Pamco install - sparks but won't fire

Hardyrd - I was getting the same run around here in BC. I just ended up getting Autolite #63's from NAPA and they work great.

gggGary - Damn! I should have done more research on these floats. Hopefully they are ok. I will install them and let you know how they go. I'm sure they'll work ok at least for a while but I didn't really look into alternatives for floats.

Jesus i was getting the runaround on these plugs. Some say they were discontinued, different numbers. I see them all over the internet. Don't know what the deal is. Anyway, glad i read this post about the autolite #63. Seems like i can get them from Napa. Gettin close...
 
The usual bitch about the floats was sloppy fit on the shaft.

It's not just that Chinese manufacturing is bad, it's they way they cheapen the design till it doesn't function well..........


My parts arrived today. The floats seemed identical and fit as well as the stock ones. The float bowl gaskets were correct and fit well also. The only issue I have is the needle/seat or whatever you want to call it is the wrong size. I measured the OD of my original ones as well as my replacement ones and the replacement ones are 1mm larger OD. they have the same thread pitch but they are larger and a slightly different shape. I've installed the floats, set the height, replaced the float bowl gaskets and reassembled everything. The bike is firing on both cylinders now consistently but i'm still getting a tiny bit of fuel dripping out of my overflow tube at the bottom of the float bowl. I know the float height is correct (24mm bang on) but I'm wondering if the float bowl needle is not completely shutting off the fuel flow. Hence why i wanted to change them in the first place. I just put an email in to xs650 direct to confirm that I just didn't order the wrong part somehow by mistake. hopefully i can get it rectified one way or the other. I'm glad the carbs are just about good to go but a few drops of fuel coming out of the overflow still isn't good enough. I could try lowering the float level a little more?
 
Looks like you and I are in the same boat. I just ordered new floats and needles for mine as one carb was puking gas. I will watch this thread to see how you get along. I likely will have to change the base oil as well.
 
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Looks like you and I are in the same boat. I just ordered new floats and needles for mine as one carb was puking gas. I will watch this thread to see how you get along. I likely will have to change the base oil as well.


The floats seemed to make a big improvement. As far as I can tell the only reason I'm still getting any fuel coming out of the overflow is either a) I need to lower the float level further (even though it's bang on 24mm without the bowl gasket installed) or b) my needle is still leaking slightly in one or both carbs. As I mentioned i've put in an email to xs650direct so hopefully they can help me figure out why the needles/seats that I received for my carbs don't fit. Based on their website I've ordered the correct ones for my bike and the part number on my receipt is the same number so there must be a discrepency somewhere.
 
That's good to hear that the floats made an improvement. I ordered mine from 650 Central. My old ones both failed the leak test. I think the needles will make a difference as well. Did you try the clear tube method to see where your fuel actually was sitting?
 
I just put them back together last night but I might give the clear tube method a shot. my floats were full of fuel so I knew that the fuel level would have been wrong when they were in there. Now that they are new I could check the fuel level and see where it's at. I'm starting to think that the level just needs to be dropped a bit because if the needle/seat wasn't sealing properly the fuel should still overflow all of the time. mine just seems to overfill slightly when the bike is angled over (sitting on the side stand) or if I "slosh" the bike around side to side. I think i'll drop the float level down and see if that stops my over flow issue. If not then i'll check the level with the clear tube. Although if i pull the carbs off again i'd like to replace the needle/seat because it's very little extra work once the carbs are apart and that will eliminate those as possibilities.
 
I did get a reply a few days ago from xs650direct and they are looking into why my needle seats dont fit. I'm hoping to get this resolved pretty soon. I ran it again today and only a few drops leaked out of the right carb while it ran for 5-10 min but it's still clearly not shutting off the fuel flow completely since I know that the float levels are correct.

:banghead:
 
does anyone have the needle seat out of a BS38 that they could tell me the measurement of the OD of the threads? that might help sort out what's going on with mine. The part number on my invoice matches the part number on xs650direct as well as on mikesxs however the needle/seats that i received are in packages without part numbers on them so im just assuming that i was shipped the wrong ones.
 
Measured about 6 seats, got 8.85 to 8.90 thread OD, a new Keyster came in mid pack at 8.88
 
Thanks gggGary. That confirms my issue. My replacement seats are 9.90mm i just went and double checked my measurements now. I my stock ones were 8.90 as well so i've clearly been shipped the wrong parts. thanks for your help!
 
One thing you might try is a tip I got from XSJohn. Take a Q-tip, peel off the cotton on the end. Wrap 4-0 steel wool around the q-tip. Now using just your fingers and some carb cleaner spin this Steel Q-tip in the float needle seat.
The steel wool will clean out the hard varnish on the seat as well as any burrs around the hole. Spin it a bit inspect, repeat as needed to get a bright shiny seat.
This has worked well for me on several carbs.
I was getting the Autolight AP63 plugs at WalMart. They have the platinum center electrode, Less than $5 a pair. I was In just the other day and they don't have them on the rack anymore. Kinda sucks.
Leo
 
One thing you might try is a tip I got from XSJohn. Take a Q-tip, peel off the cotton on the end. Wrap 4-0 steel wool around the q-tip. Now using just your fingers and some carb cleaner spin this Steel Q-tip in the float needle seat.
The steel wool will clean out the hard varnish on the seat as well as any burrs around the hole. Spin it a bit inspect, repeat as needed to get a bright shiny seat.
This has worked well for me on several carbs.
I was getting the Autolight AP63 plugs at WalMart. They have the platinum center electrode, Less than $5 a pair. I was In just the other day and they don't have them on the rack anymore. Kinda sucks.
Leo

thanks Leo. I'll give that a shot if I end up having to wait for the correct replacement parts.
 
well my replacement parts just arrived. They appear to be the correct flow valves but i'll know for sure once I pull the carbs apart again. The guys at xs650 direct were nice and helpful to deal with and they even sent me a nice "xs performance" shirt as well!

thanks guys.
 
Looks like you and I are in the same boat. I just ordered new floats and needles for mine as one carb was puking gas. I will watch this thread to see how you get along. I likely will have to change the base oil as well.

I replaced the float valves last night. They are the correct ones (the new ones that I received) and they seem to have solved my float bowl overflowing issue :thumbsup:
 
well I guess I jinxed myself. I went out to the bike on my lunch break and there's drips of fuel on the bottom of both float bowls. I have new floats, new float valves and new float bowl gaskets. The float levels are set correctly as well. if anything they're ever so slightly lower than recomended. instead of 24mm without the float bowl gasket they're closer to 24.5-25.0mm. I don't THINK it's the float bowl drains. I recently put new copper washers on there. Any ideas?
 
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