Carb float levels...

corksil · January 26th, 2014, 10:44 PM

Long story short, I started bogging and lost power. Bike wouldn't re-start, fuel all over the damn place, bike was really flooded. Fuel in the pipe, fuel in the combustion chamber, fuel god-damn-everywhere. Foul'd the plugs... had to tow home.. FUBAR. Main jet too big I suppose. Bogging and loss of power was due to running on one cylinder instead of two.

Float level on the carbs. How often does this need adjustment on these bikes? After pulling the carbs and draining the float bowls into two separate cups, I got more fuel out of one than the other. The carb with MORE fuel in the float bowl was the cylinder that wouldn't run and continued to misfire even after fresh spark plugs.

Friend thinks I have float level mis-adjustment. He wanted to take a screwdriver and bend the tab on the float to adjust the level. I told him I'd research this before I fukked anything up.

I don't think anyone has messed with this before I'm about to.

How do I check/adjust this? I have my own intuition to follow, but it'd be nice to hear some educated opinions before I make matters worse.

Tomorrow I'll re-assemble with smaller (106 DJ main jets) after everything has dried out. Clean the plugs again, re-assemble, and take the bike up and down the street near my shop to try and work the excess fuel out. Already removed the exhaust pipes (areaP) and dumped out the unburned fuel.

Any ideas?

And my second question -- if I flooded the bike.... really really flooded the bike, we're talking fuel puddling in the air filter, puddling in the exhaust pipe, enough fuel all over the damn place to take a bath in, enough fuel to start a nice bonfire, fuel enough to re-capture and stockpile in the event of apocalypse, enough fuel to wash my hands with for the next month.....

Have I compromised my oil? Just put 34 bucks worth of fresh oil in the day before this happened -- I'd hate to have to dump it and replace it (because it's polluted with fuel..) -- but I will if you guys think it's smart. Can I leave the oil cap off for a few days and let the fuel evaporate out of the oil? Otherwise I'm back to the part-store for another 2 liters of paying way-the-ufck-more-than-it's-worth-for-oil.

Alex · January 26th, 2014, 10:47 PM

/moved to new-gen tech

DaBlue1 · January 26th, 2014, 10:58 PM

If your fuel leak was as much as you described, there's a very good chance that you may have gotten a good bit of gas in your oil too. It's easy to check the oil level and smell for gas. If it's contaminated you will need to change the oil. No amount of evaporation is gonna clear that up.

$34 bucks for oil? WTF do you use? If it ain't netting you at least 5 HP, it's too freaking much.

corksil · January 26th, 2014, 11:03 PM

corksil · January 26th, 2014, 11:06 PM

hawaii paradise tax. (14/liter for maxima4 oil)

DaBlue1 · January 27th, 2014, 08:54 AM

Warning! Towing your motorcycle in this manner without removing the chain may result in possible transmission damage.

Without the engine running and the drive chain still attached, means your output shaft bearing is spinning at full speed, (with the other gears still meshed together) with no oil lubrication. That may be fine at slow speed for very limited distance but for anything like highway speeds and damage may occur.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...o+transmission

corksil · January 27th, 2014, 11:58 AM

Thanks. Guess I'll change the oil again once I get the bike going.

Has anyone had to mess with their carb float levels? Like I said, I got a little more fuel out of the offending cylinder float bowl...

A guide on adjusting these mofos would be very helpful.

subxero · January 27th, 2014, 12:54 PM

adjusting float height is quite common but also commonly skipped as it is generally not going to make a big difference.

google search adjust float height, you will get hits, they may not be ninja250r related but a carb float is a carb float and reading anything about it should give you some insight.

All this being said I think you have a bigger problem to the extent that something is broken and or not put back together right.

good luck

DaBlue1 · January 27th, 2014, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by corksil

A guide on adjusting these mofos would be very helpful.

Hopefully this helps and you don't have a problem like reversion. A pod filter with fuel puddling in it is rare.

mgentz · January 29th, 2014, 05:30 PM

I believe stock is 17mm.

Factory pro has a good writeup on adjusting this....

