leaky carb + death

[joeblow]

Hi,
I am pretty new to all this bike building stuff, and I have learned a lot through broken, crappy
parts. My latest is the Carburetor. I was riding for about six or so miles and then the engine
stopped because I am not good at starting again from a stop.

After that the engine sounded very muffled and it would no longer accelerate. The throttle
would make it groan a little, but it mostly sounded like it was dying. After I pedaled the last
block home, I discovered gas pouring out of my carb. I had to turn the petcock from the tank
to stop it.
When it was hot I could still start it, but it would not accelerate, and it sounds like it is under
water. I don't know about now, this was earlier today.

any advice anyone?

 

[dvddtz]

Sounds like the float is sticking,and not stoping the flow of gas to the carb

 

[joeblow]

ok, does that mean I have to take it apart and fix it? I really hope not...

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

First, tap on the carb with something like a screw driver or small rock. If that doesn't fix it, then yes, you'll have a little work ahead of you. But it is simple work.

 

[Goat Herder]

http://motorbicycling.com/f4/carburetor-pictures-how-install-rebuild-195.html This is a good read for the subject you are about to tackle hope this helps!

 

[Echotraveler]

did you fix it already..?

 

[joeblow]

Ok,
so I rode the thing today, and just to get the gas out of the line I started it up. It was working well and accelerated it. I rode to my new place and stopped. After about 30 seconds gas started pouring out of the carb again and I had to turn the petcock to stock the flow.
Is this still the floater? (I hit it with a broken tile, btw. still leaked, but maybe it did something since it ran.) do I just have to turn the petcock everytime I finish riding?

 

[Echotraveler]

do you have a gas filter? pics?

 

[joeblow]

I think hitting it with the rock was the right move. that made it able to go, and after riding it a little bit more the leak seems to have stopped itself.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Yeah, it used up the extra gas in the carb.

Keep an eye on it.

It's always a good idea to shut off the fuel when not in use.

 

[Norman]

have you checked the gas line inlet to the carb, the brass fitting that the fuel line hooks up to this brass fitting is also the housing for the floats needle sometimes this can be a little loose from the factory gently tighten it it might not move even 1/32" but if its loose(even a little bit) the needle and seat will vibrate and not let the needle seat.
You might even have a small booger or hair trapped in the needle and seat. take the carb off and the needle out of the seat and blow it out using compressed air. Hook up a short piece of fuel line on the carbs fuel line inlet, put the carbs needle and float back on and with it upside down set the float on the carb the float should be sitting about level on the fulcrum arms put the short fuel line in your mouth and blow into the fuel line the weight of the float should be enough weight to keep you from being able to blow through the line unless you really blow hard on it, do not use compressed air. If you can then you have either a out of round needle or seat anyway its not correct. You can lap in the needle and seat with tooth paste or fine polishing compound its a pain but it can be done don't get carried away and cut a groove in it(the needle) and you can check it with the lung air pressure test.
Do use a clean chunk of fuel line, used gas line is not good for you, tastes bad not to mention it might have some poisonous remains from the gas/oil or if you used a carb cleaner.