Fuel leaked everywhere - how does this happen?

[ThrottleJunky]

She had been sitting in my beautiful outbuilding for a few months with no issue. I bought some fuel store, filled the tank, ran the bike for a minute or two, shut her down, made sure the petcocks were on "prime" and then I come back today, open up the building to find at least a gallon or more fuel has leaked out of the airbox. The bike was on the sidestand. I am really pissed about this. I am seeing red.

The floats were adjusted perfect, there was never a binding issue, the petcocks were just rebuilt, this is maddening. I suppose now the crankcase is filled with gasoline, too, right after a fresh oil change. I cannot win with this bike. I am thinking of selling both I am so angry right now. Sorry for the rant, this really did it for me. I am out of answers.

I should also add that all four needle and seats are BRAND NEW.

Yep, crankcase FULL of fuel. Nice.

[red bandit]

I understand the rant. Most of us have been through that at least once. First thing. Turn the petcocks to on. Putting the petcocks on Prime puts fuel to the carbs ALL THE TIME. In the on position fuel is to the carbs only when the engine is running, as long as the petcocks are working properly. But at least you have a chance.

[ThrottleJunky]

I understand the rant. Most of us have been through that at least once. First thing. Turn the petcocks to on. Putting the petcocks on Prime puts fuel to the carbs ALL THE TIME. In the on position fuel is to the carbs only when the engine is running, as long as the petcocks are working properly. But at least you have a chance.

Thank you so much. I learned one thing today - I had it backwards. I was thinking "on" was giving it full fuel all the time, and that "prime" was running on vacuum. What an idiot now that I think of the definition of "prime." Both of my bikes have been sitting on prime their entire lives with me.

I've wasted a brand new oil change, ruined my brand new subfloor in the building, and possibly hurt the engine running it for a minute or two with fuel in the crankcase. Thinking back it was hard to start, but I had thought that was because I need to fix my choke when in fact the cylinders were full of fuel and it was flooded.

I have one more oil filter. I think I'll change the oil again. I usually warm the engine, but should I just do it cold this time?

I'm nervous to leave this bike with fuel in the tank now. What's weird, now that it's on its center stand, it's no longer leaking.

[JeffH]

Frustrating for sure. What a pita.

But consider that maybe you were lucky.
Some guys have fired up the bike only to get a backfire then a raging fire that burned up the bike or worse bike & the garage.

In any case you likely have one of the cleanest crank cases around. Can you tell from the oil level sight glass window the amount of 'extra' liquid in there or is the fluid level way above the top of the glass. If it were me I'd just do a cold oil change. Gas fumes in the crankcase can't have a good outcome. And diluted oil/gas isn't the best way to lube all those moving expensive parts.

On my E I made that little petcock mod that actually turns the gas OFF. 1/4 mile from home I turn the petcock to the new UP for OFF so most by the time I park the bike most of the fuel in the fuel lines is gone leaving just the fuel in the bowls. Not sure if you have Standard or Special, oh I see it says a 80 "G".

Jeff

[bikerphil]

Probably no fuel in the crankcase if the bike was on the side stand. If the floats are dropping too low, they can bind and get stuck with using the side stand.

[ThrottleJunky]

Probably no fuel in the crankcase if the bike was on the side stand. If the floats are dropping too low, they can bind and get stuck with using the side stand.

The sight glass is full and I opened the fill cap and it reeked of gasoline.

[bikerphil]

Yep, that is unfortunate.

[CaptonZap]

With apologies to The Old Philosopher, (http://www.madmusic.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=270),

You say you parked your XS11 for a few years, and when you took it out of the collapsed shed and the cobwebs, and you cleaned it up, and changed the oil, and used the $8 a quart oil from the motorcycle dealer, because you wanted to make it up to your bike, and you put some premium gas in the tank, and found out the battery was dead, and when you came back and got the new battery in, you noticed a puddle of gas under the air box, and the oil level window was full of fluid, and pounding on the carbs with a screwdriver handle didn't stop the steady drip out of the air box, and now you don't have any money to get more oil, 'cause you had to buy a battery,
Is that what trouble'n you Bucko?
Well hold your head up high, take walk in the sun, show the world where to get off, and never give up, never give up, never give up that ship p p.

Let me remind you, do not try this at home. We are what you call professionals.

