Topic: HELP - Carbs overflowing, cleaned in Pinesol

[Kemp]

I've experienced a problem after cleaning several sets of carbs in Pinesol/water solution. I've used about 2 parts pinesol to one part water and soaked the dismantled carb sets for 3 days in cool temps outdoors. Upon rebuilding using all new internals I have carb overflow (constant drip) on carbs 3&4 on my 1976 CB550. I've swapped carb float valves for more new float valves with same results. I've reduced the the float valve height from recommended 21mm to 24mm in increments and they still overflow. I've tried another set of carbs (cleaned in pinesol) all new internals and they overflow on carbs 3&4, tried adjusting floats as before with same result. I'm using a remote fuel cell (plastic see through) and it is immaculately clean, fresh fuel in it as well. The carbs have 2 inlet hoses for carbs 1&2 and carbs 3&4. My fuel cell is feeding both inlets from a T junction. Now, what I've noticed everytime I've drained the carb sets into a pan is that I'm getting a residue in the pan of tiny shiny particles that could be aluminum or brass. It happens when I just test the carbs for overflow on the bench as well as previously when I had them fitted to bike and running. Seem sto me that the carbs are bleeding this stuff!! When I used the pinesol cleaner I also cleaned them afterwards in hot water soak with dish detergent then hot mater clear wash and blow out with air compressor. I'm at my wits end HELP

[domer]

sounds like the overflow tubes might be cracked... get em clean (very clean) plug one end with finger, blow through the other.... happened to all 4 of mine 

[phil71]

Where did you read about using pine sol this way?  Haven't seen that recommended in awhile, and definitely not on here.
Pine sol is known to strip off plating.. not sure what in your carbs are plated, maybe the slides, maybe some choke parts? but you've got something shedding it's plating.
You're going to have to really go over and over them to get it all out.
 At least the carbs have a nice smell to them now.


p.s. maybe it ate away at the solder that keeps the overflow tube sealed. That would DEFINITELY act the way you're describing. Good luck!

[flybox1]

To prevent having to rebuild my carbs each spring...I usually just stick a green tree air freshener in my airbox.  My exhaust smells pine fresh.

ok...serious now...what do you see in your tank?
slosh it and drain it into a white bucket.

[ROLYBOT500]

green tree freshener in the air box... good stuff

[Bankerdanny]

I'll second the cracked overflow tube comment. The same thing happened to me when I cleaned the carbs on my 550. The crack was very subtle and I had to look carefully to see that it was there.

[Kemp]

Took each float bowl and filled it with water, no leaks on all 4 float bowls. Tried floating the floats to see if they were leaking and no, all fine. Gas tank used is an auxiliary fuel cell which is small, see through and immaculately clean. I think the pinesol did affect the carbs and is creating this residue which may be affecting the float valve sealing...but why just carbs 3&4 on both sets of carbs I tried? Hoping someone else has had experience with this cleaner.

[mblessing]

My #3 carb float kept sticking on me when I would stop and especially after using the side stand on somewhat level ground for a while.  If I tapped it with the wood handle of a long screwdriver when it was upright it would stop but then would happen again.  I just got this bike running after the PO cleaned the carbs out so I ran the next 3 tanks with seafoam and it stopped happening part way through the second tank.  Now have 500 miles without it happening, but every now and then I smell gas and panic before I look down.

I also started running straight gas so I don't know if that matters either way.

[Kemp]

Thanks phil71 and Domer. I have checked for cracked overflow tubes and even swapped the float bowls with carbs 1&2 with the same results in that carbs 3&4 still overflow. phil71, lots of people on this board have used pinesol to clean carbs. Also on Dotheton board. The removal of plating was something I didn't know pinesol could do. Possibly the length of time the carbs sat in the pinesol solution might be causing the metal particle residue I'm seeing when draining the float bowls. if so, any ideas on how to "clean" this stuff out or is it now an ongoing problem? Anyone else had an issue as wierd as this with pinesol?

[flybox1]

lots of people on this board have used pinesol to clean carbs.

