Help With Fuel Leak...

I am soooo close to being able to ride my VFR (or so I thought).

I fired her up today after sitting for a month or more while I've been replacing parts. Started great and sounds awesome. However, I noticed a pretty bad fuel leak coming from somewhere around the carb bowl on the left hand side. I pulled the tank and checked all the fuel hoses from the tank to the carbs and they look fine.

I am not running the stock fuel pump. The previous owner installed a low pressure pump (2 - 4 psi.) from the auto parts store. I'm thinking it may be too much for the carbs and is causing them to leak past the float bowl gasket or float valve. I'm also wondering if maybe I just have a stuck float from sitting and the fuel is from the overflow. Where is the overflow on these carbs?

Anyhow, any input is appreciated. Thanks

Not sure. I would assume that the overflow is your jets. Sounds like you're on the right track. Can you add an adjustable, or other regulator in a inconspicous but accessable location? Wasn't aware that they took a fuel pump. What's the stock pressure supposed to be? What are you at, with that pump? Stuck floats can be fun. (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/dry.gif)

This might sound barbaric but it has worked for me in the past. If the float is stuck bang semi-gently on the float bowl underneath with something like the handle of a hammer, long socket wrench or something else you have laying around that won't break anything. It's worth a try before wrestling those carbs out of there or trying to get your hands in there to remove float bowls (if that's even possible?).

Another possibility. Have you had the float bowls off? Those O-rings are sometimes a PITA to get in right and it may be pinched and leaking.

Or I may be on crack. Hope it helps.

Yup, I was going to try the tap/rap on the float bowl method, just haven't got the time yet. I've been looking at the carbs and in the manual for a overflow tube, but I don't think there is one. I know on my Kawi that each bowl has an overflow with tubes hooked to them to dump to the ground. You may be right about them overflowing through the main. That would basically flood the engine. I still can't figure out where it's purging from. I will probably need to reinstall the tank or borrow an aux tank and recheck.

savedrider, Jan 4 2007, 03:14 AMI've been looking at the carbs and in the manual for a overflow tube, but I don't think there is one. I know on my Kawi that each bowl has an overflow with tubes hooked to them to dump to the ground. You may be right about them overflowing through the main.

It's been way too long since I mess with a 1st gen but IIRC there weren't any tubes and simply drain from the bottom of the bowl. I can't recall any of my hondas having carb drain tubes.

I think you have a stuck float. Any bike that old will eventually start to leak whether it's been sitting up or not.

Perhaps a little seafoam, in the gas, then ran through to the carbs, and let sit, for a night, proir to the, "a-rap-a-tap-tap".

Foto,

Is it a, "tube", cast right in the casting of the bowl? (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/comp13.gif)

Thanks guys. I sure hope it is just a stuck float.

There is a nipple on the bottom of the bowls that is a drain. A screw next to the nipple opens and closes it.

savedrider, Jan 3 2007, 11:58 PMThanks guys. I sure hope it is just a stuck float.

There is a nipple on the bottom of the bowls that is a drain. A screw next to the nipple opens and closes it.

Is that where it's coming from? Thought that was for checkn float level. (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/blink.gif)

It doesn't appear to be coming from there. Although the general area was quite wet with fuel when it happened. I know the float level on some mikuni's can be checked that way, but the documentation I've came across so far for this model is the standard measurement tool with the bowls removed.

I will check that the screws are all tightened as soon as I get some time to dig a bit more. Keep the ideas flowing. The sooner I get this licked the sooner I get to burn some VFR rubber! (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/wheel.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/smile.gif)

I had the same problem on my bike. If your handy buy the gasket kits and do it yourself and then have shop tune them. In my neck of the woods carb work starts at about $400 for a full rebuild.
Just remember that if one float is stuck the other three are just as bad. There are carb kits on Ebay.
I found out the hard way that gas will eat the paint off your alt and clutch covers and there is no real match for brown sanded paint. Large amounts of gas will make plastic body work brittle and we all know how much $$ that can be.
I found out all of this on my bike. Ill be posting pics of new body work and fresh powder coated engine cases soon$$$$$

So do yourself a favor and just rebuild carbs (IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/fing02.gif)

savedrider, Jan 3 2007, 10:58 PMThere is a nipple on the bottom of the bowls that is a drain. A screw next to the nipple opens and closes it.

So where is this fuel coming from? this nipple that you can turn off and on?

That screw is probably for draining your carb. It might only be the seal on that screw that is leaking and you may be able to replace that part without removing the carbs.

Heh?

Hi Chev - still haven't found exactly where it's leaking from. I will be hooking up a aux. fuel tank and rechecking so I can get a better view.

I still want to know if it is a stuck float where the fuel would purge from?

savedrider, Jan 5 2007, 12:37 AMI still want to know if it is a stuck float where the fuel would purge from?

(IMG:style_emoticons/oldemoticons/idea3.gif) Ahh, I knew I've seen this type of setup before.

Disclaimer: This is a wyld assumption based on previous experiance with carbs. This may or may not be the case, but I'll tell you like I think it is.


The nipple that you speak of serves two purposes. It is there to drain the fuel and to provide the overflow for the carb. Above the nipple is a tube (made of al) that goes up to the overflow. At the bottom of this tube is a valve (controled by that screw). This narrows your possibilities to the float being incorrect/stuck or the seal on that screw valve at the bottom of the tube is leaking.

I have never seen one of those valves leak fast, is this a drip or a run? Something tells me it may be something in the float system.

??