Well, the Silver Beast (tm) has been running great, thanks in large part to the help I've gotten here. But (as always in life, it seems) there is a snag...

I noted the far right carb leaking gas a week or so ago upon starting, and after some injector cleaner and banging on the bowl, all was again right.

This afternoon it did it again; choke on, starts right up and gas pouring out. I tried shutting off the petcock, and the bike ran for five minutes or more without starving. Weird, huh?

Shut it down, started it back up, and all is again right, with no leaks. Bike runs great, although the idle was high (3k) and had to be adjusted down. After riding for a while, it went back to normal and had to be adjusted back up...

For the record, it's a '90, and had the carbs professionally cleaned a couple months ago.

I don't think the bowls should hold five minutes worth of fuel (while revving it, BTW) and wonder if that's related to the other issue?

Any pointers would be appreciated; these intermittent things are always tough to track down.

Larry

 

Is there a filter between the tank and the carbys? Even if you clean the carbs, if there is sh*t in your tank and no filter, it could block jets/needle/seats again.

Petcock should also have a filter attached I think - happy for Shadow or Sprock (or other knowledgable souls) to correct me.

Cheers, SB

 

Sounds like something in the needle and seat - probably as Bear says, gunk from the tank.
The stuff is sooooo fine it gets through the tank filter.
5 minutes of running is about right under no load - there's a fair amount of gas in those bowls.
My old CB750 also dribbles now and again - it's needle and seat wear on that, so by deduction........
Bang the bowl with a heavy object. If it doesn't work get a heavier object and......
I've had a lot less trouble with gunk since I ceramic coated the inside of my tank about 3 years back.
I'd recommend it for all older bikes. Sprock has just done one of his stable, the Mk1 I think. Excellent result.
My tank looks like a toilet bowl inside.......all white and shiny hehe
FWIW

 

Yeah as the guys have said, fit an in-line filter, saves a lot of hassle.

Then whip the carbs off and give them a strip and clean, not hard to do at all. If they were cleaned a couple of months ago, you'll just need to get whatever crap has come through from the tank. Probably an afternoons work if you've never done them before, any problems give us a a shout.

 

on the money ^^^^^ +1 , everything the Guys just mentioned

 

Thanks for the tips, I'll check it out. Shadow, what did you use to coat your tank? And did you put one of those blue things in that hangs on the rim?


Larry

 

I'd do the filter before coating the tank. That'll solve the problem for the immediate future, the coating is a long term thing that will eliminate the problem and cure any leaks you may have.

 

+1

Sounds like a piece of crap got in between the the needle and seat.

 

I had it done by a local guy who specialises in it - I had a fuel leak from the plate under the tank and wanted a guarantee that it would be fine afterwards.
It was and is.....

Blue things that hangs on the rim? ?
Sounds like a toilet bowl cleaner
No I didn't.

 

Larry

if you are seeing rust do the sealing as even some filters
let enough rust dust through to eventually foul pilot jets and
air screws..... imo

I'd have to recommend Caswells Dragons Blood to seal tanks
if you plan on doing yours very easy to apply thoroughly,
especially given the color, it can go on over light rust without
prep (although) it's always good to shake a bucket of bolts
around the tank first to loosen big flakes. Remember to take
the sender and petcock filter out