Topic: Dribbling gas from overflow

[eigenvector]

I know why it's doing it - the plungers and inlet valves are gummed up.

Question is - I don't see why I should have to take the carb rack off just to free up the plungers.  Would it be reasonable to just give the bank an IV drip of SeaFoam or Marvel Mystery Oil to get the rubber rejuvenated and break down some of the varnish.

I will tear off the rack this spring when I have more time on my hands, but for now I just wanted to get the bike running so that I can enjoy some of this Seattle weather (sunny and 45F).

It's otherwise running fine, just that inlet valve is sticking (either closed or open depending on the whims of fate)

[flybox1]

Dont.....just open the overflow screws and let the fuel drain out into a catch pan/jar.  1 pint or so is all u need.
While its flowing, give it a few good taps from a rubber mallet on the mount plate, and help the debris and varnish rinse out.
Fresh gas in the tank...a splash of seafoam if you have it, and a good ride out to North Bend and back will set it right 

[BomberMann650]

I'm gonna make a shameless plug for a fuel system cleaner here.

Amsoil QuickShot

I know I know.  I was skeptic too.  But my guy at the speed shop has been selling this bottle of orange stuff to anyone who can't afford his carb cleaning service.  Like the cbr900 that wheeled in.  Bike ran like a dog, fouled up and unhappy machine.  Young owner audibly gulped at $400 for the cleaning job.  Took the $12 bottle instead.  Gave it a double dose and within minutes he was able to ride again.

Worked just the same for the gal with the ninja250 which wouldn't rev without choke.  Just a few minutes with the amsoil, and I was happy about not needing to remove the carbs for cleaning!

Will it unfark a float valve in this situation?  Maybe.  Depending on whats causing your problem.  But I havent had float problems since using this product on my bike.  Other cleaners have given me sticky floats in the past.  Not amsoil.

[eigenvector]

Well not to knock your shameless plug - but I figure if I have to resort to fuel additives, then the carb needs to be pulled and cleaned no matter what.

It won't cost me anything to simply open up the drain screw and let fuel flow through it.

Back to your shameless plug...  I've often wondered if the ethanol in the fuel has affected the lubricative properties that fuel has - ethanol's a pretty good degreaser, and as a result the inlet valves tend to stick more because they don't have anything lubricating them in the tight confines of the inlet port.  Possibly why additives like Marvel help.

[BomberMann650]

Yeah, you're right.  No substitute for serviced and maintenanced carbs. 

[Medyo Bastos]

Dont.....just open the overflow screws and let the fuel drain out into a catch pan/jar.  1 pint or so is all u need.
While its flowing, give it a few good taps from a rubber mallet on the mount plate, and help the debris and varnish rinse out.
Fresh gas in the tank...a splash of seafoam if you have it, and a good ride out to North Bend and back will set it right 

exactly what i was thinking

[eigenvector]

Well in my defense, I actually did try that before asking - not quite that much but I did drain the bowls and let the carbs dribble before giving up.

It did stop after a while, then started back up, then it stopped, then 2 of them dribbled, then all 4, random so far as I could tell.  Very obviously a sticky valve.

I'll just keep at it I suppose - might just take a bit more than I was tolerating.

[Deltarider]

I know why it's doing it - the plungers and inlet valves are gummed up.

Has your bike been inactive for some time? What bike btw? Begin with what Flybox advised. I have good experience with a socalled fuel system cleaner. After adding some, it felt like fuel had become more lubricious. Worked a miracle and there's nothing to be afraid of. After all it's nothing but hydrocarbons in that bottle and maybe a bit of alcool added. There is a site somewhere where somebody after some testing managed to make his own. Maybe someone here remembers. Was it this? http://hildstrom.com/projects/seafoam/

[garyS-NJ]

Carbs should come off an sohc4 pretty easy then you can polish up the inlets (assuming rubber tipped needles).  And check/polish the float pins.  You could take a ride and use strong seafoam but what if it gets worse (unlikely I know).  You can try flushing down with fuel. But you already did it..  Anything that eats varnish also eats rubber.

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[vames]

As long as it runs well and doesn't dribble while it's running, why not just turn off your petcock when you park and turn it on during startup? 

[Chachi]

I have 657B carbs on a K3... #4 has started to weep around the top of the bowl (gasket area). Not enough to drip, but enough that I can tell it's doing it. My plan is to pull carbs this winter - using it an excuse to learn more about them. Is there something more simple I should do? Or pull them? They were rebuilt about 3 years ago. It was a salvage set of carbs as my K3 had junk on it when I got it. The salvage set was cleaned and set up with new float valve sets and idles (it's running 110 and 40). I'm pretty sure I would have put in new bowl gaskets too, but my maintenance notes don't list them. I have the Hondaman book as a guide and a local Honda tech that can show me some stuff too. I didn't know enough a few years ago and I had someone else rebuild them and set them up.