Hello everyone,

i own a few bikes, never had any issues like this...took the exhaust header off my Klx 250s about a week ago, waiting on a clamp part to reconnect with a power bomb and Delkevic exhaust.

this morning, I smell petrol, real strong...down to garage and the floor is covered with petrol, which has somehow come through the float bowl drain tube (the 3mm hex screw is fully closed). Fuel stops when I turn petcock to off, starts hosing out again when I open the petcock...

Any ideas as to what may have gone wrong?

David

 

Float needle stuck, it happens.

Two ways to fix without opening it up

Wack the carb body with the handle of a screwdriver

Turn off fuel, open carb drain turn on fuel, close drain.

 

Cheers, banging it seems to have worked, still not sure why it suddenly decided to let go, unless the kids were fiddling one morning...

 

I always turn off the petcock when I park my bike for this reason....It happens.

 

Fuel valve off and I drain the carb.

 

I'm curious as to how you are going to "bolt" a delkevic slipon to a Powerbomb... They do not match as their piping sizes are quite different.. You should know that a Powerbomb (or Megabomb) connected to a smaller midpipe creates a power loss across the entire RPM range compared to the stock header on the Delkevic or a FMF slipon on the Powerbomb..

Here is the sticky on exhaust options: https://www.kawasakiforums.com/forum...rations-44444/

 

Don't blame the kids, you just got a spot of crud or something that briefly stuck the needle. Extremely rare to happen, but does. Kids couldn't cause it.

Personally I leave my gas on for two reasons, one being if the float needle gets stuck I know it when there is the odor or leakage I will smell or see it. Otherwise if it actually was seriously stuck you may not realize it until it's dumped a bunch of gas into the intake and, if the valve is open, they cylinder and engine. I had a needle seize when I drained the carb for the winter months, first time ever. The intake sealed well, but there was a puddle of gas in the intake to sop out. A kid standing by the bike noticed the gas pouring out, I hadn't and was near ready to try to fire it up. I had always left the gas on for the other reason - there is always fuel in the float bowl - liquid - no dried residue. Then I drain the gas if the bike sits for a long period.

Only bike I have carb problems with is the one that has a vacuum petcock - carbs dry, need cleand... and it has to be an in-line 4.

In other words it seems doing what most say not to do, leave the petcock on, has never caused an issue for me as long as the float needle works - and it always has. The one time the needle didn't work was when it was dry and stuck in the carb body. So I do what works for me. If you want to try it, fine, try it. If you don't, don't bother telling me I've been wrong since 1971 - I already know it, but it works for me.

 

got yer fire insurance paid up?

 

Yep, between my wife and I, we're in and out of the garage often enough to tell if there's any fumes. And as I said, works for me for .near a half century and that's a rather long time. Don't do it if you don't like or trust it.

If it was stuck when I pulled in I'd see and smell it. Not sure how it would get anything of any size to stick it while sitting, but maybe possible and would only barely drip - again being noticeable instantly on opening the door. No different than any other of the gas powered things in the garage, like the mowers, not to mention fuel cans. Plus you do realize the fuel petcock can fail too, right? That I actually had happen, needing new valve gasket or whatever they call it.

 

ya well, I know someone that had the garage catch fire from a leaking tank. I torched my front yard once dealing with my liquid locked KZ1300. its been known to happen. and ya, I kinda know bikes, got my first in 1965