Carburetor pissing gas from overflow when hot!!

If you didn't install a vacuum line it is possible that you had a vacuum leak from the carb port causing your rpms to race up. If fuel leaks down from the petcock for an extended period of time, it will begin to overflow into your cylinders and crankcase and it will also leak back into your air box or pods. Because KZ's have a wet clutch you need to use JASO MA oil. Normal car oil will cause problems with your clutch over time. I use Valvoline 4-stroke 10W40 in my KZ550 and haven't had a problem with it

Since you have lots of gas coming out of the overflow hose(s) there is a carb issue that you need to correct. Even with the petcock problem, and even if you install a new petcock and set it to the "Prime" position, the carbs should not overflow. The float valves are supposed to close off the flow of fuel from the fuel tank once the appropriate fuel level is reached inside the carb bowls. If the float valves have any dirt or other debris in them it can prevent them from sealing properly and they will let fuel continue to flow. If the float valves are clean and functioning properly, but if the fuel level in the carbs is set too high, the float valve needles will not rise high enough to completely close off the fuel flow and the carbs can overflow. Also, if the brass overflow tubes are cracked, fuel can leak through them and run out the overflow hoses. When this happens, the fuel level in the carb bowls gets lower and the float valves will open and refill the bowl - then as it keeps leaking out the process continues over and over resulting in lots of gas on the floor.

One other thing to consider is that if the carb overflow problem is due to a dirty float valve the carb may also be drawing too much fuel when the bike is running. So if you are sitting in traffic with the engine idling it may not be burning fuel as fast as the fuel is entering the carb. This could cause an overly rich mixture being drawn into the cylinder. Ed

So I tore apart the dang petcock. I looked at a diagram of it at

www.bikebandit.com/houseofmotorcycles/19...b/o/m150611#sch82745

According to their diagram, it has a spring in there. Mine was missing a spring. I took an old spring from an old carburetor rebuild I did and put it in there. I then put some tank cleaner in. It will only let the cleaner out the petcock when I have it on prime. Does this seem right to you guys?

By the way ED. I was smoking the WHOLE time and didn't blow myself up. :evil:

r2Brett2 wrote: ....
According to their diagram, it has a spring in there. Mine was missing a spring. I took an old spring from an old carburetor rebuild I did and put it in there. I then put some tank cleaner in. It will only let the cleaner out the petcock when I have it on prime. Does this seem right to you guys? .....

Yes. Prime lets fuel flow through the petcock even if the engine is turned off. If you put it on the other settings no fuel should flow until you apply vacuum to the petcock's vacuum port. You can hook a hose to the petcock vacuum port and draw a vacuum on it to make sure the diaphragm works and fuel flows through when the petcock handle is set to the other positions. Ed

Are your floats brass or foam plastic?

Bill

Definitely do an oil change if you have gas in the crankcase. It will prematurely wear the rings, cylinders, and engine bearings also.

I am a big fan of Rotella 10-40. All rotella is wet clutch certified. Have been running it for years. If you lime spending money, Lucas makes a great wet clutch motorcycle oil.