Author Topic: Clog between carbs?  (Read 1148 times)

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Offline Darrell

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Clog between carbs?
« on: April 10, 2006, 06:42:24 PM »
I drained my carbs for the winter and after putting them back on a week or two ago, carbs 1 & 2 overfill and start pouring out the overflow line/float bowl gasket. Carbs 3 & 4 are pretty much empty in comparison, so I'm thinking the fuel line must have gotten clogged between carbs 2 & 3. Is there something common to check? I'm going to try blowing my air compressor through as much as I can, but I get the feeling that won't do it.

They were working fine last season, so this is pretty odd. The floats are all set to 14mm exactly and I took them off to make sure they do in fact float and they don't have a leak.

Any help/ideas would be great, thanks!

Darrell

Offline TwoTired

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Re: Clog between carbs?
« Reply #1 on: April 10, 2006, 06:56:43 PM »
Draining the carbs is a good thing.  But, if the carbs were at all gummy, the deposits may have dried and in effect glued float pivots or valve needles into their dried positions.

Letting them sit in new fuel for a day might soften them up to work again.  Also tapping the carbs may jar bits out of the stuck positions.

On some setups low fuel tank levels may cause only two carbs to get fuel.  Using reserve postion may help.

You can also try to fill the carbs with carb cleaner from the petcock hose to loosen up the more stuborn bits stuck in the carbs.

Cheers,
Lloyd... (SOHC4 #11 Original Mail List)
72 500, 74 550, 75 550K, 75 550F, 76 550F, 77 550F X2, 78 550K, 77 750F X2, 78 750F, 79CX500, 85 700SC, GL1100

Those that learn from history are doomed to repeat it by those that don't learn from history.

Offline Japbikemike

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Re: Clog between carbs?
« Reply #2 on: April 10, 2006, 07:27:47 PM »
Make sure and hose out the fuel intake with carb cleaner and if you have the carbs off remove the floats and needles and hose away.  I cured my carb leaking issue this way and added an inline filter to make sure nothing evil makes it from the tank to the carb again (for a while).
"Whats my favorite bike?  The one I'm on Pal, the one I'm on."---Tom Dobson

Offline Darrell

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Re: Clog between carbs?
« Reply #3 on: April 11, 2006, 07:10:27 AM »
Yea, I'm a complete idiot. I totally hooked the fuel line upto that air venting intake that's right next to the actual fuel line intake by mistake, whoops. Funny how it can't cut off the fuel flow when it's just a straight shot into the carb.

No leaks and it fired right up. This nice weather is making me rush too fast and miss things!

Thanks.

Darrell

Offline dusterdude

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Re: Clog between carbs?
« Reply #4 on: April 11, 2006, 08:16:45 AM »
darrell,dont be too hard on yourself man,there`s a bunch of us idiots here,just ask eldar.he`ll tell you.
mark
1972 k1 750
1949 fl panhead
1 1/2 gl1100 goldwings
1998 cbr600 f3

Offline crazypj

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Re: Clog between carbs?
« Reply #5 on: April 11, 2006, 08:47:40 AM »
Yea, I'm a complete idiot. I totally hooked the fuel line upto that air venting intake that's right next to the actual fuel line intake by mistake, whoops. Funny how it can't cut off the fuel flow when it's just a straight shot into the carb.

No leaks and it fired right up. This nice weather is making me rush too fast and miss things!

Thanks.

Darrell

I once watched my boss do the same thing, for 3 hrs (carbs off, checked, refitted, carbs off, etc, etc. ) He wouldnt even listen to what he was doing wrong ( 'I dont need your help' etc.)
Just shouted to him as I left for the night. 'stop connecting the breather'
 Didnt get fired ;D
PJ
PJ
I fake being smart pretty good
'you can take my word for it or argue until you find out I'm right'