January 26th, 2014, 10:44 PM	#1
corksil ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: TC Location: Hawaii Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): A lot. Posts: A lot.	Carb float levels... Long story short, I started bogging and lost power. Bike wouldn't re-start, fuel all over the damn place, bike was really flooded. Fuel in the pipe, fuel in the combustion chamber, fuel god-damn-everywhere. Foul'd the plugs... had to tow home.. FUBAR. Main jet too big I suppose. Bogging and loss of power was due to running on one cylinder instead of two. Float level on the carbs. How often does this need adjustment on these bikes? After pulling the carbs and draining the float bowls into two separate cups, I got more fuel out of one than the other. The carb with MORE fuel in the float bowl was the cylinder that wouldn't run and continued to misfire even after fresh spark plugs. Friend thinks I have float level mis-adjustment. He wanted to take a screwdriver and bend the tab on the float to adjust the level. I told him I'd research this before I fukked anything up. I don't think anyone has messed with this before I'm about to. How do I check/adjust this? I have my own intuition to follow, but it'd be nice to hear some educated opinions before I make matters worse. Tomorrow I'll re-assemble with smaller (106 DJ main jets) after everything has dried out. Clean the plugs again, re-assemble, and take the bike up and down the street near my shop to try and work the excess fuel out. Already removed the exhaust pipes (areaP) and dumped out the unburned fuel. Any ideas? And my second question -- if I flooded the bike.... really really flooded the bike, we're talking fuel puddling in the air filter, puddling in the exhaust pipe, enough fuel all over the damn place to take a bath in, enough fuel to start a nice bonfire, fuel enough to re-capture and stockpile in the event of apocalypse, enough fuel to wash my hands with for the next month..... Have I compromised my oil? Just put 34 bucks worth of fresh oil in the day before this happened -- I'd hate to have to dump it and replace it (because it's polluted with fuel..) -- but I will if you guys think it's smart. Can I leave the oil cap off for a few days and let the fuel evaporate out of the oil? Otherwise I'm back to the part-store for another 2 liters of paying way-the-ufck-more-than-it's-worth-for-oil.

January 26th, 2014, 10:47 PM	#2
Alex ninjette.org dude Name: 1 guess :-) Location: SF Bay Area Join Date: Jun 2008 Motorcycle(s): '13 Ninja 300 (white, the fastest color!), '13 R1200RT, '14 CRF250L, '12 TT-R125LE Posts: Too much. Blog Entries: 7	/moved to new-gen tech __________________________________________________ Montgomery Street Motorcycle Club / cal24.com / crf250l.org / ninjette.org ninjette.org Terms of Service Shopping for motorcycle parts or equipment? Come here first. The friendliest Ninja 250R/300/400 forum on the internet! (especially Unregistered)

January 27th, 2014, 12:54 PM	#8
subxero dirty boy Name: Joe Location: Johnstown, PA Join Date: Sep 2012 Motorcycle(s): I don't even know anymore?? Posts: A lot. MOTM - Apr '14	adjusting float height is quite common but also commonly skipped as it is generally not going to make a big difference. google search adjust float height, you will get hits, they may not be ninja250r related but a carb float is a carb float and reading anything about it should give you some insight. All this being said I think you have a bigger problem to the extent that something is broken and or not put back together right. good luck __________________________________________________ I love the smell of burning pre-mix in the morning I don't think I'm a lot dumber than you thought that I think that I thought I was once.

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January 26th, 2014, 10:58 PM	#3
DaBlue1 Long Time Rider Name: Blue Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	If your fuel leak was as much as you described, there's a very good chance that you may have gotten a good bit of gas in your oil too. It's easy to check the oil level and smell for gas. If it's contaminated you will need to change the oil. No amount of evaporation is gonna clear that up. $34 bucks for oil? WTF do you use? If it ain't netting you at least 5 HP, it's too freaking much.

January 26th, 2014, 11:03 PM	#4
corksil ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: TC Location: Hawaii Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): A lot. Posts: A lot.

January 26th, 2014, 11:06 PM	#5
corksil ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: TC Location: Hawaii Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): A lot. Posts: A lot.	hawaii paradise tax. (14/liter for maxima4 oil)

January 27th, 2014, 08:54 AM	#6
DaBlue1 Long Time Rider Name: Blue Location: Charlotte, NC Join Date: Sep 2010 Motorcycle(s): 2009 Kawasaki Ninja 250R Posts: A lot.	Warning! Towing your motorcycle in this manner without removing the chain may result in possible transmission damage. Without the engine running and the drive chain still attached, means your output shaft bearing is spinning at full speed, (with the other gears still meshed together) with no oil lubrication. That may be fine at slow speed for very limited distance but for anything like highway speeds and damage may occur. http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showt...o+transmission

January 27th, 2014, 11:58 AM	#7
corksil ninjette.org certified postwhore Name: TC Location: Hawaii Join Date: Sep 2013 Motorcycle(s): A lot. Posts: A lot.	Thanks. Guess I'll change the oil again once I get the bike going. Has anyone had to mess with their carb float levels? Like I said, I got a little more fuel out of the offending cylinder float bowl... A guide on adjusting these mofos would be very helpful.

January 29th, 2014, 05:30 PM	#10
mgentz Board Member Name: ... Location: WI Join Date: Dec 2011 Motorcycle(s): 250R (street), 250R (dirt) Posts: A lot.	I believe stock is 17mm. Factory pro has a good writeup on adjusting this....