Carb Leak - Earlier VFRs

So last weekend I cleaned the carbs on my bike, got it all back together and now there is a leak. It looks like it is coming from port where you drain the carb. Turns out the guy who helped me pull/clean the carbs took out the screw completely to see what it looked like in there. I would be willing to bet that the carb he did that on is the one leaking. Anyway my guess is the O ring on that screw is bad. Is this something I can pick up at a local hardware store? Anyone have any ideas?

Are you 100% sure that's where the leak is from? Have you made sure that the drain screw was tightened all the way down? If that is where the leak is, and there is no o-ring on the screw or still in the bowl, then the only way to know is to do down to the hardware store and look. Maybe try mcmaster if that doesn't turn up anything.

From what I can tell that's where it is at. I am hoping to pull out the screw and see what it looks like on the inside after work today. 

While I am thinking about it, it's probably better to just replace all gaskets and O rings. Any idea where to get those for my carbs?

You can order them online. This is one option: http://www.cmsnl.com...03.html#results

http://www.bikebandi...37?m=151673&f=3

But its not cheap.

There may not be an o-ring on that drain screw? None of mine have them, and it doesn't appear on any schematic I've seen. Just the screw itself listed as part of the chamber set (#4)

cheers

ian

I wouldn't just jump on buying all new gaskets and orings if nothing is leaking around there. Is it leaking from that screw? Was the screw tightened all the way?

Ya it is tightened all the way. I think I am going to pull the  carb apart again and see if I have something stuck. 

Correct, there are no orings on the drain screws for the V4's although it's the same screw used across more models than you could count.

As for the fuel leak it's likely either a breached float bowl gasket or fuel joint oring. There's no overflow standpipe in the carbs so those are the only two ways for fuel to get out---that is assuming that the floats are functioning, in which case you can get gas dribbling down into the engine.

Did you have the carbs separated from each other?

A minor issue to contend with is that the fuel joint orings for the 500 series carbs are different from all others, but bowl gaskets are the same.

I've got them on hand because this is, well, all we do.

OSC

http://www.oldschoolcarbs.com

The drain screws seat on tapers. If there's a bit of dirt on the end of that drain screw, it may not be seating properly, and so could be leaking. Might be worth taking the screw out and looking at the sealing surface (cone) on the end to see if there are any gouges or marks in it that could make it leak. 

Easier than pulling the carbs off completely.