float needle valve question

[Jefe]

Hi,
Trying to set the float levels for the carbs on my 79 F is annoying me and making me smell like gas all the time. I've got the float level set with my caliper to 26mm, which is in the range of what the book says, but all four leak when I try try filling the bowls with gas to double check it - the hoses leading back to the airbox turn into little fountains.
This is not sustainable, and I'd appreciate any healing tips or answers to the following questions:
The float valve needles are steel tipped - is that the wrong type?
How can I tell if the seats are the right ones for steel-tipped?
Can I replace those steel-tip needles with those flexible tip (viton? neoprene?) needles?
Is is possible these carbs snuck onto the bike from a different year's model? How might I tell?
Thanks, amigos,
Jeff

[Gallaecus]

you might have the lines backwards on the petcocks.

[natemoen]

If they have the screw in float needle seats then there should be 2 T's inbetween the carbs. You need to hook the fuel line to the lower T.

If it is still leaking...did you check to see if your floats leak? If they are the brass floats Boil some water and then take the water off the heat and dunk the floats into the hot water. If they have leaks then you will see a stream of bubbles coming out of the holes, no bubbles = no leaks.

If the floats are good and the carbs still leak rap the float bowls as they fill with gas. Sometimes the gaskets hang into the bowls top far and the floats can get hung up on the gaskets. Trim the gaskets back if that is the case.

[Jefe]

thanks for the thoughts, gents - I'll check those gaskets tomorrow. Since it happens on all four carbs, and i may have replaced the gaskets over this multi-year unfocused project.