Problem with draining the carburetor! Please help!

htsang07 · September 3rd, 2012, 02:09 PM

Hello, so i have had my '12 ex250 for about a years. I have to go back to school so i decided to put my bike away for the winter. I was draining the carburetor by turning the petcock to "on" (the only options are "on" and "Prime") then loosened the drain screws on the carburetor. Initially, a good amount of gas flowed out but after wards it started to just drip, the problem is that it was dripping for like 5 hours and i decided to just stop draining it. About 1/2 a quart flowed out on both sides (so 1 quart in total.) I don't remember that much fuel draining out last time and I'm pretty sure it didn't drain for this long last time. Can someone please tell me what's wrong and how to fix it? Or at least any suggestions/advices would be much appreciated.

I actually just read that it might be a problem with the petcock but how would i go about fixing that? What i am more interested in is if there would be any other problems due to a faulty vacuum?

Thanks in advance.

choneofakind · September 3rd, 2012, 02:24 PM

Try tapping the carbs to loosen the float valves. No matter what state your petcock in in, those should always close and stop gas from entering (and then leaving via the drain in your case) the carbs.

The issue with this being a long term condition is that there will be gas in the oil. Gas is not a good lubricant.

htsang07 · September 3rd, 2012, 04:18 PM

Posted via Mobile Device

htsang07 · September 3rd, 2012, 04:24 PM

Lol, can you dumb it down a little, I'm not very knowledgeable with mechanical stuff. How do i go about tapping into the carbs? And why am i doing that? How does gas end up in the oil..? I thought the push of the gas is from the tank to carb along with air then to the engine for combustion then out through the exhaust. Unless the gas is seeping down the pistons?
Posted via Mobile Device

bdavison · September 3rd, 2012, 04:30 PM

Just clamp off the fuel lines, then open up the float bowls.

Since you cant turn off the petcock, once you drain the bowl, the floats go down, and open up letting more fuel in. You've got to turn it off at the source either via a petcock(which you cant do) or by clamping off the hose. Or better yet, disconnect the fuel line from the carb and put a plug in the end.

And I have NO idea what choneofakind is talking about.

choneofakind · September 3rd, 2012, 04:38 PM

Sorry, tapping the carb body with the handle of a screwdriver. But I guess that's not valid though, because once the bowls are empty, the floats drop and let more fuel in anyways... derp. Sorry about that bad advice there...

for storing it, your best bet might be to just pull the fuel hose and cap the line so that there's nothing getting into your carbs.

Then get a new piece of line, put it on the bottom of your petcock, and cap it as well.

Sorry about any confusion!!

I didn't think that one the whole way through.

bdavison · September 3rd, 2012, 04:42 PM

The newgen petcock only has two positions
"ON" which is normal operating position
"PRIME" which is for priming (filling) the float bowls after storage or first time startup.

Unfortunately, the new gen does not have any way to turn off the petcock like pregens or many other bikes do.

choneofakind · September 3rd, 2012, 04:51 PM

hmm, but "on" should only flow fuel when there is vacuum being applied to it.

Which means that his petcock is not working correctly.

bdavison · September 3rd, 2012, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by choneofakind

hmm, but "on" should only flow fuel when there is vacuum being applied to it.

Which means that his petcock is not working correctly.

True that...but I don't think I've ever seen one that works the way it's supposed to. Usually its not a problem, because the floats will shut off the fuel anyway.

htsang07 · September 5th, 2012, 05:17 PM

oh damn, thanks for the insight. I clamped the hose that connects the petcock to the carburetor and it seemed like that stopped the flow of gas to the carbs. I decided that you guys are most likely right that the problem is with the petcock.

I think i'm going to replace the petcock all together... but, i'm a little worried because I literally had the bike for just one year and, well, i don't want to have to replace the petcock every year lol.

Btw, I was wondering.. do you guys think that I will have to apply like.. grease or something on the O rings when i attach the petcock? sort of like how they say you should apply engine oil on the O rings when you change the oil filter.

lgk · September 5th, 2012, 05:41 PM

i was going to suggest draining the tank completely, or adding stabil.

choneofakind · September 5th, 2012, 09:18 PM

Yeah, but an empty tank has the possibility of rusting. A full tank doesn't.

htsang07 · September 5th, 2012, 09:31 PM

The rust reason is actually why i wanted to replace the petcock. but isn't it also just bad to have gas continually flowing into the carbs anyhow? I also just ordered a new petcock for 70 bucks.. lol i just don't know if the orings needs to be lubricated before installation

choneofakind · September 5th, 2012, 09:35 PM

I didn't ever lubricate the o-rings, and I've had no issues

htsang07 · September 5th, 2012, 09:43 PM

oh maybe ill just install it then lol. i read somewhere that a dude didn't lubricate the oil o ring and it started leaking,, i dunno. i was just worried that the petcock might leak gas or sometihng.

