Wet Air Filter Pod

Hey guys, I was trying to start my XJ550 today and I was feeling around for the idle adjuster and noticed one of my pod filters was wet with gas. The other 3 filters are dry and fine, but one was soaked. What could be the cause of this? Thanks guys.

 

Leaking float valve is most likely. Are you running a vacuum fuel tap?

 

An unseen Harley~Davidson Owner standing close enough to the bike when ...

 

Yea Hillsy, I'm running the stock vacuum fuel tap.

 

....he remembered you were wearing this

 

If it's leaking that bad pull your oil filler cap off and take a sniff, you could have gas running down into you cases, very bad!

 

Well I took the carbs off and popped all the bowls and checked float height. They were all in spec so I put them back on and threw them back on the bike, the leak stopped. Something must of been stuck. And thanks for the suggestion Maxim-X, I'll check that today.

 

Next time try tapping lightly with a rubber mallet or block of wood.
It's alot quicker.

 

I did, I tapped it a bunch. I'd let it sit for 15 minutes, try it again, still leak.

 

Might be time to run an in-line fuel filter (sounds like you might have had some grit under your float valve). Any rust in your tank??

Also, you can check your crankcase for fuel, but it's unlikely you will have any in there because it normally spills out of the carbs, runs back through the airbox, and then into the crankcase breather. But you don't have an airbox anymore :wink:

 

I've got an in-line filter on Hillsy. I opened my oil filler cap and gave it a few good sniffs, didn't really smell any gas, and like you said, I doubt any got in there. Nonetheless, I need to change the oil and filter this coming week anyway.

 

Probably a little piece of scale.If it did it while sitting inactive then the petcock might be letting fuel by. Might want to check that out.

 

particle could have been under the needle valve too, even though you have a fuel filter, maybe something came loose that was crusted to the inner walls of the bowl. maybe you could let some oil pour out into a container and if you don't see or smell gas, pour it back in, or do the oil change Soon. If the oil comes out like water there is gas in it

 

Thanks for the tips guys, I'm going to dump the oil soon, I'll let you know if it's watery or not.

 

No Rick if a Harley owner had been standing close there would have been RICE under the bike.