dripping carburator questions...

[Jeffrimerman]

I have an 85 vmax with stage 7 carbs. I bought it from someone last summer and he had the carbs rebuilt and it didn't drip then, but I let it sit over the winder so 5 months. It starts right up. All 4 carbs drip gas. I can see a float sticking but all 4. I tapped on the inside side of each of them but that didn't seem to help. I saved a few posts about what others did with similar problems, but I don't think all 4 carbs were acting that way. Or is that the only thing it can be is all 4 floats are stuck down making gas just pour in? Thanks in advance.

Also, If I need to pull the carbs off I noticed if you pull all 4 off connected together it seems like they would come straight out the top or maybe they will if tilted.

 

[maleko89]

Where are they dripping from? Could be leaky float bowl drain screws.

Yep, loosen top clamp bolt on each carb manifold and the carbs will pull right up. Just remove your air filters first.

 

[Jeffrimerman]

Where are they dripping from? Could be leaky float bowl drain screws.

Yep, loosen top clamp bolt on each carb manifold and the carbs will pull right up. Just remove your air filters first.

I see gas coming down from all of them. They didn't do that a few months back so I thought they all shouldn't have sticky floats, but maybe they would.

I'll lift them up and maybe give them a shake and put back down and see if that unstuck them. With the faux tank and filters off I should be able to see where they are leaking from.

 

[gamorg02]

same question as mark. if they're coming from the vent tube or the drain tube.

gas and rubber act funny together. a lot of times if you let it sit with gas the rubber will expand back to its original size and all will be well. happened to me plenty of times and why i keep my carbs full thru winter.

if its your drain screws i'd probably crack them open a bit and flush some gas through them via the fuel pump for a few minutes (have a catch container) then secure them back up and let it sit overnight. otherwise maybe even drain the carbs, take those screws out, clean the inside with a q-tip and let the o-rings soak in gas overnight. i bet that'll seal them up.

if its the vent tubes, ignore the above.

 

[Ed in Mississauga]

same question as mark. if they're coming from the vent tube or the drain tube.

gas and rubber act funny together. a lot of times if you let it sit with gas the rubber will expand back to its original size and all will be well. happened to me plenty of times and why i keep my carbs full thru winter.

if its your drain screws i'd probably crack them open a bit and flush some gas through them via the fuel pump for a few minutes (have a catch container) then secure them back up and let it sit overnight. otherwise maybe even drain the carbs, take those screws out, clean the inside with a q-tip and let the o-rings soak in gas overnight. i bet that'll seal them up.

if its the vent tubes, ignore the above.

+1 I stopped draining the carbs years ago. I too found that the float bowl gaskets would dry out and leak like a sieve in the spring... especially since they started adding ethanol to regular gas.

 

[Jeffrimerman]

same question as mark. if they're coming from the vent tube or the drain tube.

gas and rubber act funny together. a lot of times if you let it sit with gas the rubber will expand back to its original size and all will be well. happened to me plenty of times and why i keep my carbs full thru winter.

if its your drain screws i'd probably crack them open a bit and flush some gas through them via the fuel pump for a few minutes (have a catch container) then secure them back up and let it sit overnight. otherwise maybe even drain the carbs, take those screws out, clean the inside with a q-tip and let the o-rings soak in gas overnight. i bet that'll seal them up.

if its the vent tubes, ignore the above.

I think it is the rubber shrinking. I started it up with the air filters off and it looked fine from inside. There wasn't tons of gas pouring from what I could see. It looks like gas is just seeping through the gaskets over the float bowl area and a lot less gas came out this time.

It doesn't look like the drain tubes, but if the vent tubes are on the inside area facing the other carb and toward the bottom, then that is a possibility. I'll need to see a diagram of the carb to know. I'll google for one. Thank you

edit: There is a brass bolt(not screw) that is on the lower middle part of the part of the carb that covers the float. Not sure what to call it, but in the diagram there is an O-ring under it. That could be where its leaking. I wonder if I'll need to pull out the carbs to reach it and soak those in gas overnight. Maybe I can reach in and tighten slightly.

 

[dannymax]

Your best bet is to remove the rack from the bike, hook up a temp fuel source on your bench and sit and watch where the gas comes out, if you have that much fuel pouring out there are probly several problem areas that need addressing.

 

[Jeffrimerman]

Your best bet is to remove the rack from the bike, hook up a temp fuel source on your bench and sit and watch where the gas comes out, if you have that much fuel pouring out there are probly several problem areas that need addressing.

That's a great idea, thank you