Fuel "T" question

[dbeardslee]

So I gave Betsy's carbs a THOROUGH cleaning yesterday - she needed it after sitting for four years with fuel left in them - and I noticed the right-hand fuel "T" felt awfully loose. After spraying a LOT of carb cleaner, it felt much tighter. They sat over night, and when I put the gas to them I got a leak out of that right-hand "T".

I figured the seals had dried out from sitting, but since it seemed like the carb cleaner swelled them up, I let it drip for a while with a rag underneath, and after five or ten minutes the leak stopped. I took it for about a ten mile ride after adjusting the carbs and synching, and it's sitting out in the mancave right now with the gas turned on, and still no leaking.

My inclination is to leave it alone as long as it's not leaking. My question is this - has anyone else experienced similar issues with fuel "T's"?

[3Phase]

...
My question is this - has anyone else experienced similar issues with fuel "T's"?

Yes. Both tees were dry and 'loose' when I bought my '80G and they seeped a little fuel until they swelled up again.

One tee lasted from 2008 until 2014 when the other tee started leaking.
I trimmed the rubber and put new o-rings on both tees, now they don't leak.

.

[dbeardslee]

Thanks for the quick reply, 3P. My piece of mind quotient just went up several notches. I'll leave it alone 'till it drips.

[bikerphil]

Same here, I have run across that happening several times, after the gas swells them up they will probably be fine. When/if they start leaking when the bike is being used regularly, then it's time to do the repair or replace them. Here is the low buck repair I have done several times on different bikes...

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread...841#post366841

[mack]

Is this

any use?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRiv1xJJjZk

[dbeardslee]

Good stuff on the fuel "T" fixes. Thanks fellers - I'll keep those links in mind against the day I have to break the rack apart. But for right now, I left the gas turned on last night and this morning nothing is leaking, so I'm going to color it done for now.

On a side note, with the plastic floats installed I ALWAYS had to rap on the carbs to wake up the floats when I had had the gas shut off. I shaved the floats a bit when I first installed them to keep them from sticking on the bowls, but they still stick on something - best guess is the pins. The viton tipped fuel valves really seem to seal well, so I think I'm just going to leave the gas on all the time and let the fuel valves do the dirty work.

And on a side, side note... my thirty-year-old Coleman Powermate compressor finally gave up the ghost on Thursday, and Friday I picked up a thirty gallon oiled Kobalt compressor. The powermate was oilless, and I swear it sounded like Betsy redlining. This oiled unit is WAAAAAY more quiet. After break in I gave it its first workout driving a soda blaster. I picked up ten pounds of baking soda at Home Depot (in the swimming pool chemical section - labeled alkalinity increaser), and MAN does that do a nice job of cleaning the outside of carbs. Nice.