gas pouring out the hoses...

[Dirtymotonut]

Hey all! Yesterday was awesome here for riding! So me and the bud went riding at the track and when I started my 96 xr400r up gas kept pouring out of the hoses on both sides no matter what I did until I turned the gas off. Decided to ride around the track to see if it would stop and it did. Is this caused by my floats sticking? If so what do you suggest I do to get it fixed? I have not worked on a carb other than taking it out. Any advice would be helpful. I do have a Clymer manual also.

 

[mideastrider]

Sounds like float sticking. Has the bike been sitting for a very long time if so sometimes float will stick. May not happen again. I would just ride and not worry about it unless it begins to stick often. Then it will be time clean the carb out. Could be just a little varnish build up on the needle and seat.

 

[Dirtymotonut]

No the bike was just rode less than a week ago. This happened earlier in the summer but stopped once I rode and did not happen again until yesterday. The bike before I owned it sat in a garage for several years and my friend cleaned it right after I bought it in august. So possibly could use another real good cleaning.

 

[biglou]

Yep. Varnish or a piece of grit. Try tapping the bowl with a screwdriver next time to see if that will stop it. It's the motocross equivelant of jiggling the toilet handle...;)

 

[_JOE_]

I had an rm125 a while back that had an intermittent overflow issue, the little shaft that runs through the float arms and carb body had corroded. I actually had to tap it out with a pick. It should just fall out if you tip the carb with the bowl off. I ended up using a drill bit that fit it without resistance and just pushed it through the carb/float arm a few times then polished up the shaft with some steel wool and a cordless drill and never had a problem again. I would probly just ride it and look into it further if it does it again.

 

[pitbikekid]

My xr50 is having the same problem. I turn the gas off and it still drips out.

 

[rmc_olderthandirt]

Dirt bikes seem to have problems with sticking floats. Every bike I have been associated with has had a float stick at one time or another and one of my bikes has a chronic sticking problem. I suspect that it has something to do with all the jarring and banging around the bike gets.

Occasionally I will have a float stick and just tipping the bike side to side will stop it.

If the gas drips out slowly then it probably isn't a stuck float as much as a bad valve. The best thing to do is replace the float needle and seat.

Rod