do these floats look normal?

[emzdogz]

hi folks, I have my carbs (80 BS34's) off (again) and this time I did a couple of other things, but as I was cleaning in the float bowl area I noticed on the edge of the floats by where the pin goes through, next to the tang that gets bent up or down to adjust height, this portion is bent upward. PLease see attached pic.

I've looked at a couple of other photos of similar floats and don't see this anywhere. If nothing else this bent part prevents the float from travelling past a certain point.

Wondering if these are non-XS floats perhaps. Although I'd be really surprised, the carbs were super virginal.

I also drilled out the idle screw hole covers and checked the little o-ring, etc. Hope I set it right again when I put it back together.

Another thing that happened is I believe I lost a tiny ball from the enrichener rod. But maybe not. The one that is at the knob end, that sets those 3 holes (notches) is still there, I just thought I may have seen the other bounce and fly away into oblivion. Anyway, the rod works as it should and doesn't seem loose or anything, so I'm not going to stress over it.

But I was hoping someone could let me know if the part I circled in the pic looks like it is supposed to be that way - that one part bent upward.
thanks!

 

[gggGary]

Yes both brass and foam bs34 floats have that stop tab at least the 7 that I looked at do.

 

[angus67]

its always the eigth one thats the sticky wicket!!!




they all like that.

 

[emzdogz]

ok, thanks guys - much appreciated.

I was kind of hoping to find something obviously clogged up, or wrong when I took the carbs apart, but did not.

 

[gggGary]

Most carbs sets have a ball and spring on each carb. They work fine on just one set. And you can grab pretty much any ole Zerk fitting, drill it till the ball falls loose and use that ball and spring in your carb. I have forgotten where your carbs act up?

 

[emzdogz]

Most carbs sets have a ball and spring on each carb. They work fine on just one set. And you can grab pretty much any ole Zerk fitting, drill it till the ball falls loose and use that ball and spring in your carb. I have forgotten where your carbs act up?

mine didn't have a spring.... just the 2 balls.
I was wondering if a BB would fit, but I believe a BB is too small. Anyway that shaft works normally, so I'm not going worry about that aspect.

My carbs may be fine. It's just that I start the bike and after like 3 seconds of lovely smooth running, it dies, almost as if switched off. I go to start it again and it does have spark, but the 2nd time it doesn't want to start...just cranks and cranks and sometimes it almost starts.
Weird thing is it starts the first time I try. But then after that is when it's a prob.

Question: when it's cold and running on the enrichener, does that throttle stop screw on the side of the carb (by cable) come into play at that point? or would that only affect idle speed once it's no longer running on the enricheners?

thx! and good morning to you...

 

[gggGary]

I think on these carbs the idle stop screw is still primary even with the enrichner open. there is no fast idle cam on the BS34s on these bikes. Why I like the Heritage specials with a handlebar choke lever. Are you using a vacuum petcock? If so a couple of things could cause your issues. A bad vacuum diaphram leaking gas into the vacuum port. or you have a float valve issue covered up by the automatic petcock shut off. have you pulled one or both plugs when it dies? are they wet or dry? Have good evening.

 

[emzdogz]

manual petcock(s).

Will pull plugs next time - also I have some new ones to install. I've been wondering if the gas cap is maybe NOT supposed to vent and it is venting (has a vent hole) or maybe it IS supposed to vent and the vent is clogged. Maybe next time I'll start it with gas cap off.

see ya, thx again

 

[gggGary]

Gas cap should be vented but would not show up as a problem that fast. Striaght up; the brass float BS34's are bit touchy. I am goingto guess it's a float level setting, do a clear tube float level check. It is a bit of a pain on the 80 BS34's cause they don't have a float bowl shut off. Easiest is just shove some plastic tube in the drain hole. Did you put new o-rings in the float valves?

 

[emzdogz]

no I didn't put new o-rings, because the old ones looked ok, not cracked or falling apart. However, I must say that on one side that whole little brass barrel (where float needle drops into) with o-ring is NOT in there very tight. Definitely needs that retaining thing to hold it in.
Maybe I should bite the bullet and buy new rubber parts. I didn't do that because o-rings etc all "look" really good still.

 

[gggGary]

That is near certainly your problem. In my experience new o-rings is a MUST on these carbs. The gas leaks right around the valve and floods the carb. Do that and you should be in business. When you try to remove the o-rings they will be brittle and break before you get them off. This has been the case EVERY time when I have done BS34s. Some guys have had luck getting a local parts house o-ring to fit and work. I get mine from a guy in Illinois who supplies them for Suzukis that use the same set up in their carbs.

 

[CDNTX650]

i just got rid of my brass floats in my 80 bs34's....thought they were good. Bike wouldn't run right and there was always the odd gas overflow....floats had gas inside.

 

[gggGary]

Yep they switched to foam floats for a reason and they do retrofit. but if the brass floats aren't holed they are fine.

 

[emzdogz]

That is near certainly your problem. In my experience new o-rings is a MUST on these carbs. The gas leaks right around the valve and floods the carb. Do that and you should be in business. When you try to remove the o-rings they will be brittle and break before you get them off. This has been the case EVERY time when I have done BS34s. Some guys have had luck getting a local parts house o-ring to fit and work. I get mine from a guy in Illinois who supplies them for Suzukis that use the same set up in their carbs.

wow, ok that's good info! I just called Yamaha dealer and they said they have an assortment, and maybe I can match some up.

 

[CDNTX650]

Yep they switched to foam floats for a reason and they do retrofit. but if the brass floats aren't holed they are fine.

thought they were...had them in gas for months before i finished the bike to make sure they were...sure as shit.

i just got mine from xs650 direct. real nice fit. Had the proper sleeving inside/pins and everything. As good as the ones in my spare set of 34's that are factory.

 

[littlebill31]

2 things I suggest with '80 carbs is to get foam floats and '81+ bowls. Makes life a little easier.

The rubber plugs are over the pilot jets correct?

 

[CDNTX650]

whats better about the 81+ bowls?, i have a set..

 

[littlebill31]

You can check the fuel level easier. They have the side port and drain screw, where the '80 does not.

 

[emzdogz]

yep, rubber plugs still there, in fact they are new, since one was cracked before.

Evidently the auto parts store by house has a bunch of o-rings, and they guy on the phone says he might be able to match them up. The floats are fine (have been sitting in gas for a couple of weeks and no liquid inside), so at this point I'm not wanting to swap out floats (or the bowls).

 

[gggGary]

Take a magnifing glass and examine the floats carefully they sometimes have a series of fine cracks around the perimeter. If they have those if they don't leak now they will soon. My float test is a coffee cup of hot water put the float in for a few seconds, if they are leaking a stream of bubbles will show right now. Don't drink the fluid used for test.......