Octopus Woes - My Journey

[skids]

John, I broke a “goal post” many years ago. I did not JB Weld it because i knew it was not gasoline proof. I just reinstalled the float and pin as-is. It worked fine. Yours will be also as long as the pin is seated on the remaining side. The thing that worried me about the JB Weld is that it could slowly dissolve and end-up in a carb passage or re-solidify on a hot exhaust valve.

[johnstewart]

Wow, took me at least two hours to get those carbs back on. It's like giving birth in reverse!

And... it worked! No leaking carb on my initial test!

What did I f*** up this time? Well, the throttle... when I started it back up, it was revving like crazy.

I think I bent the tab where the throttle cable comes into the carbs, so there is less play. I was trying to adjust on the handlebar, but am not getting slack no matter how I adjust it. Which way to turn the nut to make it looser? It seems like it would be clockwise, but it's hard to tell... and it seemed like it was already all the way clockwise (against the grip side).

One step forward, two steps back!

[johnstewart]

I sorted out the throttle. Had bent the thing so it wasn’t swiveling. I got it back to at least working. Still no slack but not revving.


So it turns out the carb I monkeyed with is not getting gas. I don’t get it. Maybe I bent the tang too far? The pipe wasn’t getting hot and then I pulled drain and the carb is dry. W t f.

Not looking forward to pulling these things back out again but I guess I have to. The carb next to it is getting gas and they look to be fed together right?

[johnstewart]

So, I had to pull the carbs back off. It's definitely easier the second time. Likewise putting them back. Still like giving birth in reverse though.

I eventually decided, from some other forum post I saw, to use fishing line through the drain plug to tug on the float to see if it was binding up. And it turns out that it was free to move until I screw it down, but once screwed down, the float is rubbing somewhere and doesn't freely move. I don't know if these old gaskets have thinned enough, or the float is out of whack, or what.

John, I broke a “goal post” many years ago. I did not JB Weld it because i knew it was not gasoline proof. I just reinstalled the float and pin as-is. It worked fine. Yours will be also as long as the pin is seated on the remaining side.

... but I did this when re-assembling. I left the broken post out and scraped off all the JB Weld. I can't believe this works, skids, but it did! The float can move.

This time, I confirmed with the gas tank on my bench that the carb was getting wet, and that it stopped eventually. I had to futz with the tang a bit to make this happen. Man, my whole house still reeks of gas from that adventure.

But it's all back, all 4 cylinder running, and not leaks even with petcocks on Prime!

But... what the hell, my tail light stopped working? Brake light works, but running light doesn't. Bulb didn't look obviously burned out, and at that point after wrenching on it until late, I stopped for the night.

It was dark and I did want a test ride, so I taped my flashlight to the tail light assembly so it lit up. Damn thing runs great; maybe better than before. Although maybe it just sounds that way (it sounds NICE with that airbox off; if I wasn't such a fan of the stock look, I might get some pod air cleaners for the sound.

Thanks all for your help!

[motoman]

So, I had to pull the carbs back off. It's definitely easier the second time. Likewise putting them back. Still like giving birth in reverse though.

I eventually decided, from some other forum post I saw, to use fishing line through the drain plug to tug on the float to see if it was binding up. And it turns out that it was free to move until I screw it down, but once screwed down, the float is rubbing somewhere and doesn't freely move. I don't know if these old gaskets have thinned enough, or the float is out of whack, or what.



... but I did this when re-assembling. I left the broken post out and scraped off all the JB Weld. I can't believe this works, skids, but it did! The float can move.

This time, I confirmed with the gas tank on my bench that the carb was getting wet, and that it stopped eventually. I had to futz with the tang a bit to make this happen. Man, my whole house still reeks of gas from that adventure.

But it's all back, all 4 cylinder running, and not leaks even with petcocks on Prime!

But... what the hell, my tail light stopped working? Brake light works, but running light doesn't. Bulb didn't look obviously burned out, and at that point after wrenching on it until late, I stopped for the night.

It was dark and I did want a test ride, so I taped my flashlight to the tail light assembly so it lit up. Damn thing runs great; maybe better than before. Although maybe it just sounds that way (it sounds NICE with that airbox off; if I wasn't such a fan of the stock look, I might get some pod air cleaners for the sound.

Thanks all for your help!

Stewart, pertaining to any float hanging issue, the issue is when bowl is tightened down. The gasket will push out inner edges of itself from bowl tightening. Remove carbs and all float bowls. leaving gasket in place,take a razer blade and following inside edge of bowl cutting of any protruding portion of gasket. This issue is the most common issue with floats hanging up.