Carb leaking, stuck float maybe?

[BigChris99]

I started up my Valk last Sunday evening, planning on riding to work on Monday. As it was running I smelled gas. Gas was leaking out of the middle carb on the right side. I tried tapping it with the handle of a screwdriver to see if it was a stuck float, but I had a hard time even reaching the float bowl of that carb. I want to start it tomorrow and take a look at it again, any tips on how I can get to that carb to tap on it? It's kinda buried in there. If I can get that float unstuck, I'll go on a little ride around here to see if that was the only problem I have. I just need to get it to quit leaking gas first. So I don't burn it to the ground. Or our house. Or the neighbors house. They'd probably be mad at me. I don't think they like "bikers"

[greggh]

had the same prob on the middle left carbon bank.   after usless tapping with the end of a screw driver, I got angry and took a rubber mallet and started hitting on the left engine guard.  after 4 - 5 violent raps it stopes leaking.
not something I would suggest,  but that's what worked for this ill tempered moron..

[Michvalk]

You could open the drain screw on that carb. Let the fuel run through a little. Might flush through the crud keeping it open. Watch out for hydrolock. Sitting with a stuck float is what causes the problem. I would add the carb/fuel treatment of your choice to the tank in a heavy dose, and run the bike. Good luck, and work on the fuel system outside!

[Fudd]

Make sure it's not a fuel rail O-ring leaking.  That's a common leaking point.  Wipe a little strip of newspaper under the fuel rail to see if it gets wet.

[BigChris99]

Thanks for all the help. I like the rubber mallet idea I will take it outside to work on it. One more question, how will I know if it's hydrolocked? I've never had that happen, what does it do, or not do?

[old2soon]

Thanks for all the help. I like the rubber mallet idea I will take it outside to work on it. One more question, how will I know if it's hydrolocked? I've never had that happen, what does it do, or not do?

  If you hit the starter button and nuttin and i mean nuttin happens-DO NOT HIT STARTER BUTTON AGAIN. Pull ALL the plugs and now hit starter button. That spray of gasoline was keeping it from turning over. If it locks and you continue to hit the starter it has enough torque to do serious major expensive damage. Look up hydro lock on this here board. RIDE SAFE.

[BigChris99]

Thank you for the explanation Old2Soon, really thank you. I'll be careful. Right now I'm trying to track down an electrical problem on my GoldWing, so I have BOTH of my flat sixes down at the same time,ugh! AND I'm on vacation this week, AND the weather is beautiful here in Southern California. The only thing going good right now is that my KLR 650 is running fine!

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

We had a stuck float on my son's valk a while back. Gas was pouring out the overflow which is towards the rear of the carbs in the center. You can look in there and see where the hoses come together.

Before you hit the starter button drain the float bowls and pull the plugs from any cylinder you think might be affected. You will know for sure which float is stuck if that is the problem because it will shoot a huge amount of gas maybe 15' from the flooded cylinder. I try to make sure the plug wires will not be sparking in front of the gas spray.

His float was pretty stubbornly stuck. I put in a full can of seafoam, shook the bike around the best I could and then applied vacuum with a mighty-vac to the petcock to let the float bowls fill. The stuck float was still stuck and started overflowing again. I drained the bowl and refilled it several times to make sure the seafoam was in there. Then I let it sit overnight and again applied vacuum. The float was still stuck. With the petcock off I drained the float bowl again and blew compressed air into the that carb's drain line. After hitting it with compressed air twice the float unstuck and has never stuck again.

I tried tapping on the float bowl first but that float must have had half a dead horse stuck in it because tapping and banging wouldn't break it loose.

[shooter64]

Probably wise to change your oil after the stuck float problem is fixed. In case some fuel leaked into the oil. That is what I did. Or, only necessary if you see fuel (yellow) in the oil?

[FryeVRCCDS0067]

Probably wise to change your oil after the stuck float problem is fixed. In case some fuel leaked into the oil. That is what I did. Or, only necessary if you see fuel (yellow) in the oil?

Yep. We did so also.

[signart]

+1 on what Fudd said. Sounds like fuel rail leak. Won't leak usually without running. See redeye for remedy if this is the case.