatoon there is a 5 month winter storage period
and I'm a "drain it" believer. So, drain the tank (it'll run the snowblower) slosh a cupful of oil around the inside of the tank to ward off rust and then, more importantly, drain the carbs. Wrench out the XS11's plugs and the gas runs out all over your arm and no way to leave the carb drain holes open unless you stash those teensy plugs somewhere they won't get lost or forgotten. The drainscrews just have to be loosened to let the gas run out. Just leave them open over winter, no way they can get lost.
Fred Hill, S'toon.