Please help - fuel leak

Hi all.

My mechanical knowledge is limited, but I'd like to hear your thoughts
on this before I take it to a mechanic.

I started my bike (94 YZF600) today for the first time in three weeks. A
few weeks back I changed the oil and filter, and ran out of time and
left the fairing off. Since then it has rained almost non-stop here in
Perth so I didn't get round to putting it back on.

It was a little reluctant to start at first, and stalled. On the second
attempt it started nicely and ran, but idled a bit lower than normal.

Then I noticed the smell of fuel. Looking underneath the bike, I could
see petrol dripping out. When I took off the fairing I could see that it
was coming from a little metal tube about 8mm in diameter. There is one
of these tubes directly above each cylinder, angled backward and
slightly downwards. The fuel seemed to be coming from one of these only.

A bit of history: once before, this bike spontaneously started leaking
fuel while I was riding it. I took it to a mechanic who told me that the
carburettors had been blocked up by dirt and gunk from the fuel, and
that it had backed up and started leaking. He cleaned it up and all
seemed well. This was nearly a year ago.

Again I emphasise my lack of mechanical abilities. What have I done to
my bike???

Thanks.

Bruce.

 

Fuel leaks are somethingyou dontmuck around with,

Just dont light a match to see were its coming from.

 

Hi,

I don't know anything about your model but I do know something of your
problem.

I think you might find the needle in the float bowl of your carby (s)
is stuck open, most likely from dirt or whatever.

You need to clean this out and clean the filter , if there is one. If
there isn't one instal a fuel filter.

And most likely you need to empty and flush the petrol tank. Maybe water
and junk has got in and finally built up. ( I had a Yamaha once that was
full of rust in the petrol tank. Their cheap manufacture encourages such
problems )

Maybe the float setting needs to be fixed too. It's not hard, just
requires getting the specifications, probably some new seals and gaskets
for the carbys, and remembering ( by writing down ) the order you
unscrewed things so you can screw them back together again.

Try it, it's a lot more satisfying to work it out ( and a hundred or so
dollars cheaper ) than paying.

Regards

Stuart

 

Thanks Stuart!

That sounds like what they did last time. I will give it a go.

Bruce.

 

[I'm assuming this thing isn't EFI, okay?]

Where do they come out of? The tank? The carbs? Manifolds?
If it's the carb overflow pipes, probably just a stuck needle valve ...
sometimes tapping the float bowl with the handle of a screwdriver will
make the problem go away.

Got a digital camera? Mail me a photo and I'll tell you what it is!

Get them to install a fuel filter this time then.

-----sharks