2 problems - leaking spark and pissing gas out a carb - advice

[seestheday]

Well, I put my headers back on after painting them flat black,  put everything together, fired up the bike and started to sync the carbs but I noticed that my #1 carb was pissing gas.  When I cleaned the carbs I re-used all the parts and the #1 carb did give me a problem at first with the float bowl getting stuck.  When I still had them off the bike I took the #1 off again and was able to get it to hold gas.  Now that it sat through the winter it's pissing gas again.  I think I'm just going to buy a carb kit and redo that one carb.  Shouldn't be too difficult, just a bit of a pain.

The other problem that I noticed was that I now see the spark on the side of the engine.  I was never able to see this before.  Is this common after a bike has sat through a winter?  Could it be related to the headers, or is it more probable that it's the gasket that has shrunk over the winter?  Could it resolve on it's own after I ride it for a bit and the gasket gets a chance to warm up?  Is it dangerous?

I was really hoping to ride it this week, but if I have to pull the engine out to fix the gasket then that's what I'm going to have to do.

[Re-run]

Well all you should need to do is drop the bowl and remove the float. Clean the float needle seat to remove any crud. You may also need to replace the needle. Afterthat you should be fine though maybe do a flotation test of the float to make sure it still floats! You never know.

As for the spark, do you see it around the plug or where? the description isnt too clear on where exactly you see it.

[seestheday]

Spark seems to be visible through the side of the engine, which has me worried that the gasket has gone.  I'll take a video tonight.  It's honestly hard to tell through, it was dark when I looked at.

Is it possible to drop the bowl without removing the carb bank?  I guess since it's just the #1 carb then it shouldn't be too difficult to access.  I'll try that tonight.

[LukeM]

Weird action with spark out the side.  Might help to get a little video of that, if you can.

Since it's carb bowl #1, you _should_ be able to get that bowl off with an appropriate screwdriver. Is it possible that you put the needle in upside down?

Luke M

[seestheday]

Well anything is possible, but I'd feel pretty damn stupid if I put it in upside down.  

Also, It was holding gas when I bench tested it before I put it in, and held gas when I first fired it up on the bike.  It then sat for 2 months (winter) and now it's leaking gas.

I might be able to get a video at lunch time... I'll see what I can do.

[seestheday]

As promised - video.  But no spark is visible.  I might have to do this while it's dark.  The engine stuttering at the end of the video is just the engine running out of gas.  I was running it only on what was sitting in the carb bowls because if I turn the petcock on it'll just piss gas out through carb #1 b/c of the stuck float.



There is something else I see through that I didn't notice before.  A little puff of exhaust is leaking out when I rev it.  It looks like it's coming from where the headers attach to the block.

Are there supposed to be any washers in there?  When I took mine off there weren't any, just the heat sinks and a piece of metal that kept the heat sinks from sliding off when I took off the exhaust.

[TOOLS1]

You probably need new spark plug caps. I have had to replace them on several bikes. They are really easy to replace. You just unscrew them off the wire. Trim a 1/4 inch off the wire, and then screw the new ones on.
Also your exhaust is supposed to have a crush washer/gasket between the head, and the pipe. They are about $3.50 at any Honda dealer.
TOOLS

[Re-run]

Well I didn't notice any spark escaping but the exhaust had a bluish look to it. And it looked like it came from the side of the engine and not the connection between pipe and head. There are gaskets that go in there between the head and pipe. Simple exhaust gaskets. I would guess you have some in there but carbon can hid them. a curved pick will usually pull them out. then simple copper or even fiber gaskets go back in.
I used fiber as they were dirt cheap, like 4 - $1. They have worked good though.

As for the spark, pull out the plug and shine a small flashlight in there, something that can stick in the hole and see if you can see light though any cracks or gaskets. Or shine a light in the hole and see if you can stick a thin wire in there through the side. Dont force it though. Dont want to MAKE the gasket bad!

[seestheday]

Ah, thanks for the tips guys.  I'll get some new crush washers from my local Honda dealer.

There was definitely a lot of visible carbon build up in there when I took the headers off.  I have found that my exhaust can be a little blue (indicating burning oil) right after I do an oil change, but it seems to clear up very quickly.  If I check my oil levels after it's cleared up I no longer at the very top level, but still within tolerance.  My bike has decent compression, but I am pretty sure that I'll need to do a top end job fairly soon.

As for the gasket, I already have full set that I bought from sirius ($74!) that I plan to use.  I was just hoping to ride for a while before I dug into it.  This is also why I'm looking to buy a 2nd bike.  One to work on, one to ride

[Re-run]

Thats what I did. Got my fizzer to ride while I work on the cb.

[shinyribs]

Sorry to ask a dumb question,but that spark plug look completely exposed. Like it didn't have a wire on it at all.Are your boots that bad! When you say you see spark thru the side of the engine,do you mean looking in the recess of the head around the plug.or like shooting out between the head and the jug? Oil smoke is typically blue,but gas is derived from oil. If you are running super rich ( you said there was a lot of carbon build up) there could be enough raw gas coming out to make it look blue. over rick smoke it usually blackish,but if it is heavy enough it can appear blue,just like oil. Hope you get it figured out soon!

[seestheday]

My spark plug boots are terrible.  They are a super cheap set that the PO put on.  I've been meaning to put new ones on, but they haven't given me any trouble until now.  It's probably a good time to do it.

I was really surprised by the super cheap boots.  Everything else on it is fairly well done considering the age.

I think I saw the spark through the head and jug, but it was late and I was super tired.  I'm starting to think I imagined it

[shinyribs]

 I reaaaally hope you just imagined that. We all know what that would mean. I dont even want to mention it

[seestheday]

Well, I fired it up again last night and there was no visible spark or detonation through the side.  I guess I'm just going crazy.

I fixed the float sticking issue, so now my carbs don't piss gas.  There is no way I could get the #1 bowl off with a small straight screwdriver.  I guess you might be able to get it off with one of those 90 degree ones.

I pulled the bank, cleaned the float pins, and put it back in.  I'm getting pretty good at pulling them off and putting them back on now that I've done it about 4 times.

I have another problem with a cylinder not firing now, but I'll make a new thread for that.

[shinyribs]

Of course you are good at it,you are the resident CV guruAll this talk about Cv carbs really makes me love my roundtops.Bowl removal with just my thumbthe lazy mans carburetors

[seestheday]

I have been thinking about the flashes that I saw and the more that I think about it, they couldn't have been spark.

They were exhaust gases that were igniting after they leaked out of the headers that were attached without the crush washers.  This was also probably the cause of the blueish smoke that I was seeing.

My bike was running pretty rich when it first started up, but after I cleaned the floats it seems to have resolved.

[shinyribs]

Ah,that makes perfect sense. I'm glad it was not the other!