dripping fuel

85 XJ700
Well you wizards have been terrific so far. Now let's move on to the double challenge round. Ready? After 3 unsuccessful attempts at rebuilding the damn petcock, I have installed a manual shutoff, after the leaky vacuum petcock.. However, when I am riding the bike, if I open that valve very far, I get fuel dripping off the bottom of the carbs. Can't tell where it's coming from. Question, does this sound like a petcock issue, or poorly adjusted bowl floats or something else. ??? What I can tell you for certain is that it is REALLY ANNOYING. Any ideas???

 

first thought is poorly adjusted floats, but it could be several other things too.... Trying to find out where that fuel is coming from will help narrow down the issue.

 

Float stuck or mis-adjusted, carb gasket issue OR fuel rail o-rings/seals.

It's NOT the petcock causing the leak; it only "enables" it by supplying fuel. The carbs are what control the flow; (or fail to in your situation.)

 

Ok then. I guess I'll pull the carbs. I'm getting pretty good at that.
Thanks

 

When you wet-set the float levels, you put the fuel supply and float system "through its paces."

If your carbs haven't actually been serviced, there may be problems with the float valves or their seats; and/or you may have a leaky fuel rail seal or bowl gasket.

Get the rack off the bike, and set up as though you're going to wet-set the floats. As soon as you supply fuel, you'll find the problem.

 

Ok, the rack is off the bike. I do have a bowl gasket broken in two places and another broken in one place. I'll order new gaskets right now but that will take three days at best. On the off chance this is my only problem any suggestions to get me through the next few days? I will also order fuel rail seals. I will go ahead and do a wet set right now and see what happens. Having the bike down for several days is not a happy option. Stop gap suggestions welcome.
Thanks
Karl

 

I wouldn't take any chances with a stop-gap approach for leaking gas. Better to be off the bike a few days and walking around than have the bike catch fire or worse.

 

well, I know better than to argue with the XJ wizards. I'll see if I can get those parts overnighted. Thanks.

 

karljesse......

I hate to be the bearer of bad news.....but you will be down for more than a few days.......by your post above you indicated a fuel rail o-rings.......well, you need to break the rack to do that .......

 

Well, what ever it takes. I'm hoping it's the bowel gaskets. I know two of them are broken. Would that do it?
Thanks

 

The fuel shouldn't be getting high enough in the bowls to have to worry about that. If the fuel is coming out of the overflow tubes, then one or more of the float needles isn't shutting off the fuel going into the bowl.

I had a similar problem with my 700X. Drove me nuts -- so much so, I was ready to scrap the bike. What was the problem, you ask? The answer can be found in this thread.

Spoiler: my floats were hanging too low.