Is this carb related?

[renegade_xs11g]

OK, drop the matches and step away from the machine,

no need to get in a twist and do something like set no XS on fire, whew, scared me for a moment

[renegade_xs11g]

now that we're all calmed down

Thank you, TC for not giving me the jab I deserved TCI geez

81, I mis-read, didn't realize it ran well before, and this is new

DG, you must be warm blooded, I drive across I70 from Richmond, In to London, OH 4 nights a week,
It doesn't seem to be any warmer there than Michigan,

You've got a volt meter, right?

[DGXSER]

Yeah, thats why I went to bed instead. Sleep it off instead. I bought this bike because it ran good and was in great condition. Seems like the more I work to improve it, the worse it gets.. Always darkest before the dawn they say.

Well after a great meet and greet with the SWOXS group today, I came home and decided to dig back in. I found the fuel line to 3&4 torn, perhaps that was the leak I thought. It was wierd I got fuel around the seam of the air box. So I replaced that line and turned on the fuel without the bottom on the air box. No leak that I could see, so I fired it up. It ran ok, but definitely not quite right yet. Turned it off and again had fuel running out the air box around the edges and such. It was kind of sprayed all over the thing. Fuel running out while air runs in I guess?

So, off come the carbs AGAIN!! Now,here comes the "stupid" questions as I am trying to figure out what I am doing wrong.

1) What size fuel line is on the bike? I am using 1/4". 2) what type/style hose clamp is common to use? Mine seam to bite into the rubber and in this case cut it and it tore loose. 3) What is the best way to clean out the fuel inlet ports? there is several pieces of small rubber in there from the line that tore I suppose.

I told you they were pretty basic, but at this point, I am going back to basics. Had the bike a month before I tore into the carbs and they never leaked like this, now I can't go a week without it happening.

Renegade, I do have a volt meter. I sometimes know how to use it to.

[renegade_xs11g]

Don't feel bad Brother, I've chased problems for several month's from one season thru the winter and into the next season, before I found my THORN.

Turn out to be a 'cold' coil, weirdest thing....coil wouldn't work right until it had been run for a few minutes

TC's on it tho, you'll need to run the electrical side of the ignition, do a search on coils and tci, you'll find a ton of help

[bikerphil]

I use 3/16" I.D. fuel line. The motorcycle specific line has a smaller O.D. than regular automotive line. Automotive line will work fine if you put the line and the spring type clamps on the carb fuel T's when the carbs are off the bike. There's not much room to put the clamps on otherwise. If you take the bowls off and the old fuel lines, spray carb cleaner thru the T's to remove any debris. Check your float "drop' height again when the bowls are off. Double check the seat O ring on the leaking carb too. Maybe some crap in there. I use the spring type clamps such as the ones that are provided when you buy car in line fuel filters.

Now that I'm thinking about it, the 3/16 car line on the Special might create a problem because of the wierd angle, but I'm not sure. I run that stuff on my standard where that isn't an issue. My special has the OEM line. Motorcycle shops will sell you a few feet of the good 3/16 fuel line.

[bikerphil]

I use 3/16" I.D. fuel line.

Correction to the above post. Just double checked and I should have said 1/4" fuel line.

[DGXSER]

Ok, thank Phil, had me wonderin there for a moment. I will get some spring clamps tomorrow and stop using these hose clamps.

The carb cleaner will go through them again. I got all new fuel line on as is, the MC fuel line is the one that tore and broke. The auto stuff is much stouter, and thicker.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey DG,

The auto fuel line is usually TOO thick, often double walled, and because it's stiffer, it kinks easier, as well as difficult to get clamps on it.

It's been suggested to get either VW single walled fuel line from NAPA, or the real pliable 1/4" line from a reputable motorcycle shop. Make sure they aren't giving you VACUUM hose line by mistake! You mentioned parts of the fuel line breaking off, and that just doesn't really happen with new proper fuel line. But with vacuum line, the fuel breaks it down and it can harden and crumble very quickly, like days!!

For checking your electrical, mainly was recommending that you start it up, check the voltage across the battery at idle, may be 12.5 or so, but with 2500 rpm, should rise up to 14.5 volts. IF stays at 12.5 or less, then charging system is faulty.

Next, with the key on, you can pull the red/white wires from the ignition coils and check them with the (+) test lead, put the (-) to ground, and should have ~12 volts also, no resistor on the 81 machine.
T.C.

[DGXSER]

Hose clamp bit through

TC,

Thanks for the suggestions I will check those things tomorrow or in a few days when it gets warmer. My fingers all but got frost bit pulling the carbs, that cold aluminum sucks the heat out of my fingers.

As to the fuel line, the hose clamp was a bit low on the fitting, like almost off the fitting, and it tore through the hose so bad when I tightened it up, that was the cause of the tear. I have auto type hose clamps and the "threaded" area of the strap just eats into the rubber before it gets tight.

[DiverRay]

I use the "Viton" fuel line from a GOOD indy bike shop. The rest of the line you can get at an auto parts store is JUNK on a motorcycle! I've had too many bad days trying to find the problem, with the fuel line being the problem.
On Sailor202's bike, I replaced all the fuel line with new. He had one of the shops run a line from front to front on the Special petcocks, and I did the same thing, just with the new Viton line. The fuel line SHOULD be grey ALL THE WAY THROUGH! The old line was black in the center, and that was starting to break off. The other good thing about viton, I don't NEED any clamps!

[DGXSER]

Here is where my ignorance comes out again, "indy bike shop"? Around here, that would mean a shop in Indianapolis to me. You mean a performance/racing shop?

[TopCatGr58]

Independent as in not necessarily a Dealership shop. One that works on a variety of different brands/makes/models.
T.C.

[DGXSER]

Ahhhh, it is now added to my list af achronyms.

Thanks TC

[oldyam80sg]

DGXSER-Pingel -the drag racing people have such a line 1/4" yellow and it doesn't kink.I have used that since the late 80's and never had a problem.Made of Tygon.

[wa407mpp]

After reading the posts, I didn't see anything about fuel line routing. It could be that you have a kink in a fuel line that straightened out the first time you lifted the tank but not the second time, or maybe you have a small vac. leak in the lines going to one of your fuel petcocks, which is not opening the petcock enough to supply both carbs.