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Carb adjustment

4K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  GaHack1 
#1 ·
2003 1500E carb

When I park the bike after riding it for 30 minutes or so, the smell of gas in my garage is enough to just about knock you out. I know carb bikes have a smell after shut down but this seem to be more than it should be. As far as I can tell, there isn't a fuel leak. Is this just a sign that the carb needs to be leaned and if so, how would I go about doing that? I'm new to carbs so I have seen a few YouTube videos but I'm not a YouTube mechanic. Expert advise would be appreciated
 
#2 ·
Sorry, but a smell that bad is a sign of gas leaking.
Could be the tank, hoses, or the carb.
Maybe dripping onto something hot making the smell worse.

Do you over fill the tank when you fill gas?
Are there running issues?
How long has it been smelling that bad?
Is there a spot under the bike where you park it.
 
#3 ·
Do you over fill the tank when you fill gas?
Are there running issues?
How long has it been smelling that bad?
Is there a spot under the bike where you park it.
I fill up until the gas is to the bottom of the filler. I am getting 34-35 mpg which I understand is about normal. A gas leak would be killing that number wouldn't it?
No running issues. I just replaced the clutch plates and now it is running great.
It's been smelling bad for a few weeks now. The wife is really starting to complain which is why I'm now reaching out. Not sure if I can just adjust the mixture screw or if it's going to take a full rejet.
There is a spot under the bike but that was from a little oil leak that I fixed a few weekends ago. No new fluid is getting on there that I can tell.

There does seem to be (what I think) is another oil leak from under the rocker covers. I'm pretty sure it's oil but I guess it could be fuel. The rear one is brown when I touch it but I haven't touched the front one to see if it's clear or smells like gas.

Thanks for the reply,

SweetT
 
#4 ·
The mixture screws will have no affect on the smell/leak, nor will a jet change.
And you shouldn't be getting gas out of the head gasket area.
A very small leak when you park it from a ride, dripping onto a hot member can cause this.
It might not be leaking all the time and small leak might not show a mpg reduction.

Make sure there isn't anything else in your garage that is causing a gas smell.
Then use your nose and eyes to find out what/where its coming from.
 
#6 ·
I concur with doc. I've had different jets and pilot screws and never experienced gas smell except when fuel overflowed from the tank and out the overflow tube onto the floor of the garage. If you have a plugged tank vent in your filler cap, it could be ejecting heated vapors from the tank out the fuel tank vent tube attached to the underside of the tank and hangs under the bike.
 
#8 ·
If there are no obvious leaks, then what might be happening, particularly if the float is set too high, is when you put it in the garage, the heat from the engine causes the gas in the carb to percolate and fuel fumes will fill the garage.
I see you are in Texas (hot), so it can make the problem worse.
I had a Yamaha that would do that and my solution was to let the bike set outside until it cooled down.
One thing to check, though, is make sure the gas cap releases pressure when it should. To check, you may get a whistling sound when parked, or after a ride and sitting for a few minutes.
 
#13 ·
Yes. If you do a google search for vulcan 800 accelerator pump it will lead you to some more reasonable pricing. I would recommend the kit with O-rings. If you can locate the accelerator pump on the side of the card and touch the bottom of it with your finger after riding you can feel and smell the gas. Not for sure that is what is wrong with yours just symptoms fit what I saw to a tee.

I think I paid less that $15.00 for the kit.
 
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