September 3rd, 2012, 02:09 PM	#1
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	Problem with draining the carburetor! Please help! Hello, so i have had my '12 ex250 for about a years. I have to go back to school so i decided to put my bike away for the winter. I was draining the carburetor by turning the petcock to "on" (the only options are "on" and "Prime") then loosened the drain screws on the carburetor. Initially, a good amount of gas flowed out but after wards it started to just drip, the problem is that it was dripping for like 5 hours and i decided to just stop draining it. About 1/2 a quart flowed out on both sides (so 1 quart in total.) I don't remember that much fuel draining out last time and I'm pretty sure it didn't drain for this long last time. Can someone please tell me what's wrong and how to fix it? Or at least any suggestions/advices would be much appreciated. I actually just read that it might be a problem with the petcock but how would i go about fixing that? What i am more interested in is if there would be any other problems due to a faulty vacuum? Thanks in advance.

September 5th, 2012, 05:41 PM	#11
lgk ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: Jason Location: Norfolk, VA Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2012 EX250, 2014 EX300 Posts: A lot.	i was going to suggest draining the tank completely, or adding stabil. __________________________________________________ Ethioknight Memorial Fund- Sticker sale http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=111700

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September 3rd, 2012, 02:24 PM	#2
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Try tapping the carbs to loosen the float valves. No matter what state your petcock in in, those should always close and stop gas from entering (and then leaving via the drain in your case) the carbs. The issue with this being a long term condition is that there will be gas in the oil. Gas is not a good lubricant.

September 3rd, 2012, 04:18 PM	#3
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	Posted via Mobile Device

September 3rd, 2012, 04:24 PM	#4
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	Lol, can you dumb it down a little, I'm not very knowledgeable with mechanical stuff. How do i go about tapping into the carbs? And why am i doing that? How does gas end up in the oil..? I thought the push of the gas is from the tank to carb along with air then to the engine for combustion then out through the exhaust. Unless the gas is seeping down the pistons? Posted via Mobile Device

September 3rd, 2012, 04:30 PM	#5
bdavison Wartown, USA Name: Bryan Location: Warner Robins, GA Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R SE, 2007 Ninja 650R, and assorted other bikes Posts: A lot.	Just clamp off the fuel lines, then open up the float bowls. Since you cant turn off the petcock, once you drain the bowl, the floats go down, and open up letting more fuel in. You've got to turn it off at the source either via a petcock(which you cant do) or by clamping off the hose. Or better yet, disconnect the fuel line from the carb and put a plug in the end. And I have NO idea what choneofakind is talking about.

September 3rd, 2012, 04:38 PM	#6
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Sorry, tapping the carb body with the handle of a screwdriver. But I guess that's not valid though, because once the bowls are empty, the floats drop and let more fuel in anyways... derp. Sorry about that bad advice there... for storing it, your best bet might be to just pull the fuel hose and cap the line so that there's nothing getting into your carbs. Then get a new piece of line, put it on the bottom of your petcock, and cap it as well. Sorry about any confusion!! I didn't think that one the whole way through.

September 3rd, 2012, 04:42 PM	#7
bdavison Wartown, USA Name: Bryan Location: Warner Robins, GA Join Date: Nov 2009 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Ninja 250R SE, 2007 Ninja 650R, and assorted other bikes Posts: A lot.	The newgen petcock only has two positions "ON" which is normal operating position "PRIME" which is for priming (filling) the float bowls after storage or first time startup. Unfortunately, the new gen does not have any way to turn off the petcock like pregens or many other bikes do.

September 3rd, 2012, 04:51 PM	#8
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	hmm, but "on" should only flow fuel when there is vacuum being applied to it. Which means that his petcock is not working correctly.

September 5th, 2012, 05:17 PM	#10
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	oh damn, thanks for the insight. I clamped the hose that connects the petcock to the carburetor and it seemed like that stopped the flow of gas to the carbs. I decided that you guys are most likely right that the problem is with the petcock. I think i'm going to replace the petcock all together... but, i'm a little worried because I literally had the bike for just one year and, well, i don't want to have to replace the petcock every year lol. Btw, I was wondering.. do you guys think that I will have to apply like.. grease or something on the O rings when i attach the petcock? sort of like how they say you should apply engine oil on the O rings when you change the oil filter.

September 5th, 2012, 09:18 PM	#12
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	Yeah, but an empty tank has the possibility of rusting. A full tank doesn't.

September 5th, 2012, 09:31 PM	#13
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	The rust reason is actually why i wanted to replace the petcock. but isn't it also just bad to have gas continually flowing into the carbs anyhow? I also just ordered a new petcock for 70 bucks.. lol i just don't know if the orings needs to be lubricated before installation

September 5th, 2012, 09:35 PM	#14
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	I didn't ever lubricate the o-rings, and I've had no issues

September 5th, 2012, 09:43 PM	#15
htsang07 ninjette.org member Name: Henry Location: Brooklyn Join Date: Sep 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2011 Ninja 250r Posts: 17	oh maybe ill just install it then lol. i read somewhere that a dude didn't lubricate the oil o ring and it started leaking,, i dunno. i was just worried that the petcock might leak gas or sometihng.