carb cleaning

[oldyam80sg]

I started the task of taking apart the carbs for cleaning.The bike sat in a storage shed since October of 2007 without much TLC.I removed the float bowls and was amazed how much crap was in the bowls.It looked like the gas had turned to a brown jelly mixture.I slightly lifted up the float(black in color piece) and noticed that the float in the carb body closest to the front brake lever was stuck.I sprayed it with carb cleaner and it loosened up.I have a lot of cleaning to do by the looks of things.

[boyat68]

oldyam80sg:

I am convinced that you have to keep fuel in the machine to keep the float bowls high and out of the gelled junk that accumulates in the bowls and on the sides. I am convinced that if one does not keep the bowls filled, especially during winter storage, then the floats fall down into that junk and do not close properly, and allows the carbs to leak when you first start the machine after winter storage. It looks as if there is very little clearance between the sides and the floats and dried gunk glues them open.

I also believe that the alcohol that is being added to every gallon causes the gas to gel quicker than in the past.

Whats an Excessive to do? I have been adding stabilizer to the mowers and other machinery, so I guess that I will try that with the XS this coming winter. I really don't want to go through the carb cleaning after this last time. I hope that I adhere to a ritual starting and running of the bike every week during storage.

[oldyam80sg]

Thats just it.I did not have that much gas in the tank when i put it in storage last October.I usually try to keep the bike started on a bi-weekly basis in the winter months.I usually add dry gas and stabil to a full tank but did not this time.The result-dirty carbs and i cant ride the bike until i clean them.Also i have to sync the carbs as i had been putting this off for some time.Hopefully i will have it running by Late June.I also have a 1999 Kawasaki ZRX 1100 that gets stabil added to the tank in the winter months and gets more TLC than my XS.Hopefully i can get it going.

[prometheus578]

"Boyat, I disagree."

Ok, maybe that's too strong....
Boyat, I have a differing opinion.

Any fuel left in the float bowls will degrade and turn into crap.
The floats stick... because the needle is gummed in the seat.
For storage, I recommend draining the fuel out of the carbs. Nothing to turn sour and gum up that way. Jets stay dry and clean.
There shouldn't be any gunk in the bottoms of the bowl to begin with.