Stuck float ??

[RetreadFireguy]

Hi I am another new guy from Canada, so winter is mostly over and it's time to start the bike. a 1998 Valkyrie Standard with 18.000 miles since new. I have been paying attention to the words of wisdom from the more experienced owners and since I did not drive the bike last year I have removed the tank, flushed, refilled, replaced the battery, as it was shot and drained the carb bowls.  I have attempted to start, cranks fine but after a few cranks fuel flows out of the air box/cleaner onto the engine and fuel drips out of the right had exhaust.  Pulled the plugs and everything is wet/flooded. Thrilling to say the least.  Have stopped at this point to gather further information before going further.   Just as soon not burn down the garage.

[Hook#3287]

Ouch!  That doesn't sound like fun.

First I would do is turn off the petcock, drain the bowls, see if the flow stops.

Is the leak from the fuel rail?

Are you sure you hooked the fuel lines up correctly and all are pushed in completely?

Can't see how it can be leaking from the air box

[signart]

Don't turn the engine over with the spark plug installed until you resolve this. Stuck float maybe.

[salty1]

Don't turn the engine over with the spark plug installed until you resolve this. Stuck float maybe.

I agree with the stuck float and probably fuel rails are leaking because the Orings have dried out from storage. 

[RetreadFireguy]

Thanks for the follow up, fuels off, fuel is flows from the overflow tube that dumps on the rear of the engine. I have not had the carbs off. It has always started with no problems , before this. (  famous last words). Question, if I drain the bowels again the fuel should stop flowing when the bowl is empty ? correct? if so the float that is stuck should keep flowing ? or am I barking up the wrong tree?

[zzed28]

It seems that, you have two problems, you have the fuel turned on, or its off, and the petcock is bad , AND, you have a float stuck down.  I would not run that starter with the plugs in the cyls till you are sure youve got the prob solved.  Like someone else said, it could be leaking from somewhere else too.  Tapping on the carbs might fix a stuck float temporarily, but you will still have the petcock to fix .

The answer to your question is that, yes, if your petcocks are NOT leaking thru, fuel should stop flowing out the bowl emptying screws that you have pulled once the bowl is empty.

[Ricky-D]

If fuel appears to be leaking from the air box, it has to be leaking from the petcock and line,

since the petcock/line  and fuel tank are the only fuel supply systems above the air box.

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