Engine flooded out...

Tl:dr a float got stuck with about 1/4-1/2 gallon of gas left in the tank with it on reserve, one cylinder had quite a bit of gas in it. I drained oil and it didn’t smell like a gas tank but definitely has some oil in it. I cranked it while that oil was in engine to clear the cylinder, I drained the oil today (this process happened over 3 days) what are my next steps (besides pulling the carbs) and what are the chances the bearings got washed out and what do I do now. Note: bike did not run with the gas in oil, just was turned over to clear cylinders
Double note: gas tank was not completely empty so the float may have ended up sealing itself rather than draining the tank, unsure but was still gas left in tank



Hey there all so I just got my hands on an 82 650 Seca this past weekend, I got it from someone who “goes through bikes” as a trade for one that was not running at all. I haven’t driven it besides alittle bit on the day that I got it then immediately started going through it as I don’t trust anyone and low and behold there was some backyard shit going on through out but that’s a different story.

So onto what happened. So the other day (Tuesday) I had started up the bike alittle bit just to see how it started and when I was satisfied with it just idling around I shut it off (note it was on the center stand). I had the petcock on reserve if it matters.

Anyways get up the next morning (wednesday morning) and the garage REAKED of gas *angry*.

So I don’t have anytime to deal with it before work so I swap the petcock back to on position and put the bike back on the side stand just Incase it had anything to do with the angle of the stand. I knew one of the floats had stuck open and caused it (so now I’m gonna have to pull the carbs).

Anyways, I wasn’t sure how much gas went through (the gas tank was nearly empty, like I’m talking almost no gas whatsoever left in it, maybe 1/4 gallon maybe 1/2. So I had tried to start it just out of curiosity and the starter struggled so I knew I had a flooded cylinder (and I got one hell of a backfire) it did not start though.

So I pull the plugs and sure enough one cylinder I can see gas floating in there, I crank it thinking it’s a small amount and it actually shot gas about two feet out of the bike so I grab a rag and continue the process till satisfied then left out the plugs to dry the cylinders overnight.

I had the forethought to open the oil cap and check if it smelled like gas (it did slightly) but didn’t have the fore thought to actually drain it at that moment.

So this morning I’m reading up on disassembling the carbs and all this and the floats sticking and someone said about the bearings washing out and I have an oh shit moment. So I drain the oil and remove the oil filter this morning and I’m gonna leave it open all day but now I’m concerned with what my next steps are.

If the bearings got washed out and there’s nothing I can do without disassembling the engine then the bike is dead to me as I’m not going to be doing that.

How bad was it that I cranked it (but never ran it) with the gas in the oil and chances that this was very bad?

What are the chances the bearings were washed out?

The oil smelled like gas but not as if it was a gas tank, surely some got in the oil but not a tremendous amount (thank the heavens the gas tank was nearly dry as I almost took it to the gas station and filled it)

Original plan was to get super cheap oil, put it in there, prime it all (so turn it over with no plugs) and put a teaspoon of oil in each cylinder to rebuild that coating and then maybe run the bike for alittle bit with that oil, drain it then put in better oil (or same) and either be on my way or run it for a bit (10 miles?) and change it again.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Flaming death?

Any help would be great as this is the first time I’ve ever had to deal with this situation... thanks.

 

If it wasan't hydrolocked or run, with 'gas/oil' mix, as far as I know, it should be fine.
Rebuild petcock......flush cylinders out, cheap oil, run- flush, then fill with good oil.....should be fine...

 

It wasn’t hyrdrolocked because the starter “was able” to turn it over. It did really struggle though so I would say it was nearly hydrolocked just not 100% and I got one backfire out of it and said yep it’s got gas in the cylinder. It did not run though

With the petcock on reserve does it bypass the vacuum bit? Or is that only in prime

Now that I’m thinking I could’ve been stupid and left it in primed position *facepalm* I thought it was off and realized later it said prime

My other bike has a vacuum petcock and still has an off position and I think I may have thought the same thing, Jesus I may have done this to myself uhhhggg

 

Unless the petcock isn't sealing properly, only Prime should flow, with engine off...
so, Run/Res are to all intents the only OFF on the XJ petcock.....Off until engine is running....

 

Unless you want to strip it down, plugs out, run all the gas/oil out of the plug holes, wee bit of oil down them, flush gas/oil, cheap oil,>run, drain, good oil.....then pray.....

(Might be some gas/oil in the airbox??...)

 

Even with this if the floats are operating properly should they have stopped the flow of gas anyways? Indicating I’ve gotta pull the carbs out and verify they were rebuilt properly? (I’m thinking the clip could be backwards or something or he didn’t actually rebuild them)

I haven’t opened the air box but I will

I’ve already pulled the plugs out and done that and putting oil in the cylinders is on the list

How long should I run it for with the cheap oil in it? Just idle it for a bit and change it or actually run it??

Luckily there was almost no gas left in the tank...

Current plan is to pull the tank and see what the diaphragm looks like in the petcock and pull the carbs off to see what those look like and verify if he actually rebuilt them or just backyard cleaned them and to verify the float clips are right as I’ve seen it will stick if it’s the wrong direction.

I just can’t/won’t tear into the engine

 

As a note as well, two cylinders were dry, one was FULL of gas and one had a tiny bit in it, obviously the one that was flooded is what I’m looking into by pulling the carbs

Will turning over the engine for awhile with fresh oil in it not get oil back into the bearings? I’m sorry I’m just a noob in this sense as I’ve never had to deal with it before

 

the fuel in the cylinders is what made your bike hard to turn over no place for the piston to go.

 

The shell bearings, like most of the bearing surfaces in the Bike, run on a thin film of oil, if it wasan't really run, they should be ok.......hopefully, once you have fresh oil in there