weird fuel leak

[1st bike]

so i originally thought my petcocks were leaking. and i did some searching and found what i believe to be the origin of the leak...from the back of the carb where the air comes in from the filter...that can't be right, can it? why would fuel be leaking there? how do i fix something like that? apparently i am just soaking my air filter. bike runs, no problems with power, i haven't noticed anything but a little fuel down underneath the carb, i thought it was no big deal, but this seems weird...any thoughts?

[tarzan]

It sounds to me like you may have a float valve issue or a float set too high.

[XJOK2PLAY]

so i originally thought my petcocks were leaking. and i did some searching and found what i believe to be the origin of the leak...from the back of the carb where the air comes in from the filter...that can't be right, can it? why would fuel be leaking there? how do i fix something like that? apparently i am just soaking my air filter. bike runs, no problems with power, i haven't noticed anything but a little fuel down underneath the carb, i thought it was no big deal, but this seems weird...any thoughts?

I agree w/ Tarzan... sounds like the Octy has either failed, or your float valves are sticking & need replaced... a common problem.

I have the same issue w/ my XJ... bought a new set of float valves... just haven't took the time to replace them and reset the floats... resynch.

Instead, when I park it, I simply turn off my petcocks. Luckily... mine are in good shape & don't leak.

If the petcocks are left on, and the floatvalves leak... fuel usually goes back out the airbox... and yes, will soak your filter. BUT... it can also go the other way, & into the crankcase, diluting your oil! If you don't catch this & run the bike... you can wash out the bearings and ruin the engine!

To check, you can place a popsicle stick or anything similar into the crankcase through the oil fill hole, pull it out, and a safe distance away, try to light it. If it's just oil, it won't ignite. If fuel is present in the oil, it will!
You can sometimes also smell the crankcase @ the fill hole and smell gas...
Sometimes it'll show up as the oil level will be overfull, too.

Sounds like ya need to get some new floatvalves, and yank the carbs... if your petcocks shut off good, though... you can get by ok that way... unless you occaisionally forget like I do...

[DiverRay]

The seat for the float needle seals via "O" ring. This is probably bad, and allows the fuel to over fill the float chamber. The rear of the carb is the first place the fuel can leak from, so it does. New "O" rings, and reset the float will help. The fuel should NOT flow without the engine running, unless the petcock is leaking as well.
Turn OFF the fuel when parked, and go through the carbs and petcocks as soon as you can!

[foreda]

Check your oil!!

Be sure to check your engine oil to ensure it is not contaminated with gas. This will wreck your engine if ignored.

[1st bike]

i'll check the oil today. i have shut the petcocks off. i usually remember to do so, but i am not going to lie, i forget about half the time. but it always leaks fuel. the PO swore when i bought it that the carbs had just been redone and synched, so i am hopeful that is just the O ring, but it sounds like it is either they octy or the petcocks or both as well as the O ring, cause it leaks fuel SLOWLY but all the time....damn...i have no idea how to go through my carbs. i know there are some threads on there...guess the laptop is coming to the garage with me....hope i don't screw up a running (albeit leaking) bike.

[jmnjrpa]

It has to be the float needle or float height for it to leak from the carbs.
Run some seafoam thru it before tearing out the carbs. Then see if it continues to leak.

[1st bike]

awesome. that i can do no problem. how much is some seafoam?

[DiverRay]

O'Rilley's(sp?) sells it for about $9.00 for a pint can. Use about 4 ounces in a low tank of fuel. DO NOT expect it to work. As I said, you have other issues, and until they are fixed, you will probably have a fuel leak. You CAN get a petcock and octy repair kit from geargefix on ebay. I would start there, as it will fix the leaks when parked.

[tarzan]

While it is leaking, rap on the side of the fuel bowl with the handle of a screwdriver.If the leaking stops shortly thereafter, you then know it is the fuel valve leaking.If that doesn't curtail the leak then it still could be the valve,but more likely the float height.

[1st bike]

you guys are not making me happy. to be honest, i'll tear anything apart, but i am more than a little afraid of carbs..... it really isn't a leak, it is more of a seep, if that makes sense. like there aren't any drips, it just kind of appears. it isn't there when the bike is running, if i take it out and ride, and then let it sit, there isn't any fuel on the side of the bike...but there will be the next morning. okay, so i am going to check the oil first, and make sure i don't have a leak going the other way, then i am going to pray that it is a gasket, and probably find out it is the float height. damn.

[DGXSER]

Here is the rundown, the petcocks and or the Octy only stop fuel from getting TO the carbs. They do not serve as the control of how much fuel goes into the float bowl. Yep, read that line a second time, which means that if you are getting to much fuel into the float bowl, do NOT blame this on your petcocks or the Octy.

The control for the fuel level in the float bowl is the float needle valve assembly. One of two things are happening if you are getting fuel into the air box or the engine crankcase, either the o-ring issue DiverRay mentioned, or your float valves are not sealing due to wear and or crap getting into them. Again, just because your petocks shut off the fuel to the carbs, does not make this problem go away. Your bike will run rich and or leak fuel even while running. I rode beside and behind one with this issue last spring. It dripped at every stop light/sign we came to, especially after a pit stop. Carbs were broken down and float valves replaced and the issue went away.

This is not to say that if you have some small pieces of crap in the valves that the Seafoam will not break it down and fix the issue, it may. Chances are, it won't though. Just do not go and repair your petcocks and or Octy and think all is good now. You need to address the real issue, the float needle valves.

[foreda]

Brass or plastic?

What type floats do you have? If you have brass and you have to go into the carbs, I suggest you test the brass floats for leaks. Dropping them in hot water will tell you real quick if they are leaking.

[XSokieSPECIAL]

Don't be afraid of the carbs 1st bike. If you have had any experience with carb repair they are not that hard.

GET A MANUAL. Or check one here

Just clean ALL the passages really well, And adjust the floats carefully.

Kits are available with all the new parts you will need, just be certain to match the new stuff with the old stuff before you install.

Not that hard!

There is plenty of info here:http://www.xs11.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=37 even if you don't know a lot.

If that doesn't help you've got 5,728 members here to help!

And here's:http://www.ringler.us/xs1100/YamXS1100Manfull.pdf an online manual.

[1st bike]

okie...i'll give it shot, but it is going to be an expenseive plane ride up here to help me when i totally screw this up. but this bike is teaching me patience and working through things slowly and deliberately, so we will give this shot. can't be any different than trying something new on a car, right?