Petcock / Fuel Tap question

[pdxdavid]

When I changed the oil on my bike ('09 250) it smelled like gas. This was the first time I had changed it since I bought it about a month or so ago.

After changing the oil all seemed well. Sounded better, shifted better everything was better. Life seemed good or atleast better.

I checked again and it seems to be getting gas in the oil again. Color in the glass doesn't seem right and if I take the oil cap off it smells of gas again.

In the reading I have done it seems it could be a petcock issue, or the carb needle not seating properly. Is there an easy way to test these?

These are guesses based on reading I have done. I bought this bike to learn so I'm hoping for things I can check myself. Any insight and help diagnosing would be appreciated.

Thank you

[PartsNinja]

Originally Posted by pdxdavid

When I changed the oil on my bike ('09 250) it smelled like gas. This was the first time I had changed it since I bought it about a month or so ago.

After changing the oil all seemed well. Sounded better, shifted better everything was better. Life seemed good or atleast better.

I checked again and it seems to be getting gas in the oil again. Color in the glass doesn't seem right and if I take the oil cap off it smells of gas again.

In the reading I have done it seems it could be a petcock issue, or the carb needle not seating properly. Is there an easy way to test these?


Thank you

Problem isnt with your petcock, your problem is caused by the floats in your carbs not seating properly. They are dirty or not adjusted properly. You need to take your carbs off and clean/replace components in there. This is the only way gas can get into your oil. Gas is flowing out of your carbs and into your cylinders whrere it seeps past your piston rings and into your crank case.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by pdxdavid

...........
These are guesses based on reading I have done. I bought this bike to learn so I'm hoping for things I can check myself. Any insight and help diagnosing would be appreciated.......

David,

Some smell in the oil is normal, but too much or level that increases is bad news for the health of the internal parts of the engine.

If the engine is not running with over-rich symptoms, it is possible that some fuel is leaking down slowly at night.
You could verify that by disconnecting the fuel line and placing a piece of paper to collect any drops of gas during the night.

If you see traces of gas on the paper, then your petcock is leaking, and it needs replacement of the internal soft parts.

If the engine is running with over-rich symptoms, the only solution is doing surgery on the carbs as advised by Dan above.

[pdxdavid]

First, thank you both for the replies. What would be an over-rich symptom?

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by pdxdavid

First, thank you both for the replies. What would be an over-rich symptom?

You are welcome

Poor fuel economy.
Sluggish acceleration.
Choke not needed from cold starts.
Open throttle needed from warm or hot starts.
Blackish or dusky or black spark plugs.
Blackish or dusky or black muffler end pipes.
Strong smell of gasoline when engine is at idle.
Often engine's slow down from regular idle rpm's and stop.

[pdxdavid]

Well, I am only on my 2nd tank so I am not too sure about the fuel mileage.

I think I have only used the choke one time. It has been warm here though. The bike starts up just fine.

I am not totally sure about the sluggish acceleration. I am a fat guy on a little bike so not sure if it is me or the bike It doesn't seem to sputter or be too bad as far as I can tell from my vast experience of 5 weeks.

Before I changed the oil there was a gas smell in the garage and around the bike at all times. It seems to have gone away. I have noticed at a stop light I will smell gas.

I will have to check the exhaust and spark plugs.

Thanks again.

[pdxdavid]

I finally got around to getting the carbs off. I checked the float valves and they don't look dirty or damaged in any way. The left carb main jet was a little dirty and I need a thinner screwdriver to get the pilot hey out. An I missing something? Should I be taking apart the float valve in some way?

Thank you for any help

[Runeknight95]

Originally Posted by pdxdavid

I finally got around to getting the carbs off. I checked the float valves and they don't look dirty or damaged in any way. The left carb main jet was a little dirty and I need a thinner screwdriver to get the pilot hey out. An I missing something? Should I be taking apart the float valve in some way?

Thank you for any help

Did the petcock leak gas when you removed the hose and it was on the "on" position? IF so its broke and you probably need to stretch the string

No you just use a screw driver to pull the jets out. Go buy a thinner one.

Check the rubber tips of the floats to make sure they are not damaged or chunked, that's what creates the seal when the gas is full in the carb

[pdxdavid]

Thank you.

The petcock did not leak at all and I found no gas in the vacuum hose. So, I think it is okay.

I did get a thinner screwdriver and got the pilot jets out. Neither seemed dirty at all. I cleaned them anyway. I adjusted the float height as one of them was off a bit. I also think I may have seen a small piece of something in the float seat. I cleaned it all out and put everything back together. Replacing the screws on the float bowls with hex bolts.

Next I need to change the oil and filter and see if it helped.

Thanks again for all the help.

[Motofool]

Originally Posted by pdxdavid

.............I also think I may have seen a small piece of something in the float seat................

Thanks again for all the help.

You are welcome