$#%* Carburetor

[jetmechmarty]

This problem is ongoing because I'm never home. I had my carbs fixed by a pro. They worked like never before, for a little while. This was last summer. In October I closed the throttle coming home and lost a cylinder. Fuel was pouring out of the airbox. I pulled the carbs and everything else to do the 2nd gear fix. I pulled the float needle on the leaky carb and sprayed it good under there with carb cleaner. Bike got back on its feet 10 days ago. I came home last night and got after the bike today. Enough stuff got put back on to run it. Fuel is still pouring out of the box. I have replaced the fuel lines and added filters. Now what?

[Diskman01]

This problem is ongoing because I'm never home. I had my carbs fixed by a pro. They worked like never before, for a little while. This was last summer. In October I closed the throttle coming home and lost a cylinder. Fuel was pouring out of the airbox. I pulled the carbs and everything else to do the 2nd gear fix. I pulled the float needle on the leaky carb and sprayed it good under there with carb cleaner. Bike got back on its feet 10 days ago. I came home last night and got after the bike today. Enough stuff got put back on to run it. Fuel is still pouring out of the box. I have replaced the fuel lines and added filters. Now what?

Sounds like a bit of something is wedged in the float needle and seat. I had the same issue with an old bike I have. Need to purge all of the fuel lines and the carb fuel inlets, then clean the needles and seats with a q-tip. Install NEW filters and you should be good to go. Also check the float heights while you are in there. Shouldnt take too long to mess with.

Just my .02c.

[bikerphil]

Maybe the needle/seat O ring is shot or your float is stuck. Try tapping the bowl first and see if it clears up.

[jetmechmarty]

Good whack with a dead blow hammer didn't do the trick. The rack has to come out.

[cywelchjr]

First make sure that the floats are not sticking, but based on the filters being in place that's a bit lower probability. However, I think you said you used double walled line in the last section, and this might be a mistake unless you still have the last filter screen in the needle valve seat. But I would also go with the needle valve seat o-ring leaking cause that's a common problem with the newer carbs, seeming to be almost as common as the older carbs leaking because of the vents being clogged. I know you don't have much time at home to work on it yourself, but you should be able to take the bowl off the leaking carb and do the leak test on it to see if you can tell where the leak is in the carb, but I suspect you will see it coming from around the outside of the seat.

[jetmechmarty]

I installed the float bowls with socket head bolts, so perhaps I can get the bowl off without removing the bank.

[fredintoon]

I installed the float bowls with socket head bolts, so perhaps I can get the bowl off without removing the bank.

Hi Marty,
you know what you gotta do. Grasp the nettle. Stiffen the sinews. Gird up the loins. All that stuff.
You gotta tear them carbs right down and clean them properly. It's not your only chance but you know it's your best one.

[SFSPECBIKER79]

Carbs

Xs carbs seem to work well, after the third time pulling them and cleaning, seems like just the way it is. Good luck, after that i'd probally be thinking about torching it.

[DGXSER]

Hey Marty,

The double wall auto fuel line may just be your problem. First time I tore the carbs off an XS11 I cleaned them spiffy new, got all new kits from Georgefix, went over them with a fine tooth comb. First time putting them on, one leaked, which was a new problem, as before I touched them they just had a slight stumble when idling at about 3k. So back in I went, cleaned up the needle and seats, and to make along story a bit shorter, did all the testign and cleaning and after about 4 rounds and being ready to light the beast on fire and roll it down the hill, I discovered that each time I hooked up that auto rubber walled fuel line to the fuel Ts, a little bit would get scraped off and get to me needle valves!!!

Switched out to the Briggs and Stratton fuel line, been happy ever since.

[mack]

floats

Marty, just for fun, while you have the bowls off, make sure the float in the offending carb doesn't have a leak in it.

[Toolmaker Tim]

Leaky Carbs

Hey Marty, get some Mike's xs plastic floats and xv920 float valves. Had the same problem you had and they cured it. I think I had to change my oil 3 times in 2 weeks before I sucked it up and changed to my present setup. Finding your crankcase and not your gas tank full of gas is a OH S**T moment. Especially with gas prices now.

[jetmechmarty]

It was either magic, or the lick with the dead blow hammer, but the problem cleared itself. It's running like a scalded dog!

I'll order up complete carb kits and new floats for the next time this issue arises.

Thank you all for your input.

[bikerphil]

Sometimes when the bowls are drained, the float falls too low and the needle gets cocked sideways in the seat causing the valve to remain open. There is a second adjustment tang near the float post to prevent this from happening (plastic floats).

[LoHo]

YRMV, but when I rebuilt mine, I had a problem with the new wire keepers the needles came with making the needle go in cocked and making a for a flooded cylinder. See if removing those keepers might help.

[jetmechmarty]

I just had a 40 mile test hop. It starts instantly from cold. It zips right up to the redline without issue. It returns to idle just fine and did not leak.

Also, this was my first ride since fixing the transmission. I replaced the gears and did the washer move. It works great!

I also installed TC's fuse box. This is the first time the hazard lights worked..EVER! My turn signals used to stop flashing while holding the brake at a traffic light. Not any more!