..you would be the first i have heard of using Pinesol.  sure you arent thinking of SimpleGreen?
its just a little different. 

if it is clean and you're still getting overflow even with a bowl swap, your float valves are not closing completely.
they're either still blocked by crud, and not seating properly, or your float heights are not right and are not applying the correct pressure on the float valve pin to fully close the valve.

check your float heights again internally, and with the clear tube method once installed.

[Bankerdanny]

You can also test the float valve manually. You can remove the float bowls with the carbs in place (I did this a couple weekends ago) and manually hold the floats up and see if any fuel makes it past the valve.

This was what lead me to check the overflow tube because I was able to confirm that the float valve on the leaking carb was working properly.

[flybox1]

You can also test the float valve manually. You can remove the float bowls with the carbs in place (I did this a couple weekends ago) and manually hold the floats up and see if any fuel makes it past the valve.

True!  but it wont tell you if the float is applying enough pressure against the float pin to close it when the fuel in the bowl rises.  unless your finger can press the pin only as hard as the float in fuel buoyancy does    this is why the clear tube test is valid here.
the goal is a fuel level 3-4 mm's below the float bowl gasket seam.

[Bankerdanny]

I'm not discounting the clear tube test (FYI battery vent tube is exactly the right size to fit snuggly on the overflow output, of course use spare tube, not your actual vent tubing), but at the same time if it take more than a featherlight touch to close the float valve then I would say that is where the issue is.

[TwoTired]

The float valves and seats become a mated assembly especially with use.  Swapping them about un-mates them and they have to worry together to re-seat.

Test the standpipes in gas, not water.  The liquids have different wetting action properties.

Were the float seat gaskets renewed?

On the assumption te float valves are no seating correctly in the seats, you can use rubbing compound between seat and valve to improve the seal.  The action required is similar to lapping valves.

Cheers,

[Kemp]

Two Tired - the float valves and seats and o ring seals were new pairs only, no mix and match. I tried 8 new needle/seat combos but still had the overflow problem. I had cleaned 3 sets of 550 carbs in the pinesol bath and all were rebuilt with new parts and all leaked. Every carb set would leave a residue of fine metal particles in the drain pan, almost like gold dust! Tomorrow I'm installing a set of carbs just cleaned in an ultrasonic cleaner to see if I can get the bike running. If successful and no carb issues, I'll drain them into a pan just to see if there are any particles.

[Kemp]

Solved I think - Ultrasonically cleaned carbs are fine, no leaking from overflow. Cleaned and ran gas twice more through a set of the pinesol "cleaned" carbs and voila, no more leaking from overflow. Whatever debris was in the carbs seem much reduced in the drain pan now after the additional flushing. I'll try this repeated process on my other pinesol cleaned carbs and expect (hope for)a similar result. Don't know why the carbs need so much flushing but must relate to the way pinesol reacts with the metal and varnish and could be exacerbated by the very long initial soak time.

[ekpent]

Another problem that may cause symptoms related to carb overflow is if the bike has been sitting and having a petcock that leaks or won't shut down completely. Gas has to go somewhere 

[xsmooth69x]

why pinesol?

[Danno]

the problem i believe stems from 2 things cleaning the carbs in pine sol works well but if you did not replace all the rubber hoses you now have pieces of rubber coming off the fuel hoses jamming your seats or if the hoses were not exposed to pine sol they could still be full of rust till it is completely flushed out you will keep having that problem

[Danno]

use lemmon juice to clean the carbs next time

[ekpent]

Gunk makes this stuff in a gallon can called 'carb cleaner'--really works 

[Lostboy Steve]

lol... I have never even thought to try to think to use Pinesol in that way. Why not Fabuloso or Lysol? I still stand by my lacquer thinner and boiling vinegar (in that order).

[Really?]

If you have a dirty tank, bad tank filter and/or old fuel line, you will get something that will get into the needle and seat that will allow fuel to overfill the bowl and out the over flow tubes.

You can the carbs as much as you want. If the rest of it is not clean, you will keep cleaning the carbs and watching the fuel come out of the overflow tubes.

I had cleaned the carbs, lined the tank and put in a new tank filter only to still find crap sitting on top of the seat. I even saw some very tiny black dots that looked like it was part of the fuel line there.

It all has to be clean. And, be sure the float level is set right. That means both sides of each float.