I filled up my bike Wed. morning and drove it to work and back ( around 30 miles). It's now late Friday night. My wife called me out to look at the bike. I could smell gas and the cover was soaked with gas and the tail end of the pipe of the back cyl.(not the front) is wet with gas. The outside temp is 50 and the bike is outside. I'm heading to bed but wanted to post this to see if anyone has run across this before. Hopefully I get a chance to look at in in the morning. Thanks.
Just thinking. what would happen if the cover was pulling the throttle open some and it sat there like that? Just an idea. But then again, it wasn't like this a couple hours ago and it has been sitting for two days now.
I would check the float, may have a small hole in it allowing it to drop and open the needle after it sets. Only in rear pipe possibly because of the angle of the engine, rear may set slightly lower, and possible intake valve is closed on front cylinder but open on the rear.
I was thinking my oil sight glass was over full. That would explain it. I guess I need to park it and do an oil change and find the problem. Since the gas is in the exhuast pipe, that means the cyl. is full of fuel depending on the location of the piston and flowing out the open exhaust valve.That's a ton of gas. Any thoughts on this?
Isn't the fuel pulled in by vacuum and not a gravity feed unless you change the full petcock? So how is it going into the cyl.? Or could that be the problem itself? Come to think of it Wed. morning I had to go into the reserve before I filled the the tank. So the valve had to be moved which it hasn't been moved in a long time. Has anyone had the fuel selector valve go bad like this before?
I hear the valve is a common problem on the 800s, but still if the float is working properly, it should shut off the flow at the carb. Should fix before running any more because the fuel will contaminate the oil as well if its leaking enough to be in the exhaust. Not only are you setting on a potetial fire bomb, just the fact that there is likely gas in the oil isnt lubricating the engine properly.
For fuel to leak into the engine, TWO things must both fail.
The float/needle valve AND the petcock or fuel pump.
+1 is True. However I had them both fail and filled the crackcase with fuel. Ended up changing out the float/needle and the petcock. Dual failures on the 800 appear to be a rather common occurance if you read the 800 forums regularly.
For fuel to leak into the engine, TWO things must both fail.
The float/needle valve AND the petcock or fuel pump.
No fuel pump on these 800s, but you do need to invest in a NEW factory petcock, NEW float and needle kit, and a new bowl gasket. The rear cylinder filled with gasoline, and ran down into the crankcase. Change the oil.
__________________
Ron in Cincinnati
Wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then.
.........Bob Seger
I've had this happen with my 800A. It's the petcock. Especially if the tank is full gravity will create enough pressure to push past the float valve. I rebuilt mine once and in failed again. Eventually I put a Pingel manual valve in. You have to drill out the hole a little to fit the new valve but it solves the problem.
I haven't checked it yet. I'm 100% sure I'm going to change the petcock and the float and valve. Thanks for all the information. It helped me confirm my suspicions.
Fuel in the exhaust pipe.
2005 Kawasaki vulcan classic
Linear Mode
