What the? I didn't see this coming...

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05 Mar 2006 13:43 #28437 by Alex_KZ1K
What the? I didn't see this coming... was created by Alex_KZ1K
So it was a nice day today... I decided to put my freshly cleaned and jetted carbs back on the bike and maybe take it for a ride. As soon as I opened the petcock to prime the carbs, I discovered a major fuel leak from both of the T's that the main fuel lines feed. The T's are leaking right at the carbs where they feed in. I don't see why those would be leaking now, I didn't seperate the carbs, so they weren't disturbed, yet they're both leaking now. I can't ride it like this, but at least the bike runs...

Does anyone know what's going wrong here? I need to fix this before the weather is really nice.

These are leaking from around where they seal inside the carbs:


Post edited by: alex_kz1k, at: 2006/03/05 17:05

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05 Mar 2006 14:13 #28449 by ten6
Replied by ten6 on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
If you cleaned them with too strong a solvent the rubber o-rings that seal those parts may have been damaged or eaten away.:whistle:

Michigan City, Indiana
Firefighter MCFD IAFF Local #475
(3) KZ650s (1) 1996 Vulcan 1500A (1) 1978 KZ1000 (1) 1986 Yamaha Radian 600
2000 Dodge Ram 4x4
1960 Chevy Bel-Air

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05 Mar 2006 15:21 #28476 by wiredgeorge
Replied by wiredgeorge on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
The fuel tee pictured is common to the VM26 mostly and used on double fuel inlet carbs. It is aluminum clad with nitrile rubber. The rubber tends to compress with age and from the fact that they pivot inside the carb bodies. When I rebuild carburetors I take two steps to ensure that these tees don't leak. I recoat with new nitrile rubber and then wrap with telfon tape. The rack must be split and I would strongly advise cleaning the carb bodies where the tees pivot as these may have glop which is causing wear from friction or chemical reaction (the white powder stuff). Other types of Mikuni carbs use aluminum fuel inlets and pipes that use o-rings to seal and these are best fixed by replacing the o-rings and then wrapping with teflon tape to be on the safe side.

wiredgeorge Motorcycle Carburetors
Mico TX
www.wgcarbs.com
Too many bikes to list!

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05 Mar 2006 17:32 #28523 by Alex_KZ1K
Replied by Alex_KZ1K on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
Crap. I guess I'm taking the whole thing apart again. So I can still use the T's I have now, or should I order new ones?

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05 Mar 2006 19:03 #28559 by arobsum
Replied by arobsum on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
i just coated mine with a fuel approved sealant and stuck them back together..hasn't leaked a drop since!

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05 Mar 2006 21:39 #28605 by Sandy
Replied by Sandy on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
New ones would be Your best bet,BUT...I used teflon tape on My old carbs and they held up for over 2 years,until when I switched carbs...dry as a bone the whole time.B)

1977 KZ1000 A-1

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06 Mar 2006 05:28 #28649 by Alex_KZ1K
Replied by Alex_KZ1K on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
Is there anything I can try without pulling everything apart again? I didn't even use any cleaner on those parts, so I don't understand why they are leaking so much all of a sudden.

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06 Mar 2006 10:47 #28676 by N0NB
Replied by N0NB on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
Alex_KZ1K wrote:

Is there anything I can try without pulling everything apart again? I didn't even use any cleaner on those parts, so I don't understand why they are leaking so much all of a sudden.


Not that I can see, unless you can get some kind of sealing goo completely around the Tee-carb body seams.

I went the teflon tape route and have had no issues since. Like your sig says, "Sometimes it's easier to do it the hard way."

:)

- Nate >>

Nate

Nates vintage bike axiom: Riding is the reward for time spent wrenching.
Murphys corollary: Wrenching is the result of time spent riding.

1979 KZ650 (Complete!)
1979 KZ650 SR (Sold!)
1979 KL250 (For sale)
1994 Bayou 400 (four wheel peel :D )

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06 Mar 2006 13:52 #28738 by Alex_KZ1K
Replied by Alex_KZ1K on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
N0NB wrote:

Like your sig says, "Sometimes it's easier to do it the hard way."


I guess I'll take my own advice and start wrenching then. :S

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06 Mar 2006 19:19 #28880 by b200driver
Replied by b200driver on topic What the? I didn't see this coming...
I have used small sections of heat-shrink tubing on these tees with good luck. Just find a size that fits over the tee snugly, and reassemble. No shrinking required.

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