Did something wrong with my carb

[NWetRider]

Here is what I did:

Removed Carb (PWK)
Cleaned it, installed JD jet kit
Adjusted float level
Replaced all 5 vent tubes with new ones routed up to top of airbox


What it does:

Small amount of fuel seeping out. It looks like it comes from where the float bowl joins the carb.

Bike feels more rich in the bottom ¼ of throttle
Had to open the throttle some of the time to start it (like it’s flooded)


What did I do???

I did not change the pilot so I’m thinking something else is making it rich. My first guess is that the float level is off. I looked at my manual and at Eric’s book. Both were a little confusing. The manual says to position the float to where that spring thing touches but does not compress then measure the highest point. The bottom of the float tapers to a point so I’m not sure if that is what is meant by the highest point. Eric says to make the float parallel with the carb body but does not mention if that is with the spring thing compressed or just touching.

Was I supposed to route all the vent lines up? The one on the bottom of the float bowl had fuel stuck in it all day (close to the height of the top of the float bowl). Does it need gravity to clean it out?

Will fuel seep out if the float is too high? Or does it mean I just have a bad seal?

Anything else I could have done wrong?

 

[nickyd]

vent lines, especially the overflow tube should route down (GENERALLY speaking). the overflow line should be run down - if that had gas in it, my guess is your float level is off. why did you mess with it? was there an issue? call the dealer and get the proper height.

 

[NWetRider]

In Eric's book he said, for off road riders, to route the vent lines up into the airbox to avoid them sucking water in during stream crossings. Not sure if he meant all 5 though?

Does fuel only come out of the bottom vent it the float is too high?

 

[nickyd]

eric meant route the AIR VENT (atmospheric) lines the airbox. that's good practice.

the other line (the one coming from the bottom of the carb is the overflow line - thats where the fuel goes when it crest the peak of the bowl....look at your bowl next time, there's a tall point in there.

back to my original question. why did you do this? did you have a float problem? I'm trying to determine if YOU caused the problem or if the problem existed, and still exists.

 

[NWetRider]

I guess that explains why Eric said to buy 5 feet of tubing to do the job. I needed about 8 to do all 5. So which ones are the vent lines? There are two that point straight up, and two that point out the sides.

I was not trying to fix a problem when I adjusted the float, I messed with it because I misinterpreted the picture in the book. It had the carb upside down with the float parallel. I realized after I messed with it that the picture must not have shown the float being held up somehow so the needle-spring thing would not compress. So I set it back and think it's right but I will recheck.

 

[Colorado]

I'm not familiar with your carb. My Mikunis have an overflow for the float bowl and two horizontal vents. Your bottom outlet is going to be an overflow (it probably even points down --- it's a safe bet that an outlet pointing down should route down). I run my tubing between the back of the cases and the swingarm pivot. If you're holding fuel in the tube then your float setting has the force of gravity on that fuel working against it. You really can't tell if it's right or not. Snip the overflow tube short enough to hang just far enough below the swingarm that it will stay there then see how the bike performs.

After that, see if you have constant leaking through the overflow. If so your float level is wrong or float needle seat is worn, or have a bad seat gasket/O-ring (whatever your carb has).