gas leak. need help

dburgess1231 · March 31st, 2012, 07:30 PM

I was riding down the road and my bike started to studder while moving until it eventually dies. I thought it was a bad battery, but today i have discovered gas leaking somewhere from the carbs. Is this a common issue? Should i take it in to have it worked on or should i attempt to take it all apart myself having never worked on the carbs? I need my bike!

Motofool · March 31st, 2012, 08:12 PM

Inside the bowl of each carburetor there is a float that forces a valve to close the flow of fuel from the tank once the level of fuel inside that bowl reaches a specific level.

If the float or the valve are jammed, nothing stops the flow from the tank and the carbs don't work as intended.

Sometimes that happens after a fall or something that disturbs those internal parts; sometimes, one or both valves just reached the end of their life and need to be replaced.

Rare but not impossible is a float that sinks due to a puncture or crack that allows fuel to fill it up.

I would gently tap the sides of the leaking bowl and see if that stops the leak.

You will find many threads with step by step descriptions of how to open and clean the Ninja's carbs.

dburgess1231 · April 1st, 2012, 11:04 AM

When you lift up the seat there is a black tube on the bottom left near the tank bolts. what is that supposed to lead to? mine seems to lead to nothing. the other end is all chewed up

Motofool · April 1st, 2012, 02:31 PM

That hose drains any water that gets collected at the cap of the fuel tank down to free discharge it on the road.

choneofakind · April 1st, 2012, 03:15 PM

It also allows air into the tank to take the place of the fuel that leaves it so there's not vacuum inside the tank to starve the engine. If it's chewed up on the end where it dangles out of the bike, that's not a problem. That just means that it's touched the ground once in a while because it's so long.

Mine was like that too. I finally cut 1.5" off of it after a few well intending cagers annoyed the crap out of my by flagging me down at lights, and yelling, "Your bike's broken! There's something hanging off the bottom!" Took me forever to realize they were talking about my breather hose...

dburgess1231 · April 1st, 2012, 04:07 PM

ok. i really hate that i have to rebuild the carbs though.

Motofool · April 1st, 2012, 04:18 PM

Just try the side tap on the bowls with a heavy piece of wood.

It may work if something is just out of place.

dburgess1231 · April 1st, 2012, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Motofool

Just try the side tap on the bowls with a heavy piece of wood.

It may work if something is just out of place.

I dont think that will stop it from leaking gass tho...

choneofakind · April 1st, 2012, 08:25 PM

if it's a jammed float valve, a solid tap might free it.

dburgess1231 · April 2nd, 2012, 04:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by choneofakind

if it's a jammed float valve, a solid tap might free it.

Yeah but how would that make it leak gas? I would think a seal is bad or a connection is bad somewhere if it is leaking gas right?

dburgess1231 · April 3rd, 2012, 05:03 AM

takin her apart today. Then cleaning the carbs saturday.

March 31st, 2012, 07:30 PM	#1
dburgess1231 ninjette.org member Name: Doug Location: Northern OH Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Ninja EX250 blue Posts: 78	gas leak. need help I was riding down the road and my bike started to studder while moving until it eventually dies. I thought it was a bad battery, but today i have discovered gas leaking somewhere from the carbs. Is this a common issue? Should i take it in to have it worked on or should i attempt to take it all apart myself having never worked on the carbs? I need my bike! __________________________________________________ http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99183

March 31st, 2012, 08:12 PM	#2
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	Inside the bowl of each carburetor there is a float that forces a valve to close the flow of fuel from the tank once the level of fuel inside that bowl reaches a specific level. If the float or the valve are jammed, nothing stops the flow from the tank and the carbs don't work as intended. Sometimes that happens after a fall or something that disturbs those internal parts; sometimes, one or both valves just reached the end of their life and need to be replaced. Rare but not impossible is a float that sinks due to a puncture or crack that allows fuel to fill it up. I would gently tap the sides of the leaking bowl and see if that stops the leak. You will find many threads with step by step descriptions of how to open and clean the Ninja's carbs. __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí

April 1st, 2012, 11:04 AM	#3
dburgess1231 ninjette.org member Name: Doug Location: Northern OH Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Ninja EX250 blue Posts: 78	When you lift up the seat there is a black tube on the bottom left near the tank bolts. what is that supposed to lead to? mine seems to lead to nothing. the other end is all chewed up __________________________________________________ http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99183

April 1st, 2012, 02:31 PM	#4
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	That hose drains any water that gets collected at the cap of the fuel tank down to free discharge it on the road. __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí

April 1st, 2012, 04:07 PM	#6
dburgess1231 ninjette.org member Name: Doug Location: Northern OH Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Ninja EX250 blue Posts: 78	ok. i really hate that i have to rebuild the carbs though. __________________________________________________ http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99183

April 1st, 2012, 03:15 PM	#5
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	It also allows air into the tank to take the place of the fuel that leaves it so there's not vacuum inside the tank to starve the engine. If it's chewed up on the end where it dangles out of the bike, that's not a problem. That just means that it's touched the ground once in a while because it's so long. Mine was like that too. I finally cut 1.5" off of it after a few well intending cagers annoyed the crap out of my by flagging me down at lights, and yelling, "Your bike's broken! There's something hanging off the bottom!" Took me forever to realize they were talking about my breather hose...

April 1st, 2012, 04:18 PM	#7
Motofool Daily Ninjette rider Name: Hernan Location: Florida Join Date: Mar 2011 Motorcycle(s): 2007 Ninja 250 Posts: A lot. MOTY - 2016, MOTM - Dec '12, Jan '14, Jan '15, May '16	Just try the side tap on the bowls with a heavy piece of wood. It may work if something is just out of place. __________________________________________________ *Motofool* *.................................Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly* "Mankind is composed of two sorts of men — those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy. Love is the bond between men, the way to teach and the center of the world." - José Martí

April 1st, 2012, 08:25 PM	#9
choneofakind ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: . Location: . Join Date: Feb 2011 Motorcycle(s): . Posts: Too much. MOTM - Feb '13, Feb '14	if it's a jammed float valve, a solid tap might free it.

April 3rd, 2012, 05:03 AM	#11
dburgess1231 ninjette.org member Name: Doug Location: Northern OH Join Date: Mar 2012 Motorcycle(s): 2003 Ninja EX250 blue Posts: 78	takin her apart today. Then cleaning the carbs saturday. __________________________________________________ http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=99183

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