Leaking some fuel

[Dlongb13]

So I bought the bike yesterday and the guy told me it was leaking some fuel right below where you turn the fuel on. Again I am new so I do not know much terminology so please be patient but I am very willing to learn.

So thats where its leaking from. Any ideas on what it may be and how I can check into it. thanks alot in advance for the help.

 

[xjwmx]

Welcome to the elite fraternity of xs650 owners!

The twisty thing there is called the "petcock." It really is. To fix your, first tighten up the two screws you see there in the chrome plate and see if that takes care of it. If not, you'll have to carefully take it apart and find what the problem is. If it needs new parts a repair kit is available from mikesxs, or some folks would just buy a new petcock.

 

[tsommers]

From petcock, Rebuild it.

 

[Dlongb13]

Thanks fellas. I will look into it.

 

[5twins]

Under that lever is a rubber disc with 4 holes in it. The arm seals against it. The disc can get worn or torn up from the lever constantly rotating against it. Sometimes you can just flip the disc over, presenting a fresh, unused side for the lever to work against. That might cure the leak without the need for new parts.

On the back of the plate that the arm attaches to are 2 holes. These are the ends of a "U" shaped passageway. They line up with the various passageways in the petcock depending what position the arm is in and allow fuel to flow through (or not, if one end is blocked). The edges of these holes can be sharp. This can accelerate the wear and tear on that rubber disc. Using a small sharp pocket knife, debur the edges of the holes and round them off slightly.

 

[Dlongb13]

Okay so I emailed the previous owner whom I just bought it from and he said it is not the petcocks. He said he knows for a fact its the floats in the carbs. So many my diagram may be off on where is leaking. If it is the floats how hard are they to change? And hows to's I can search for?

 

[XSLeo]

I think a good place to start with carb trouble is with the carb guide. www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf
It was written by a couple smart guys that know these carbs. Download it. Read it. Print it out and read it again.

 

[5twins]

It can't be the floats if it's leaking above the carbs. They're on the bottom of the carbs. The P.O. is misleading you, which is not uncommon, lol. We all hate those guys and hope to never become one.

 

[Dlongb13]

Like I said my diagram could be off. I am going to inspect it more tomorrow. He seemed like he definitely knew what he was doing. He had a garage full of nice looking bikes. And I emailed him again today asking what it was he said was causing the issue and he said it was the floats.

 

[5twins]

A carb overhaul at a shop costs about $200. E-mail him back and tell him you want that amount refunded on your purchase price (worth a try anyway). He's BSing you, like I said, it can't leak on top if it's the floats. That "carb guide" Leo linked you to? I co-wrote it so I'm not making this stuff up. The P.O. is lying to you.

 

[xjwmx]

5 - his first sentence makes me think it's possible he hasn't actually seen the leak. Maybe the po said it's leaking at the floats and the co said where's that? and the po said below where you turn the fuel on. It's as as good a theory as multi universe cosmology anyway....