floats problem - help!

[Firewrench]

I looked in the manual and found that the fuel pump has a diaphram/spring mechanism that shuts if off when the bowls are full. Perhaps yours is over running the carbs. It sounds like you have a spare pump....
What clear filter did you buy? Does it have a paper element or a plastic screen? Those plastic/glass filters have pretty large holes in them, maybe a paper filter would stop the fines.
Good luck
Paul

 

[naughtyG]

I wonder how the pump/diaphragm knows that the float chambers are full? Is it a pressure thing? How does the fuel pump relay work? I've swapped the fuel pump relay with the one from my spare bike too, to no avail..

I got the clear filter with the plastic mesh. I know what you mean about the small particles, but I've had the paper ones before and see that stuff go through it too. I don't think there is a fuel filter that could stop the fine particles of rust that come from a rusted tank - been there, only way is to treat or change the tank.

 

[maleko89]

Yep, fuel pump shuts down/starts via pressure. Also, reason why fuel pump shuts down after couple of seconds when you turn the key is that there isn't an ignition signal. This is a safety feature and the reason why there's a wire running from the ignition coils to the fuel pump relay.

 

[naughtyG]

OK. So if it's pressure then I most definitely must have a needle valve problem, as when I first warmed up / checked floats / sync'd, then turned ignition off and left it for maybe 2 mns, when I turned it back on the pump clicked fast for the full 4-5 seconds again. The only way the fuel level/pressure would go down that much in 2mns is leaking needle valves, right?
And I've inspected them closely - they are all fine, and so is the fuel pump. So it's gotta be the rust dust.. Funny after riding for maybe 3-4 miles, it was fine again. I've left the bike on battery charge (it was down from all the playing with) and am going on a longer ride tomorrow. We'll see what happens.

 

[gamorg02]

were u revving it before u shut it off? sometimes mine does it, most of the time not tho. i think ur on to something.

 

[naughtyG]

nah, no revving. Just sitting on idle. I'm gonna drive to the spare bike tomorrow grab the tank the TCI and that vacuum advance controller 4 ya.

Then the question is, will I have time to get the locked cap off that tank, and then remove half the back of my bike so I can swap tanks?

Or do I just leave it and ride Deal's Gap as it is? It's mostly alright while riding - usually it freaks out while super hot in traffic..

 

[gamorg02]

what happens when it acts up, and u throw the choke on?

 

[naughtyG]

I haven't tried that, but I doubt it would help - it's overflowing with fuel already!

Rode it a bit more today, and it was fine again, other than now out of nowhere the temp gauge starting acting up! Hopefully it's just a bad connection, coolant level is fine and the fan is doing its job as normal..

 

[richwrench]

G - I'm having a similar prob with my MAX so I pulled my carbs down today & I noticed the floats are not brass or plastic - they are nitrofill. Kinda like a black dense foam material, & back in the day a lot of auto carbs had nitofill floats. We used to have issues at times with the floats absorbing fuel & of course that makes them heavier & richer. If you look at an old auto repair manual you will notice that in the carb specs they give you a weight measurement to check your floats so you can check & see if if they have absorbed any fuel. There is no way repair a float of this type - I've tried setting them in the sun & baking them in an oven - they just won't dry out - must be replaced if too heavy. I don't have a float gauge anymore, but if I can't find one tomorrow I'm taking my floats to the local gunshop to have them weighed. I don't know the spec for a VMAX float weight - I'm just checking them all to see if one stands out against the rest. Will post back with results tomorrow.

 

[richwrench]

OK, here are my results. My local gunshop was nice enough to weigh my floats for me. Note: here they are measured in GRAINS, not grams - hey, it's a gunshop.

float #1 70.5 g
float #2 69.3 g
float #3 69.9 g
float #4 70.5 g

All are within a spread of no more than 1.2 grains so I think it's fair to say I don't have any one float that's a "sinker". FWIW 70 grains equals approx. 4.5 grams or approx. .16 oz.

Now for me the $25,000 dollar question is "How much does a new float weigh ?" There's no spec in the VMAX service manual.

G - if you pull carbs down again & still think you have a float issue I say take it to a local re-loader & sweet-talk them into weighing your floats just to be sure you don't have a heavy one. I just ordered a digital mini-scale on the internet - should be here in a few days. If you want to borrow it, just let me know & I'll mail it over to you.

 

[maleko89]

Thanks for the info Rich. I'm sure Morley has a few in his stash he could weight. I have a couple of extras from a wrecked '85 I can have weighed too.

 

[dannymax]

I can weigh floats if anyone wants to send them to me.

Shoot me a PM.

danny

 

[gamorg02]

somehow i doubt weighing floats aint gonna work on the get on the bathroom scale with and without the item in your hand trick.

 

[Redbone]

Me thinks our favorite irishman has scale for weighing things like richwrench is gonna have. Need to keep those projectiles the same weight for accuracy with center mass lead poisoning!:rofl_200:

 

[dannymax]

Me thinks our favorite irishman has scale for weighing things like richwrench is gonna have. Need to keep those projectiles the same weight for accuracy with center mass lead poisoning!:rofl_200:

Got me nailed 'Bone!!! I seem to prefer the XTP variety.....prolly just cause of the name...eh? :rofl_200:

"Extreme Terminal Performance"...it just shouts finality, don't cha think??!! :biglaugh:

 

[naughtyG]

Interesting. When I took my floats out I could have sworn they were made out of plastic!?

If I get in there again after replacing the tank I'll get the scales and weigh them too, just to compare.