i think I have figured my problem out

started her up yesterday and after it started running it was dripping gas big time from the #1 carb, so yeah gonna order some rebuild kits in a bit, how tough a job is it to do?

Not knowing what bike we are talking about, the usual causes of these symptoms are:

No or poor inline gas filter causing carb float bowl valve to not fully close when bowl is full.

Typical solutions include:
1) Add/replace inline fuel filter.
2) Tape float bowl to dislodge obstruction in float bowl valve... if no change then drain and remove bowl and clean valve and valve seat... add/replace gas filter and flush fuel line.
3) If the above does not work, be prepared to remove and clean out the carb.

Best of success.

BTW, could you add your year, model and location to your signature for the best replies.

oh sorry, i could have sworn i changed my sig
but yeah my bike is an 82 GPZ550/KZ550 H1
i just went out and took it around the parking lot
this time it was barely dripping at all
so I think it's definitely a carb issue
and from what I'm been reading on carbs
I believe it's float needle or something like that
tomorrow I'm going to drain all the bowls and put a bottle of carb cleaner in the tank, and maybe run the hell out of it for a bit or maybe that's a bad idea. If anyone has any input I'd be grateful to hear it!
thanks again

If there is something preventing the needle valve for seating properly it may or may not be soluble with carb cleaner.

If carb cleaner does not work, be prepared to:
1) remove the float bowl from the offending carb,
2) remove the float,
3) remove/inspect/clean/replace the needle valve and,
4) remove/inspect/clean/replace the needle valve seat.

Best of success.

PS
Don't worry if you didn't get the signature the first time. It can be a pain... keep trying.

ok well my friend's dad made the suggestion to try seafoam
he swears by it been using it for ages, so I'm gonna try that out next and hopefully that will clean things up a abit

check out

I'm not wanting to put it through the vacuum system.
right now I'm almost on E so I'm gonna put a few ounces in the tank and run it through that way, OR
does any one think it might be a better idea for me to use a regular bottle of gas additive carb cleaner first run that through after draining the float bowls then let it sit a day with the cleaner in the bowls and then fun the seafoam. or am I way off base with this idea?

Have you verified correct float height? If your float is set too high you're going to piss gas until it's corrected, regardless of how clean, dirty, or deformed your float needle and seat are. If the float height is correct and you're still not getting a good seal on the needle it could be a piece of crap stuck between the needle (that may or may not be disolved by a pour in cleaner), it could also be a cracked overflow tube. I just ran into a cracked tube a couple months back and I was going nuts trying to figure out why that carb kept pissing fuel like it did.

see that's why i think the need is stuck ,cause it had been sitting for a couple of weeks then I started it up
and it ran fine but then started leaking while running.
but then the next day started up again and no leaking
so I would assume it was gunk or varnish. i don't think
the floats are effed, because it ran great for a year, then I admit I have just been too busy and it sat for a month or 2.

Remember, if it is only the needle valve assembly that is the problem you don't need a full carb rebuild kit. All you need it the "Float Needle Valve Assembly Kawasaki KZ550 ZX550". See here:


www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2559

At under $10 USD plus shipping it’s the most economical way to go, IMHO.

The complete "Carburetor Rebuild Kit KZ550 ZX550 (82-85)"
is under $20 USD plus shipping and that's your call. See here:


www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=2028

If your rubber seal is bad this may be the way to go.

Best of success.

just went out for a ride and no leaking
WOOHOO, I'm hoping this will keep working as long as I do not neglect it anymore, yeah I'm thinking of going with the 20$ kits just do it all at once.