Gas Everywhere...Carbs and something else?

First, a prelude...I have been having problems getting the bike started this season but haven't had a chance to work on the problem. It will start will starter fluid and run fine. After it warms up the bike turns over just like she always has, but once cool it won't start again. I did take it out on the road after the engine was warm once for about 15 miles and there were no problems. I didn't feel comfortable commuting since it wouldn't start on its own, so it has been sitting in the garage. I must admit that due to a variety of...issues...I didn't winterize it very well this year. I threw some stabil in late, but the battery was dead so I didn't have a chance to run the stabil through the system.

This afternoon, I got the bright idea to warm up the engine a little in hopes of getting the stabil through the system just to see how it would start afterward. I let the engine idle in the driveway for 30-40 minutes while I puttered around in the garage. After that, I turned it off and it fired right back up. I put it back in the garage wondering if it would start in the morning, but when I walked away I heard a crackling sound. There was gas FLOWING out of the air box onto the hot engine. The puddle was growing quickly and appeared to be steaming. I got the bike out of the garage and looked in the air box and there was about 3/4 - 1 inch of gas in the air box. After the drama and clean up were over, I checked on this forum and it looks like a sticky float. There was no gas on the ground where I had let it idle for a while so why would it start leaking only after it was turned off? I checked the oil and it doesn't smell like gas, but I will be changing it before I fire the bike up again just to be sure. Once all of the fuel in the air box was gone the leak stopped so I don't suspect the petcock. From what I have seen on this forum, I have a carb clean in my future, which should help the start up issue. Although, I don't have any idea why a dirty carb would make it not start, even on warm days, but run and start fine once the engine warms up. Is there anything else I should look at while I am working on the carbs?

 

Starter jet is the first thing to plug up when stored improperly. It supplies the fuel for the "choke". This is why it won't start cold without starter fluid.

You have fuel in the air box because one or more of the float valves is not closing.

The automatic petcock should turn off if the engine is not running. It's a safety to keep it from dumping fuel if a float valve stays open. Sounds like it might also be malfunctioning.

 

Any idea why it didn't fail until after I shut down the engine?

 

Because it was running and the engine was using fuel; you have one or more stuck floats AND a petcock issue, plus the carbs probably need cleaning beyond the float valves.

It also sounds like you might need a valve adjustment. (Erratic cold start issue.)

 

It sounds like it will be a while before I can ride because time to work on the bike is hard to come by. Is the automatic petcock a repairable item or does it just get replaced?

 

Chacal at XJ4ever has kits to rebuild the petcock. Just ensure that it wasn't put into the "prime" position by mistake. I know things fail, but it appears there was really no indication that there was a problem prior to this. In the "prime" position gas will flow even without vacuum applied.

Regarding the starting issues, make sure that the battery is fully charged and the charging system is functioning. I had a battery that was in the process of dying and it gave me the symptoms that you are describing. Replaced it, now set the choke, touch the button and it runs great.

 

It was in the prime position when I started it and for a few minutes < 5) afterward, but not during the whole time it was running so I don't think that was it.

As I said in my original post, my winter maintenance this year was almost non-existent so the battery had drained completely. After a recharge it was dropping when I tried to start the bike, so I replaced it.

 

bigfitz52 also wrote up a great How-To on rebuilding the fuel valve, with lots of great pics!

Also, there's supposed to be a hose connected to the air box drain so that your situation leads to gas on the ground, not on the engine. Good thing it didn't catch fire!

Lastly, getting "stabil through the system" after it has been sitting won't really do you any good. Stabil slows the break-down and "varnishing" of the gas, but once this process starts and clogs the passages, fresh stabil'ed gas won't get into those passages and clean anything out - thus requiring a good carb clean.

 

I finally have some time to work on the bike

When this issue came up I thought I saw a thread on cleaning the carbs but I can't find it now. Does anyone know where that is or am I just going crazy (or both)?