carb trouble and more

[bdw72]

I have a 82 xj1100. I have been having lots of trouble and have spent way more money on it than any sane person should have. I currently have it in the shop and had the carbs rebuilt. I was flooding out and gas was would pour out of the breather box and the oil and gas were some how mixing. Bring told it was a stuck needle valve, I let them rebuild the carbs, but it is still doping the same thing. They said I need to locate a set of carbs that mine were messed up. We can't seem to locate a set. I need some ideas and suggestions on what could be the problem. I am very frustrated.

[DGXSER]

Whoaaaa Nelly. The shop is being lazy most likely. I doubt you need new carbs for that reason anyway. Did they say anything was broken inside when they worked on them?

This is a common problem on these carbs. The float needle valve gets stuck, then gas continues to flow into the carb even when the bowl is filled, it fills until it flows out the throat of the carb into the air box and/or into the engine. That is how you got fuel in your oil. Do NOT run the engine with the gassy oil in it. It is very easy to ruin your crank bearings that way.

Now, if you have a small workbench, a few screw drivers, and some time and patience, we can walk you through getting the carbs corrected. If they truly rebuilt them correctly, you are probably just looking at either trimming a gasket up, or even just tapping on the float bowl of the offending carb with a screwdriver handle or something like that. Often the float drops in the empty carb and hangs up or binds as it rises up to the right level as gas fills. If it hangs it will not close the valve. Sometimes, a tap on the bowl will dislodge it and it will rise as it should and seal off fine never to be a problem again until the next time the float bowl goes dry for some reason.

Food for thought anyway.

[bdw72]

He said he had a real hard time getting the seats out and had to heat it and work on it to get it out and so now he thinks the o rings are not seating tight enough. after rebuilding everything, he said it ran fine for a bit, but then flooded out all over again, and it smokes like a freight train. I am tempted to get out and try to take it from hear, but I already have so much tied up in it and I don't want to get in over my head. But you guys sound so helpful and I can do a little bit in my shop.

[tarzan]

Run!

I would pick the bike up and get away from that shop.
Did they replace the orings under the seat?If they heated the carb body up enough to damage the seat bore then I would not pay them.If they were stuck,soaking that area of the carbs in cleaner should have helped loosen them up.
Are all the carbs leaking?or just one or two.
You would be better off taking the carbs apart one at a time and assessing the condition of them yourself.There is plenty of help here.If you really need new carbs,which I doubt unless they were severely overheated with the torch,you can get them on ebay or check the classified section here.They come up for sale from time to time.

[fredintoon]

Get it out of there

Hi BDW and welcome,
the average bike shop charges more than the average rent-a-lady AND it seems that in this instance it's you that's getting screwed.
Carbs ain't rocket science; check the hundreds of carb-related posts on this site. All you need is care, patience and the right sizes of screwdriver.

[tw1980]

Yikes!

Pick up your bike and run!Don't pay them to ruin your carbs.They are supposed to be payed to fix things not just to work on them.There is volumes of info on carbs here on this site.If you are uncomfortable doing the work yourself find someone with experience on these types of carbs.Good luck.

Terry

[bdw72]

They said carb work is never guaranteed. I am gonna get it and try to do it myself. I am not sure how much heat was applied but I know some was applied. even if I have to find a used set and start again, the knowledge and experience will be worth it.

[Ivan]

I have a 82 xj1100. I have been having lots of trouble and have spent way more money on it than any sane person should have. I currently have it in the shop and had the carbs rebuilt. I was flooding out and gas was would pour out of the breather box and the oil and gas were some how mixing. Bring told it was a stuck needle valve, I let them rebuild the carbs, but it is still doping the same thing. They said I need to locate a set of carbs that mine were messed up. We can't seem to locate a set. I need some ideas and suggestions on what could be the problem. I am very frustrated.

Being a former tech and fixing other shops mess ups more than once, let me try to translate that.

Bring told it was a stuck needle valve,

We thought that was the problem, but we opened our big mouth before actually looking at it.

I let them rebuild the carbs, but it is still doping the same thing.

We gave it to the new guy, since it is an old bike and none of the good guys want to waste their flag hours on it. We really did THINK it was the needle valve.

They said I need to locate a set of carbs that mine were messed up.

But they weren't when you brought it in, they just needed cleaning, but we gave it to the new guy, and, well he just bought a new 5lb sledge and a set of huge vice grips and was itching to use them... Who are we to tell a guy he can't use new tools, even if it is on a set of almost 30 year old carbs?

We can't seem to locate a set.

We really want this bike out of our hair before we break anything else that we can't afford to replace.

******
My bet is that you used to have a stuck needle, but now have a broken float post or some other introduced malady that they aren't wanting you to know about. If the carbs were "messed up" then why did they rebuild them? They should have stopped and let you know they were beyond repair before wasting the time on them.

I realize that I am only getting your side of it, but, from what you are saying, something really stinks. If you have given them money, then tell them they need to refund it or fix the carbs. If you haven't then don give them any, until they are fixed.

[DGXSER]

Yep, spounds like the typical we spent out time now pay us our fee mentality. Never mind if they did what they said they would do for the fee.

Yep, do it yourself. from the sounds of things, your just leaking at the float valve like half the other carbs out there. Change the oil before you start the bike. Pull the carbs off, a challenge on the XJ but it can be done. Then folow the tech tips on here, and ask all the questions you want posting photos of the areas in question and you will get more and better wisdom and knowledge than any bike shop around has. A few assorted screw drivers and some small ones you do not mind grinding and filing to fit the carbs and you can do all you will need on these carbs. Heck, even I did it.

I went to a local bike shop to order new clutch springs based upon advise form the folks here at XS11.com. Two old mechanics there told me they were certain I needed new friction disc and or had warped steel disc. I went back home and tore my clutch out and checked everything. I needed new springs! $14 later, she grips like new!! Do not believe the mechanics in the shops, especially over the brilliant minds here.

[bdw72]

I think your translation is right, I had some other work done too, I paid some for parts and that is it so far. I will gladly pay for the other work done. I only wanted it fixed and he said he could fix it, the is the only side of it. thanks I am gonna get it and go. thanks

[foreda]

Shop

If they told you they could fix them and then actually broke them, I would hold out on payment until they were fixed.

[barberad]

I got real scarred when you said they told you "carb work is never guaranteed." Run!

[bdw72]

they didn't say that in the beginning only now that it isn't fixed.

[CatatonicBug]

My local shop only puts a 2 week guarantee on carb work. At least it's SOMETHING though! Yeah, bring your baby home and apologize to her, then get to fixing her up right. Take your time, and you'll have it fixed an running in short order. Be sure to replace the o-rings (I recommend replacing the jets too, but that's only my opinion) that the mechanic probably melted.

We'll get you fixed up. No doubt about that. Just stay away from that mechanic from now on!

[Varnae]

Definitely go get the bike and do all the work yourself. It's worth it in the long run because the only person you can trust to do the work correctly on your bike is you. (and dbeardslee) DAMHIKIJK

I was terrified of digging into my carbs, but once DGXSER broke it down to a kindergartner level for me (cause I definitely need that) it didn't seem to be such a daunting task. Then I broke them down, cleaned them, and put them back together and they actually worked!

Trust me, as I speak from experience, with the help of this site and the folks on here, you can do anything that needs to be done to your bike.