rubber tipped float valves and new floats

[XSRIK]

Greetings all!

In the process of exhuming a 79 XS1100 standard. Me and a friend rebuilt the carbs and they leak (Over flow) like hell. can't seem to get the float valves adjusted correctly. One adjusment they don't leak. Then, let them sit and a few minutes later....whoosh!!! The air filter housing is flooded with fuel.! He suggested rubber or plastic tipped float valves and new floats possibly made of plastic instead of brass for better regulation of fuel. I'm fairly new to this carb rebuild game and could really use some help! BTW when the carbs are not spewing up the place this bike sounds very strong! I know it's getting very clean fuel so debris clogging up the works is not an issue. I'm getting cross eyed form disassembling and reassembling these carbs!!! Any and all help greatly appreciated!!!!
Regards and thanks for a great club!
XSRIK

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Rik,

Welcome. Okay, first of all, you will need to take your carbs off at least one more time! This time you first need to be in a very quiet room, and shake the floats to determine if you can hear any fluid sloshing around inside of them! Then you need to put them one at a time into almost boiling water, and submerge them with some instrument, ie. holy spoon/fork, and then watch for small bubbles to be leaking out from them! If you see any, then they are leaking and therefore are probably sinking which "could" be contributing to your leaks?

But, if you didn't get NEW VALVE SEATS and float valves, then that's another possible cause. The metal tipped float valves can get creases in them and do not seat properly.

You can get original styled metal seats and float valves for them, but you can also get new plastic floats if you find yours leaking, or you can try to seal them with a touch of solder! Can also get the rubber/viton tipped float valves also, several sources from local dealer, to Partsnmore, bikebandit, MikesXS.

Lots of info in the TECH TIPS from the MAIN FORUM PAGE, not just the links in the left column. Also many discussions in the tech section, doing searches will yield many threads!
T.C.

[prometheus578]

As T.C. mentioned... "one more time".
Tuesday, when the bike shops open, run down there(as you won't be riding), and buy new float needles, the all metal ones. (we sell them for $4.95, so expect to pay around $20.)
Get some chrome polish and Q tips. Polish out the seats where the needles live using the Q tips. (If you have extras... first practice on your ears, as we know you have been neglecting their maintance, too)
Flush out the needle seats with spray carb cleaner. You may also want to take the seats out of the carbs to inspect the small screens behind them.
reassemble everything, but leave the float bowls off.
Turn the carbs up side down and hook up a fuel source. The weight of the floats should hold the needles down; watch for leaks. If it doesn't leak... go upstairs and make yourself something to eat.. (a lot of protein, no carbs) Come back down and see if it leaked while you were gone.
No leaks? Good. Put the bowls back on, turn the carbs right side up, hook up fuel, and watch some more.
There's nothing worse than "fixing" carbs, putting them back on and watching fuel drip out. Test them first.
Remember... when hooking up the fuel source... the closed needles will prevent fuel from flowing down the line due to the trapped air. Hook up the line and "blip" each float till fuel arrives, dry the area and then wait and watch.

[prometheus578]

And further more....

Don't forget to set your float height.
Make sure your carb vent hoses aren't plugged, as that'll cause flooding, too.

[prometheus578]

"Oh yeah..."

Me and a friend rebuilt the carbs and they leak

You may also want to get a new friend, too.

[XSRIK]

Thanks for the tips

O.K. !

I have read all CARB instruction and wisenheimer humour. I will attempt to follow through all with diligence. All your nuggets of wisdom, humour and fact are comforting in this most trying time.
God bless us (and my carbs) everyone.
Thank you,

XSRIK

79XS1100F leaky smelly but has a heart of gold (the bikes in not much better shape either

[skids]

A protien drink with no carbs? Ha! Prom, what is your opinion on those tiny inlet screens? I am of the opinion that they are located in a hellish place for maintenance. If you have inline filters installed, I would think that their only purpose would be to capture hose fragments from the fuel line, downstream of the inline filter. I like your idea of the liquid test to see if the valves seal well. It is a lot better proof that blowing into the supply hose while listening for leakage. Brilliant! I think I'll drink a Guiness later...for the protien of course.

[prometheus578]

"Regarding XSRIK..."

Hhmmm....
Writes well... Clear, concise, with humor...
"... a fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy;"

But... We quote Shakespeare here, Sir, not Dickens.

Get with the program!

[prometheus578]

"Skids... say it isn't so!"

A protien drink with no carbs?

Protein drinks? What... you drink bottled water, too?
How fad-ish of you.
"Man needs to eat red meat for protein, Skids, as Darwin intended."
Protein from a can!. What next, Skids? Food in tablet form... been staying up late watching old '50's Sci-Fi movies again?
It would benefit your health greatly if you would use what remaining teeth you have, in that thing you call a head, to chew and properly ingest your nutrients in their proper form.
And if you've a mind to babble on about protein, try the correct spelling.
Yes, "I" before "E" except after "C" usually holds true, but you must have been absent that day when Miss Crabtree taught the exceptions.
(Bonus points for anyone who can site the reference for Miss Crabtree)ahahahahahha!
Carb Screens: As the petcock towers have mesh to deny crap(tech. term) egress into the carbs, the screens are great to catch those nasty chunks of deteriorated fuel line. At work, I oft' find the cause of flooded carbs to be a chunk of fuel line wedged between needle and seat.

[XSRIK]

okie dokie

Yes, I wish to purchase new floats and rubber tipped thingy ma bobs to quell the rushing torrent of combusitble liquid from my air filter!. Can someone point me in the correct website direction to plop down hard earned american cabbages? I have seen the float valves on the partsnmore site but they say they are for the 80 to 81 model....they look somewhat different to what I have in my 1979 model.....
you people are just like gods only completely different!

XSRik- The humble and confused

"Alcohol never solved any problems, but then again neither did milk"

[JWSanders]

Didn't Alfalfa have a crush on Mrs. Crabtree?

[prometheus578]

"Let life float by..."

Ahhh, J.W...., as did they all.
Ok, me too.

XSRIK...Quick test for floats..
Get a pot of boiling water and stick your hand in it. Then, get a rather hot pot of water, and using a pair of pliers, stick each float in it. If there is a hole in the float, the air will expand due to the heat and bubbles shall appear.
Floats should appear bloated and round-ish, not thin and caved-in. (Visualize Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade floats of Roseanne Barr vs. say... a float of Karen Carpenter)
Your bike takes the all metal needles, not the vitron tipped ones.
Any bike shop has a selection of these, as they are quite common. They may be cheaper off the internet and such, provided you don't mind the shipping delay.

[trukleon]

posts

Great to have ya back Prom,,may we all be blessed with the insight and sharp words.. I know I know wrong thread but couldn't help myself...

[mro]

I have seen the float valves on the partsnmore site but they say they are for the 80 to 81 model....they look somewhat different to what I have in my 1979 model.....

Pretty sure the "newer plastic" floats will work in 78/79 carbs.
Can try mikesXS.com (will say to fit 650 bs34's tho)

and rubber tipped thingy ma bobs

Should use the all metal ones. If not comfortable with "polishing" the seats, R&R those too. Have not had to replace any yet, so not sure best place to seek em out on the net..

I did as P rom suggested. Worked good. I had a problem with just one that kept leaking. Stuck top part in a rubber hose, dabbed tip in a little chrome polish and spun it in seat (sorta like lapping a valve). Fixed leek. that was mid last year and have not heard of any problems with those carbs since.


mro

[JWSanders]

I was a Darla man, myself....

Little did I know she was already well older than my mother by the time I saw those for the first time.

I was heartbroken when I found out!