Fuel Spilling EVERYWHERE

[83 SECA 400]

with the bike running and not running and with my petcock set to pri and fuel, gas pours out of my carb and goes everywhere. I have the fuel line and vaccum line hooked up and have no idea why is doing this

 

[HoughMade]

Either the float (or floats) are bad, filled with fuel, the floats are set wrong, the float needle or seat is bad, or there is debris causing the float needle not to seat. Looks like the carbs need to come off.

 

[83 SECA 400]

I had the carb off and brought them to someone to be rebuilt.. put them back and the bike ran good for a while..i put seafoam through it and then this started to happen..did the seafoam do somthing?

 

[jmd_forest]

Before pulling things apart try using the butt end of a large screwdriver and tapping firmly on the float bowls of the carbs a few times. Make sure to tap on EACH carb float bowl. Ocassionally of the float gets "stuck" a few good taps will jar it loose again. It may not work but it is cheap and quick.

 

[bentwrench]

Yeah, but if you don't want to have to keep doing that, you're eventually going to have to probably clean and possibly replace some parts. We've all done it (some of us many, many times...)

 

[83 SECA 400]

ok i think im going to just replace some stuff, so what brand and model carbs do i have

 

[83 SECA 400]

there stock carbs in an 83 seca 400 i just dont know what they are lol newbie, and what is the stock float height for my bike and best way to measure it

 

[bentwrench]

Welcome to the world of carburation.

You have BS34 carbs, and your bible and reading material starts here:

http://www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf

This is a guide for the XS650, but the hardware is all the same, except for jet sizes.

When you're ready for parts, I highly recommend here:

http://www.mikesxs.net/

But don't be afraid to ask before you buy (either the vendor or us.)

Take lots of pictures, and don't get any cleaner near any rubber bits. Good luck!

 

[83 SECA 400]

Thank you Bentwrench, so im going to be ordering pods any sugguestions as far as brand and what is a good jet kit i can buy

 

[moshpete]

"pri" is prime and flows fuel without engine vacuum needed at the petcock,sounds like the float needle is either not sealing or the floats them selves are not working properly pull the bowls and you should be able to find something amiss.

 

[bentwrench]

There's lots of advice on pods - I haven't been riding with mine long enough to comment on them.

As for jet kits, mikesxs has jets - it's a matter of figuring out what will work for you. Next time I have my carbs open, I'll post what I'm running right now (with pods and a new exhaust.)

 

[83 SECA 400]

alright guys ive reached a dilema..I adjusted the floats per the manual that bentwrench posted it says "22mm" i looked online and its approx 7/8"? which is what i set them to..i put the carbs back on the bike started her up and gave it throttle and shes still pouring gas through the air box?? help mee

 

[DanMach]

Ok so the fuel system goes like so:

It sits in the fuel tank.

It leaves the fuel tank through the petcock.

The petcock has 3 modes:

1. On - This is vacuum activated and it flows fuel from the main intake tube in the gas tank.
2. Res - This is vacuum activated and it flows fuel from the second intake tube in the gas tank which is about an inch+ shorter than the main.
3. Prime - This is NOT vacuum activated. It is simply a gravity fed fuel dump. It goes through the main tube.

The petcock has a fuel line that exits it(Not to be confused with the vacuum line). It feeds into the carb inlet.

The carb has a tube that connects the two together.

In each carb there is a float bowl. This is a metal 'cup' at the bottom of the carbs.

The floats is where the gas goes from the tube that connects the two together.

The amount of fuel in the float bowl is dictated by the floats. Which are two plastic or brass floats(Shaped objects that are hollow). As fuel goes into the float bowl the floats rise. When they rise they push the float needle into the fuel intake tube(fed by that tube that feeds from the petcock, which is fed by the tank).

So.. what could be causing your intake system to pour fuel out of it?

99.99999999% of the time its the float needle leaking.

I would remove the float system and replace the needles on it.

 

[bentwrench]

Also, 22mm IS 7/8"

And while we're on the subject, how come Canada, with closer ties to Britain, threw over the Imperial system of measurement, while the US, who violently kicked Britain out, kept hold of their bizarre measurement system?

Discuss.