Fuel odor, fuel leak, looking for remedy

This issue happened at least once before. Since I'm new to this stuff, I really didn't know what to make of it, but I noticed it in a bigger way yesterday after my '81 SECA 750 had been sitting for a few days. Last week I did an oil change, and after reading some posts on this forum, I decided to add some seafoam to my gas. Bike ran fine, parked it in my garage and haven't ridden in a week. Yesterday I walked into the garage and smelled fuel in the air. Hmmmm I thought, somethings amiss! I stood it upright off the kickstand and a "bunch" of gas spilled onto the ground. Probably less than an ounce or so, but it looks like alot. So the first thing I did, as any good noob would do, was I panicked and thought the seafoam had done it's job too well and caused the leak somehow. But...like I said, it's happened before and went away on it's own, so after thinking about it, I realized from other posts here that it could be a stuck float. Perhaps a leaky petcock, but since it's intermittent, it seemed more like a float. Does this sound right? The gas is coming off the top of the crankcase as I stand the bike up, so it appears to be dripping from a carb onto the little valleys on the crankcase and spilling off as I lift it straight up. Makes sense to me....doesn't it? There also appears to be some light yellowish/brownish discoloration lines around the carb seal points, where gaskets and such would be holding the carbs together. BU, I never see it leaking. It happens when I'm not looking! OK, so how do I remedy this problem? Short of a carb rebuild which I'm totally not ready for yet, I think I can handle a basic carb cleaning spray job or something like that. Please advise fellow XJrs.

 

It could very well be a float. Check to see if your new oil smells like gas. What is your fuel petcock normally set at? Pull the fuel line off the petcock and see if it leaks in the ON position. It should flow in the PRI position. DON'T leave it in the PRI position!! If you have a stuck float, the PRI setting will let gas flood into the crankcase. The fuel spill could be from where you suggest or there could have been fuel in the airbox that found its way out when you stood it upright.

Either way, given your description of the carbs, its rebuild time. It isn't nearly as hard as it sounds.

 

Normally, yes, I'd say that you've got the classic stuck float syndrome. But, if you're getting fuel on the top of the engine case, I'm thinking that it may be a leaking fuel bowl gasket. With the bike parked on the side stand, all the fuel flows to the left hand side of the carbs and, if you have a leaky gasket, you'll get a yellow-brownish stain showing on the left-hand side of the float bowl and on the left-hand side of the engine and alternator cover. The float may be doing it's job, but since you're losing fuel, it'll let more and more in until the line from the petcock to the carbs is empty. I would imagine that would amount to a couple ounces of fuel.

Either scenario being true, conn110 is right: it's rebuild time.

 

You're due!
Face it; your bike's getting old. There are a few things that don't age well on the XJ-Series Bikes.

Fuse Panels self destruct.
Brake Caliper sliders and pins rust.
Carb Float Pins wear down and need to be replaced.
Brushes.
Seals and bearings ... they only last for so long and then: "It's time!"

For everything that wears-out there's parts to replace them.
Especially Carb Kits.

The Carb Kits come with new Gaskets for those Float Bowls.
Cowboy Up!
Looks like a certain guy has got some Carbs to clean and rebuild.