fuel filter problems

[oldyam80sg]

I wanted to clean up the area under my tank so i thought i would remove the octy and install fuel filters and just bought some "Y" fittings.Everything went fairly easy until i started the bike.That's when # 3 carb started to leak gas after 5 minutes of running.I did not have this problem before i removed the octy.Could the filters i bought be the problem?I bought them at Autozone-Purolator filter 1/4 " diameter.When i turned on the petcocks the filters filled with gas but the level did not seem to drop.Even after switching the petcocks to off, the filter level stayed the same almost as if the fuel could not flow into the carbs.I had the fuel flow pointing toward the carb is this correct? Lines were not leaking, the top of #3 carb was and running down the sides.I switched back to the octy and no leaks out of #3 carb.

[bikerphil]

leak

Either the float is sticking causing the flooding of carb #3, or a problem with the needle valve and seat. It could either be debris in the needle/seat or a bad o-ring. Fuel flow arrow pointing towards carbs. Remember to shut off your petcocks after riding because of the elimination of the octy. Try tapping on the carb bowl with a wrench to free up stuck float. Don't forget to plug the vac port where you disconnected octy. HTH

[oldyam80sg]

As soon as i put the octy on the fuel leak stopped leaking out of #3.

[digitalsam]

Octypus vs. "T" fitting

Can you post a photo of the Octypus setup? My bike came with the "T" fitting. Just curious to see what the Octypus thing looks like.

[bikerphil]

With or without the octy, if the float valve is not sealing, it will leak fuel. Only other thing I can think of is that you have the earlier BS34 II carbs, and the fuel line is hooked to the vent (upper t-fitting). The later carbs (BS34 III) have only one T fitting between carbs pairs.

[oldyam80sg]

carbs have t fitting on the lower part of carb-no upper t fitting.I'm going to try a different filter.

[Crazcnuk]

It would stop leaking with the octy on because there is no vacuum opening the valve.

If you start it up and let it idle, dollars to donuts it will start leaking again.

Easiest hing to try, when you get a stuck float needle, is to blow through the fuel line to that carb. Usually you can blow the little piece of crud off the seat.

[oldyam80sg]

I'll try that -thanks.

[digitalsam]

Petcock filter vs inline fuel filter?

I am wondering if you can remove the in-tank fuel filter that is on the petcock and just install an inline filter on the fuel line between the tank and the engine?

Good idea or bad?

[dbeardslee]

Sam - It's a good idea to put the line filters in, not such a good idea to take the screens off the petcock towers. A lot of these old tanks are rusty on the inside, and the petcock screens will keep large particles of debris out of the fuel line without restricting the fuel flow. The line filters will catch smaller particles that make it past the tower screens, but if a lot of junk collects there it can restrict the flow. I've got Z1 high volume inline filters on mine as well as tower screens inside the tank.

[Viking500usa]

inline fuel filter routing

Hello dbeardslee,
I wish to do the same to my stock 79 xs1100 special, add inline filters same style as yours.
I dont think the standard is very different from the special, but I wondered HOW you routed them around everything else.
I thought about putting my filters between the plastic tee - coming from the tanks petcock, and the fuel tee located between the carbs. Space is slim there, and I'd need addt'l fuel tubing to route it, so I wondered how you did yours - or others did theirs, before going thru with it.
If anyone has pics of theirs, please send em over !
Thanks!
Don in south florida

[cywelchjr]

Sam - It's a good idea to put the line filters in, not such a good idea to take the screens off the petcock towers. A lot of these old tanks are rusty on the inside, and the petcock screens will keep large particles of debris out of the fuel line without restricting the fuel flow. The line filters will catch smaller particles that make it past the tower screens, but if a lot of junk collects there it can restrict the flow. I've got Z1 high volume inline filters on mine as well as tower screens inside the tank.

Especially since those tower screens are what give you your reserve. There is a tube on the none reseve hole that makes it take gas from higher up. Take those out and all the holes would take their gas from the bottom of the tank, making reserve, prime and on all take gas from the same level.

[dbeardslee]

Viking - My filters are about half-way down the fuel line, and the lines cross under the tank. I originally did it that way so I could take the tank off, turn it around backwards, and set it where the seat normally lives when I would tune and synch. Now that I have a right-angle screwdriver I can diddle with it with the tank in place. The extra fuel line is still a good idea as it makes less of a bend in the line.

The specials are very different. They have the octopus in there boogerin' up the works, so it may be wise to wait for a special person (not Jerry's Kids, an XS special person) to weigh-in or there may be some other posts in tech tips.

[oldyam80sg]

My 2 filters are in between the rubber manifolds where my xschop filter connects to.Purolator filters from advanced auto parts.I also run the octy as i got a good used one from Andreas Weiss.

[CatatonicBug]

Can you post a photo of the Octypus setup? My bike came with the "T" fitting. Just curious to see what the Octypus thing looks like.

It's in picture #44 on page 156 of the Clymer's manual.