Bike sat too long/Running NOW!

[Ike the Bike]

After being gone for six months and not properly storing the bike, my 78' E Standard is dumping gas into the airbox and only runs above 3,000 rpm while gas is dumping out.
Pulled the spark plugs and had gas and carbon on them. All plugs have good spark.Cleaned and returned them. Opened all carb drain bolts one at a time and ran them on prime after adding new gas to the tank.
Started taking apart the airbox after removing the tank. Removed the lower part and filter. The service manual nor any thread tells me how to remove the airbox step by step in order to check those 2" brass passage ways referred to in another post.
I would like to spend the money and have the carbs done, but do not know any qualified wrenches here in Southwest Florida.
The ignition pickup is not repaired but I did move the wire last year and the bike ran perfect for three months prior to leaving town. I have searched all the carb overflow threads but do not have competance to get into the carbs myself. Don't feel confident to take the carbs off and send them to that place in Georgia.

Any suggestions are helpful,
Ike-Port Charlotte

[xj11john]

Ike,

I know what you mean about not feeling confident on a project such as the carbs on one of these bikes, but after you get the airbox off, it won't be any trouble getting the carbs off. here is a tech tip on getting the air box and carbs off.

http://www.xs11.com/tips/maintenance...shtml#removing


I felt alittle apprehensive too, untill I started reading the tech tips and threads on this site, and became pretty familular with some of the common probs, and best methods.

You'll never know till you do it, but seriously after you get the rail of carbs off-all 4, just leave them all together on the rail, here is a tech tip on the cleaning process,

Here is a tip on cleaning and removal of carbs.

http://www.xs11.com/tips/maintenance/maint7.shtml

But if you still need a mechanic I'm sure there is someone on here to help find one, good luck!

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ike,

Sounds like it's just the float needle and seat not sealing properly, either thru gummed up matter or such. You've got the 78E, so the needles and seats are ALL METAL, not rubber tipped. If they were sealing before the sitting period, they will probably seal again. You don't have to take the air box OFF/OUT to get the carbs off, just helpful to remove the two bolts on the side that attach it to the frame to allow you to slide it backwards to allow more room for separating the air intakes from the carbs.

Then drain the fuel from the bowls, then turn the carbs upside down, leaving them all on the rack, pull the bowls off, and pull the float pins and remove the floats, and then you get access to the float needles, pull them, soak them in cleaner, or use spray cleaner and towel on them. Take a q-tip with cleaner and scrub out the seats. Spray the float pins and floats, you'll probably find gummed up gas in there. Then put it all together, and put them back on the bike.

Since not removing them from the rack, you shouldn't have to worry about the synching of them. Get a can of SEAFOAM, or Techroline carb cleaner, put several ounces in the tank and run thru the engine, this will help clean out the pilot circuits as well as the float needles and such!!! NOTHING TO IT!!!
T.C.

[prometheus578]

Ike, Doing carbs is the easiest thing in the world. Once you do it, you're a pro.
I'm gonna disagree with TopCat (which I rarely do... considering it unwise) But in this instance, I would replace the float needles. They're probably the original ones and over twenty years old. A close inspection will probably reveal a "wear ring" on the tip of them. This is why they leak. Sometimes you can feel it with your fingernail, sometimes need my reading glasses to see them, but if they're there, toss them. The shop I work at sells them for $4.95 a piece.
Take a Qtip and some chrome polish and clean the seat area, then spray with carb cleaner. You should also remove the seat and clean the screen underneath.
Do a search for the thread "Carb Mystery" and read the carb tips.

[GNEPIG]

.. hey Ike, you dont live very far from me if you have a pick up truck or a van load it up and bring it over and we'll have a look.. just like the other guys have said once you see how easy it is you will have no reserve about doing it your self next time
..PM me your telephone number and we'll set up a weekend to meet
gene

[Ike the Bike]

Thanks so much for the replies. You guys are great. Was feeling a little lonely out here. Good to know that there are people willing to give advice and more to a complete stranger. My best times throughout this short life have been doing things with motorcyclists. This may start a pattern for an old biker. Will PM my # to the gentleman in Bradenton and will attempt to take the other three cyclists advice after Thanksgiving.

Ike the Bike

[xj11john]

Way to go Gene,

If I still lived in Suwannee Co. FL I'd have given the same offer, in fact we should be down there visiting this Christmas (without the bike unfortunetly).

I knew there would be someone on this site to help, good luck with it

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Prom,

No sweat, was just trying to suggest the most economical way to "Try" to fix his problem, vs. replacing the float needles. Once he would have gone thru this, and IF they had still leaked, then it wouldn't be much for him to tear them down again and get the needed replacement parts(needles and seats) and replace them!?

Glad to see the Fla. XSives pitching in to help! Speaking of Fla. Xsives, haven't heard from Jazzrat on either here or the Yahoo list lately? Had heard from him after he had gotten the power back on, but not much since!?
T.C.

[prometheus578]

True, TC. Too many people work on their carbs, but don't bench test them before reinstalling, and then pull their hair when they're still leaking. These are usually the original needles. Many times they have found their "spot", and if taken out and put in at a different rotation(if you know what I mean), they suddenly start to leak. I've cleaned carbs that didn't leak, only to reassemble and they drip all over the place. I usually recommend replacement as... they might not be leaking now... how about a month from now.
At work... if they look questionable, I replace. Sure, costs the customer an extra $20. But I don't want him coming back leaking a month later, paying for the needles anyway, and trying to convince me to pull his carbs apart for free to fix it.
For some of us, me included, I prefer cheap, as pulling carbs etc, is no big deal. For others, people who are not yet sure of their abilities, replacement brings peace of mind

[Ike the Bike]

Bike is running!

Took the plunge and got the carburetors off today. Removed the float bowls and the floats, lots of grit and grime. A piece of dirt was holding the #2 float open. Put it all back together and no more gas out the airbox. It is running on 2 cylinders which is probably the ignition pick-up wire. Will get into that tomorrow.
Thanks for the advice.

Ike the Bike

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Ike,

Congrats on finding the culprit and fixing it! BTW, I merged your new thread with your older one, so that folks can see the progression of your project!!

Yeah, the carbs and the PU coil wires are 2 of the most common Achilles heels of these wonderful machines, and once you've got that done, HANG ON!!!
T.C.

[xj11john]

Good going Ike,

I knew you could do it, after all, alot of us need this web site.

It sure cuts down on the time it would take to trial and error everything on our own, almost like cheating

Good luck on the rest !