83 KZ1100 Leaking fuel

Hey guys, new KZ owner here. Picked up an 83 KZ1100A, its having an issue with fuel leaking into airbox/air filter housing. The carbs just had new seals installed and were synced. It is still having the same issue. Is this something that is common on these bikes, and can anyone point me in the right direction?

The usual suspects are-

Incorrect fuel level in one or more of the carbs
Float needle valve in one or more carbs not seating properly
Failed petcock
Sometimes all the above

If there is fuel in the air box, there may also be fuel in the crankcase, which can lead to expensive repairs. these issues have been discussed a buzzillion times here, and are well covered in the factory service manual. This is a common problem on bikes that have not been properly maintained or that have been parked for a long time.

I recommend making sure that all four needle and seat valves are spotlessly clean, that the fuel level in each carb is set using the clear tube method, check the petcock and rebuild if needed, install an inline fuel filter and most importantly, get a fsm.
Also, if there is any fuel in the crankcase, be sure to change the oil and filter before trying to start it again

We are not sure of your level of expertise with old bikes or mechanics in general. So ask plenty of questions. Fuel in the air box is not right and probably the result of all those that TexasKZ cited.

At the very least you should get the FSM (Factory Service Manual) and do some searches on pulling and replacing the carbs. There is nothing I can think of to help your problem that you can do with the carbs installed on the bike. If you have never pulled a rack of carbs it looks impossible right? It is not bad at all once you do it a few times.

From your username I'm guessing you are in New York. If so you are not close to me, in St. Louis area ,so I'm no direct help.

Texas Kz coverd it all

I still don't like to take mine off and I've been doing it for most of my life and mine are easy.
Steve

It appears the petcock is the culprit. Parts ordered to rebuild it.

What issues/damage can be caused by running/riding with fuel in crankcase?

nyrangersfan19 wrote:
What issues/damage can be caused by running/riding with fuel in crankcase?

Fuel will dilute the oil viscosity and reduce it's effectiveness.

nyrangersfan19 wrote: It appears the petcock is the culprit. Parts ordered to rebuild it.

What issues/damage can be caused by running/riding with fuel in crankcase?

The worst case scenario that I've heard warned of is supposed to be a potential explosion in side the engine cases, if the vapor ignites. Usually it's just the properties of your oil that are destroyed. If you rub some oil between your fingers mixed with a little gasoline you will feel it has really poor lubrication properties compared to the slickness of pure oil.

It's a good thing you found the petcock leaking and have ordered parts but the fact still remains that something else is leaking. Your float needles should have prevented the carbs from over filling and spilling into the crank case and air filter.

Don't even try to run the engine with that diluted oil gas mix. The good news is that the gasoline in the oil has helped to clean the inside of the engine for you. Be sure to put new oil and filter in it prior to first run. But until you find the leak you are really not fixing anything.

If it were mine I'd pull the carbs and clean them out paying special attention to the floats and float needles. After all you aren't riding it until you get the petcock parts anyway. When you have the carbs of and think you have them clean and the floats/needles working correctly I do two tests. With float bowls still off I flip the carbs over so the floats try to seal the fuel flow. Then I blow into the fuel line and check for air leaks. You should be able to hear it. Or I;ll put carb cleaner into the float needle assembly and blow into the fuel line. If one of more are leaking it will blow the carb cleaner up. Easy to see then. If that passes then I'll assemble the carbs and put them in their normal mounted position and using an aux fuel supply ( lawn mower fuel tank) and fuel, I'll let it sit trying to fill the bowls and stop the flow. Leave it like that while you go get a cup of coffee and check for leaks. If it doesn't leak in 10 or 15 min it's not going to. Also the perfect time to set the float levels with a clear piece of tubing.

Nessism wrote:

nyrangersfan19 wrote:
What issues/damage can be caused by running/riding with fuel in crankcase?

Fuel will dilute the oil viscosity and reduce it's effectiveness.

If the cylinder fed by the still leaking carb has a bunch of fuel in it and you try to start the engine, you risk bending the connecting rod.