not a leak, carb is literally squirting out fuel....

[caj411]

I went to crank my cycle today and fuel was pouring out of the left filter. I shut off the petcocks, pulled the filter off to see what the heck was going on. As soon as I turned the petcock on again, a stream shot out of pencil sized hole on the left side of the air intake. Turned the petcock off and it stopped immediately.

Can someone tell me where this hole leads or what it is for? I'm not a carb smart guy, so I have no idea what is happening here. The red arrow is pointing at the hole.

 

[5twins]

That's the air feed jet for the needle jet and main jet. The fuel level usually doesn't get that high so this is indicating that your carbs are over-filling. Your '78-'79 carbs don't have an overflow tube in the float bowl anymore. If the bowls over-fill, the gas will rise up and come out where ever it can, like the air jets and the needle jet in the main bore. I think you have a float or float needle and seat issue.

 

[caj411]

That's the air feed jet for the needle jet and main jet. The fuel level usually doesn't get that high so this is indicating that your carbs are over-filling. Your '78-'79 carbs don't have an overflow tube in the float bowl anymore. If the bowls over-fill, the gas will rise up and come out where ever it can, like the air jets and the needle jet in the main bore. I think you have a float or float needle and seat issue.

So take the carb off, open her up and see if something is stuck or blocked? I say that because it doesn't flow out of the hole it squirts out of the hole like its taking a piss. It was running just fine a few days ago, so maybe some junk got in the carb. Now that I think about it, I did twist the filter a bit as it was askew before I started it this morning, so maybe I knocked off some trash and it was sucked into the carb.

 

[5twins]

I suppose how fast it comes out would depend how full your tank is, how much pressure is being exerted. It stands to reason a full tank would squirt it out harder than an almost empty one.

So yes, you'll have to at least remove a float bowl to inspect the float and the float needle and seat. The float may have gone bad too, sprung a leak and is filled with gas. Then it wouldn't be a "float" anymore, it'd be a "sink", lol.

 

[member28833]

So take the carb off, open her up and see if

Then it wouldn't be a "float" anymore, it'd be a "sink", lol.

Awesome !
Ya it’s a great advantage to become familiar with your carb set if you remove them for the float bowl removal and fix.
If you keep the required tools such as an appropriate screwdriver to be able to drop a bowl and float on the side of the road to clear a needle/seat debris incident, That’s a win !
Good luck
-RT

 

[caj411]

I suppose how fast it comes out would depend how full your tank is, how much pressure is being exerted. It stands to reason a full tank would squirt it out harder than an almost empty one.

So yes, you'll have to at least remove a float bowl to inspect the float and the float needle and seat. The float may have gone bad too, sprung a leak and is filled with gas. Then it wouldn't be a "float" anymore, it'd be a "sink", lol.

I just filled the tank up, so that makes sense why its got such a "good" flow. Thanks for the pointers, when I get a 'round toit' I'll get back and let you know what I found. I'm too busy to get to it right now, it'll have to just sit for now.

 

[member28833]

It would be a good idea to stop the flow of fuel until you get back to it.
Fuel has likely leaked into the engine oil volume too.
Check your oil level and smell for gasoline.
-RT

 

[caj411]

It would be a good idea to stop the flow of fuel until you get back to it.
Fuel has likely leaked into the engine oil volume too.
Check your oil level and smell for gasoline.
-RT

I stopped the flow. When I cut the petcock off it stopped immediately. There is nothing leaking at all with the petcock off. It was only open for a couple of seconds, as soon as I looked down to flip the choke I saw the fuel running out and I shut it off.

Thanks for the tip, I will check the oil and see if any got in there too.