Take a metal pan big enough to hold the diluted oil, or portions thereof, in case you cant find a big enough container to hold it all. A clean 5 gal metal can works great.
Get an electric hot plate, an extension cord that will handle the watt draw of the hot plate, and that will reach a spot that is out in the open, with no over hanging combustibles or ground cover, a router speed control, (on sale at Habba Fleight , Item #43060, for only $19.99, hurry, sale ends soon), a measuring stick that is oil and heat proof, and a kitchen thermometer that reads to 350f or so. If you meet resistance from your kitchen help about the thermometer, explain that you will return it in better condition, or at least as good of condition, as when you took it.
Besides, if you have to ask permission to use it, you aren't man enough to be doing this , so you better go back to watching Sponge Bob reruns.
Place the can on the ELECTRIC, (and I can't stress that electric part strongly enough, DO NOT use the propane BBQ), hot plate and plug it into the speed controller, and that into the extension cord. ( The cord into an outlet, for our slow readers)
Suspend the thermometer so that the sensing tip is about an inch deep in the oil, and position so that you can read it. The ruler also.
Turn on the hot plate full blast, and monitor the temperature. As soon as small bubbles start rising, and you can see convection currents in the oil, turn the control down a skosh, and watch the temperature. You are trying to get to 250 deg F, and to set the controller so that it will hold that temperature.
Once that is achieved, you can find a cover that will not impede the fumes from escaping over the lip of the can, but will stop the malevolent magpies from any success in their bombing mission. Some professionals use three beer cans, crushed in the middle, placed evenly spaced on the edge of the can, and a metal garbage can lid placed on them.
I realize that you, being strapped for cash after buying a battery, won't be able to afford the beer, so you might invite Greg over, and maybe he will share, but if not, you can use his empties. JAT
Remember, gasoline fumes are heavier than air, so they will over flow the can, and run down to the ground and spread out, mixing with air, forming a combustible mixture until they are diluted enough to reach the lower limit of flammability. ( Look it up) Now you understand the open flame prohibition during this exercise.
For those who, if you will pardon the expression, like to kill two birds with one stone, the operation might be located so that the fumes ran down a prairie dog hole, and thus they might get double usage from the vaporized gasoline.
Once the temperature reaches 250 and stabilizes, make a note of the fluid level, and go clean up the mess that happened as you were getting the oil drained. Don't try and kid me! Everybody makes a mess draining oil on an XS.
Check back every hour or so, and make a note of how much the fluid level drops. As the day wears on, the level will drop, and finally you will see it stop dropping. Give it another hour, and turn off the heat. Let it cool, and if the wind was blowing, strain it through an old tee shirt to get the big chunks out.
There you have it, for a few cents worth of electricity, and a days worth of fun on a par with watching paint dry, you have your oil back, almost as good as new.



The forgoing is intended as education material only, and the authors cannot be held responsible for any mishaps, should any readers try the process/s described. Your state may prohibit such disclaimers, so you may or may not have certain legal rights, consult an attorney.

[IanDMacDonald]

Good thing I use Walmart Supertech oil in the Yammy, lol . . . Got jugs of it everywhere.

[skids]

With apologies to The Old Philosopher, (http://www.madmusic.com/song_details.aspx?SongID=270),

Let me remind you, do not try this at home. We are what you call professionals.

(snip)
The forgoing is intended as education material only, and the authors cannot be held responsible for any mishaps, should any readers try the process/s described. Your state may prohibit such disclaimers, so you may or may not have certain legal rights, consult an attorney.

That is just crazy Zap! Haha.

[skids]

Because it is a model G, it should have viton (sp?) tipped float needles. Unless you got some junk in there holding the valve open, the following could be the culprit:

Corroded pivot pin at goal post making float stick
leaking o-ring around valve (most likely I think)
float bulb touching bowl and stuck

[ThrottleJunky]

Because it is a model G, it should have viton (sp?) tipped float needles. Unless you got some junk in there holding the valve open, the following could be the culprit:

Corroded pivot pin at goal post making float stick
leaking o-ring around valve (most likely I think)
float bulb touching bowl and stuck

After I added the fuel store to the tank, I kind of shook the bike around a bit, ran it, then shook it around a bit. I feel like one of the floats stuck. The needle and seat and orings are all brand new, and it had been sitting in the same spot with no leak before.

It made an absolutely awful mess. It still has not all evaporated, and the sub floor is swollen and no doubt some of the fuel went into the polystyrene floor insulation beneath the seam. This really upset me. Also, the fuel store may have something oily in it because the gasoline has left a residue.

[3Phase]

With apologies to The Old Philosopher

LMAO! That was great!

I couldn't get the link to play but I found it on YouTube:-

The Old Philosopher - Eddie Lawerence

[Codger]

Petcock change

I installed manual petcocks on my machine years ago, sure YOU have to turn them on and off, but as I have been doing this my entire life with various machines, its no biggie. Have not had a fuel leak or the contaminated crankcase oil caused by one.

[Aches n Pains]

After removing the Octy, this is how I route the fuel lines on my '79 Special. Solved a bunch of problems related to leaking, overflow, gas in the sump, etc.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/hBPVvSbaII6s2gki1 I apologize for the link but since Photobucket crapped out I just gave up and keep my photos on Google +.

Left side to carburetors.

"X" fitting so both carbs are fed by both petcocks - brass fitting from ebay (aquarium item)

Inline filter as mentioned in several posts above

Briggs and Stratton shutoff valve so gas can't flow regardless of condition of petcock. Inexpensive though not elegant.

Right side to petcocks

Of course, all joints are clamped with clamps like shown in picture. Note that I just put this together for demonstration purposes. Individual hose pieces need to be cut to fit your preferences.

May not be the prettiest solution but it really works well.