CV issue

[Harpo]

Carbed '97 RK - Bike sat for about 4 weeks with no fuel in bowel, and after that it had a healthy trickle out the overflow tube.  Tore carb off and replaced needle, checked the seat (it's good), set float and re-checked a coupla' times, tried setting float a bit on the low side, but I'm still getting a little bit of a trickle out the overflow tube.

I've looked it over real good and see nothing wrong.  Anyone ever ran into this?  TIA

[Hossamania]

Look closely at the seat for pitting. I'm sure you checked, but is the float leaking?
Did you spray everything down, especially the needle and seat, with some cleaner?
Also, when is that last time the whole carb was cleaned and serviced? I tend to replace the accelerator pump and clean those passages whenever I have it apart if it's been a few years. (And clean the accelerator rod, they tend to get dirty and bind.) Check for full travel to the stop for the throttle. Just some things of the other things I look at when servicing.
Have you tried running it to get a healthy flow of fuel to run past it? Is your petcock working properly? Not necessarily related, just curious, I turn mine off every time to prevent a leak like yours from becoming a big problem.

[Hossamania]

One last thing, where did you get the needle, HD or aftermarket? Is the tip in good shape, rubber not hard?

[thumper 823]

Does gas flow out the fuel line with petcock open?

[Hossamania]

Does gas flow out the fuel line with petcock open?

And is it the original vacuum operated petcock or an aftermarket?

[Diver625]

How old is the fuel line, the old ones decompose and pieces flake off of the inside and get stuck holding the needle open a bit. The first thing to do is shut the gas off and run the bowl out of gas. Then turn it back on and try it. When the bowl is out of gas the float drops down and opens the needle wider allowing the new gas to wash the piece out of the needle and seat.

[Burnout]

I always put a droop in the fuel line to catch any sediment that gets past the petcock screen.

[thumper 823]

I am so far from stock I forget the simple things -
Yes the vacuum petcock should be thrown in in the trash as someday it will that day for you!

[Burnout]

Sounds like it might be time for a float test. Those plastic foam floats sometimes absorb fuel.
Assuming you have a clean tank and a screen on your petcock and a new fuel hose.


I carefully place a suspect float on a concrete floor,
Then find something flat and very heavy and drop it on the float,
If it leaves a wet spot the float was bad......   

NOTE: You can stomp on it, but use hard sole shoes so no float parts can pierce your foot. (adding injury to insult)   

Replace float and "party on".   

[JBarrettB]

Is the overflow tower split?

JB

[screem]

How old is the fuel line, the old ones decompose and pieces flake off of the inside and get stuck holding the needle open a bit. The first thing to do is shut the gas off and run the bowl out of gas. Then turn it back on and try it. When the bowl is out of gas the float drops down and opens the needle wider allowing the new gas to wash the piece out of the needle and seat.

I just had to replace a fuel line due to it flaking pieces of rubber from inside the fuel line. I had the float stick and puke fuel all over the shop floor

[cheech]

Is the overflow tower split?

JB

Good call! Experienced this firsthand.