Fuel in 79 airbox

[egsols]

Thanks again to all for help with front brake bleed and rebuild.

New problem.

Bike runs great, carbs synced, floats checked and all at fac specs. All needles moving freely, no fuel in brass floats.

Take bike out for run, everything good. Park it. Come out next day and fuel laying in bottom of airbox. Bike doesn't want to start right away. Assumed floats empty, set pcs to prime and bike starts right away.

Pulled air box completely off bike and noted carbs 1,2 and 3 wet, no. 4 dry. Bike sits on sidestand. Looks like fuel coming up from slides. Checked pcs and octopus, everything good. Set pcs to prime and let bike sit all afternoon with air box off. No fuel leakage. I doubt the floats air sticking and/or needles worn.

Could fuel be forced out of the carbs if the vent hoses are clogged? I didn't think of checking them when I had the airbox off.

Ernie

79XS1000SF

[mro]

For fuel to leak into the box
has to get past the float needles.


mro

[mro]

btw, clogged vents should give you problems while running too.


mro

[fredintoon]

"Come out next day and fuel laying in bottom of airbox."

Hi Ernie,
how did you happen to notice that? I don't see removing the airbox lower half to look inside it as a routine thing.
Like mro posts, fuel has to get past the float needles to do that. And unless you left one or both of the fuel taps switched to prime your octopus ain't doing what it's supposed to either.

[egsols]

Hi Fred,

PO removed centre stand from bike to fit 4 into 1s so it's always parked on side stand. When I went to roll it backwards out of garage I noticed it was trailing gas. First things first I walked away and put out my smoke. I then traced the gas to the hole in the bottom of the air box so I pulled the bottom half and voila, fuel laying there.

I stuck my fingers in each of the rubber stacks and noticed the ones running to carbs 1, 2 and 3 where wet, mostly 3.

I pulled off the seat, tank and removed the air box. The throats on 1 2 and 3 were slightly wet with fuel. Looked at the slide needle and noticed it was wet as well.

That's when I checked petcocks and octo.

I checked the floats when I first put this one together back in June. I took them all out and shook them to check for leaks. I also checked the valves and they were all moving freely. Evertyhing looked nice and clean and they all measured to spec I think is was 24.7 at the time.

I don't really want to have to pull the carbs again and the only thing I never checked was the vent lines.

Ernie

[joshua]

I have only the side stand, 4 into 1 as well. I had the same problem. Sure enough, vents were clogged. I blew air through them and used a Q-tip. No more gas puddles.

[egsols]

Thanks Joshua,

Will try to get at problem this week. Need to spend more time riding, less time wrenching.

Ernie

79XS100SF