cannot get the midnight out yet

[bryzx2]

My 1980 xs1100 midnight special was a joy to ride last year over the kawasaki kz440 I sold but now I cannot get it going this year. I started it once but the battery was low so I let it charge a few hours in which it dumped what I thought was gas all over the garage floor. Today I emptied the oil out since there was too much in it and I know that there wasn't too much put in last year. To my suprise the gas is dumping into the crankcase and mixing with the oil. What could cause this and how do you fix it? I am pretty hand with cars but haven't really worked on bikes. Thanks, someone trying to get out and kick his buddy's new Sportster all over the road.

[John]

The fuel in the oil is caused by two things...the octopus is not shutting off the fuel flow and one or more of the float needle and seats aren't shutting off the flow either. The fuel will overflow and drain into the airbox, and it will flow into the cylinder, past the rings and into the oil. To find the offending carb, just remove the bottom of the airbox, turn the fuel on, and look up into the airbox to see which carb has fuel leaking from it. You may need to replace the needle and seat assembly for that carb, or there may be some trash holding the needle open. Do you know if the screens are still in place over the seats? Do not run it until you have changed the oil and filter. Bad things may happen to the bearings.

[bryzx2]

I have not taken the carbs off yet to look at them. I will take the air box off and try to see which one is the culprit. It has been doing that all winter so the oil was pretty thin. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Pat Kelly]

Just remove the bottom of the airbox and you can find the offending carb.

I removed the octopus from my LG. Looks like my right petcock dosen't flow gas.