Hey All, stumbled on this site today. Hoping someone can help. I have a basketcase that I almost have up and running. I can get it to run for about 3-5 minutes (sputtering & stumbling all the while), then it stalls and gas shoot out of the air cleaner discharge tube. Right away, I'm thinking carb prob. More specifically a stuck float valve.

I'm very new to wrenching, bought the factory manual, and it pretty much guided me through everything else I've done. It has a great exploded view of the carb, but I'm hesistant to go digging into it for fear of making it worse. Anyone care to offer up some guidance? It'll be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mitch

Hey wb. Welcome.

First, go get yourself a set of carbsticks and colortune. Sounds like your bike needs a carbjob and a tune-up. Have you ever pulled carbs before?

You need to-
a) Take off your carbs and clean them with carb cleaner (just take the tops and bottoms off)
b) set your floats (why fuel is leaking out)
c) put it back onto your bike
d) balance your carbs (check your manual)
e) set your mixture with a colortune II set.

To buy all these pieces is far cheaper than taking it in for a tuneup. Besides, once you've done it, it's easier for you to do it a second time, and guess what, that time it'll be free labour (your own).
:)

thanks mr.fork!!

I have pulled the carb on my HD1200, and that was easy, only one carb to deal with :-)

Where is the best place to pick up carbsticks and colortune? I am in the Baltimore, MD area and the big dealer here seems to be Pete's Cycles. Any suggestions for online sites?

Thanks again for the help. I'll start disassembly this weekend. I have the carb cleaner so I can at least get it started.

Mitch

I'm also curious. I just bought my 1992 Seca II in July and I need to clean and adjust my carbs.

i have just gotten started with my bike too (81xj 650) and my choke was stuck so i took that assembly and got it offand sanded down and working and when i put it back on i realized that my floats are stuck too. same thing you were saying, leaking gas and dies when you give it gas. i will be doing the same thing to mine this weekend.