Just bought 1100 number two

[MAXIMAN]

I just got back from New Jersey with a fully dressed '80 Special. I got it on eBay last week. The thing looks great. The paint and chrome are in excellent condition. The gauge faces aren't faded at all.

The guy obviously kept the bike covered. But he hasn't driven it since 1985. When you put gas in the tank is comes out the bottom of the air filter box. I guess the floats are stuck open and gas goes out the overflows of the carbs.

So I shut off the petcocks ...so gas would be dripping on the floor...and the thing fired right off. Any suggestions on how to get the floats to seat with out re-building the carbs?

Have any of you guys ever filled varnished up float bowls with something like Berrymans...let it sit over night...??? Ever had any luck getting the floats to free up this way? Or will the carbs have to be rebuilt?

Thanx

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Maximan,

Congrats on your new acquisition. There's usually no way around tearing them down for a proper cleaning, cause the floats may be sticking, or the needle valves may be sticking, or the tips of the valves may be damaged IF rubber tipped!?

SeaFoam comes highly recommended for dissolving gum and varnish inside carbs, so you could try putting more ounces than normally recommended into a tank of FRESH gas! Run it a while to get it into the carbs, then try letting it set. Good luck, but sometimes there's no replacement for good ole physically scrubbing them!
From One Godzilla owner to another!

[MAXIMAN]

TC

I'll try the Seafoam thing tommorrow. I think I'll name this one King Kong. It looks like Kong in a tuxedo. Black with Yamaha OEM Fairing, Lowers, hardbags, crashbars, and backrest. The thing even had a Mustang custom seat.

It looks very formal all dressed up.

Poured Berryman's fuel injector/gas treatment direct into the empty tank. It filled the float bowls and over flowed. I shut the petcocks so it would drip all night and am going to let it sit. Might cleanup but I doubt it.

Just out of curiosoity I hit the starter and she fired off and idled...ON BERRYMAN"S carb cleaner!

Thanks for the help. If I need more I'll be askin'.

[RUSH]

You might not have to "rebuild" the carbs, but you should pull them apart and clean them especially the pilot jets and float needle valve. Congrats on the new bike!

[MAXIMAN]

Yeah we hadda rebuild them. It was one of the worst cases I've seen. But I shoulda known. The guy hadn't ridden the bike since 1985!

I just hope I don't have to buyy new carbs. Broke two float support posts and had to repair with JB Weld.

Thanks

Cg