| Author | Message | ||
     Gearheadgrrrl |
Got a 2001 M2 Cyclone with about 60K miles, lives in Florida and only ridden in the winter. I fill up the tank and drain the float bowl before I store the bike in the spring, but seems like it's draining it's own float bowl anyway. If I don't ride the bike for a week or so, the float bowl is dry and I have to lean the bike to the right or open the bleed screw to reprime it. IIRC, I replaced the suspect fuel line to the carb a couple years back, so don't think the fuel is escaping there. Is there somewhere else I should be looking for the disappearing fuel? | ||
| Oldog |
the engine, especially if the fuel valve is left on then the carb drains into the top end, OR its evaporating check the condition of the floats fuel valve plunger and seat in the bowl... | ||
| Sportyeric |
Sorry Oldog but that doesn't follow. The only way out for the fuel in the bowl is through the drain hose or by evaporation. If the fuel valve is left on, the entire gas tank will drain into the engine if the float valve plunger leaks (except what's in the bowl.) However, there should be no need to "re-prime" the carb if the float is working correctly. Are you just guessing that the float bowl is dry? | ||
| Oldog |
The only way out for the fuel in the bowl is through the drain hose or by evaporation. I had an 8x vintage suzuki 4 cyl ( carbed ) the zuke had no off position on the fuel valve (vacuum ), I found the engine oil over full and the tank nearly dry, why, the gas ran thru the carbs, into the cylinders via the jets etc in the bottom... the carbs IIRC were kehin as is the std Buell carb is, they may have been arranged differently but gas can get into the engine via the jet passages} | ||
| Jayvee |
I would start with inspecting/replacing float bowl drain plug screw. If it's self-draining, maybe it leaks? Then maybe the float valve needle bits. Maybe change the float bowl gasket, make sure its tight. When I start my bike after working on the carb, the bowl is empty; but turning on the tap on the tank, then cranking the engine it starts up pretty fast. So, hard for me to imagine why it would be a problem if the float bowl did drain. | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
I would start by removing the spark plugs and taking a whiff out of the heads. Make sure the gas isn't dribbling in an removing your oil from the cylinder. That would reeeally suck. | ||
| Gearheadgrrrl |
I've scrupulously shut off the fuel taps when I park the bike, but it's possible the fuel left in the float bowl could be sneaking past the needle and seat. Takes a week or more of it sitting parked for the float bowl to run dry. | ||
| Dannybuell |
Gearheadgrrrl - My new Mikuni is like that, your needle seat idea sounds like what I have been told about ethanol. Apparently ethanol lays down some serious crud on a carburetor. | ||
| Lakes |
i have an overflow hose, with my CV44 , but have filled an old Kick start only HD Shovelhead motor over night leaving fuel on, & needle sticking, but never had overflow hose. was very hard to kick start next morning. i took air cleaner off, turned ignition off opened throttle full gave it about 6 good kicks then turned ignition on & kicked it it fired & gas was flowing out crank breather hose, so i shut it down, lucky i had delcron cases that had crank drain plug. had to change oil too. if u have a float bowl overflow hose put something under it to catch gas |
