Gas in Oil

[Hoggystyle]

Hey everybody! today i drained the oil on my bike, 79 GS550E, and smelled gasoline. i do remember leaving the tank on Prime while it sat for a few weeks, but is there anything else that could gas to seep into the engine from the carbs? i sprayed the carbs out and replaced the orings with a set from Cycleorings. could it be the floats? petcock? thanks for your help

[Guest]

Typically when you petcock fails you wind up with gas in your oil but leaving it on prime for the time you did will also pour gas into your oil. Good idea to check your petcock is functioning properly though. Good thing you checked your oil!

[Hoggystyle]

ok, any good vendors you know of for replacement petcocks with the vaccum port?

[7981GS]

Definitely change out the oil and filter.
Don't leave it on prime again and you probably won't have a problem again.
Your float needles aren't sealing well and/or the floats are set too high.

Daniel

[Guest]

ok, any good vendors you know of for replacement petcocks with the vaccum port?

Z1 sells good ones at good prices but there are tons of vendors for petcocks, but you may not need one. Simple to check the petcock and Daniel is on the right track about your float needles not sealing and float settings.

[Hoggystyle]

i jsut changed the oil and filter but will have to wait to run the engine as im in the middle of a valve adjustment and repainting my exhaust. i have an external oil cooler so i want to make sure it gets mixed up before i drain it and change the filter again. i think it could be float height. cleaning the carbs was the first thing i did on the bike and i adjusted the floats with new gaskets instead of to bare metal so they are probably set too high. would that let fuel in?

[Hoggystyle]

nevermind that last question, you already answered it

[Guest]

ok, any good vendors you know of for replacement petcocks with the vaccum port?

If you decide you need one, Boulevard Suzuki,
P/N 44300-47011, Fuel Cock Assy, $81.02

[Hoggystyle]

awesome, thank you! ill try leaving it off prime first and see what happens, then move toward the floats and the petcock.

[Steve]

The only time you should "need" to use the PRIme function is when you have had the carbs off the bike and drained them, or in the rare occasion that you have not ridden the bike for several weeks.

Generally speaking, you leave the selector in the RUN position, moving it to REServe if you get that far down in the fuel supply.

If you DO move it to PRIme, you will only need to have it there for no more than a minute. Move it back to RUN before starting the bike, so you don't forget.

.

[Hoggystyle]

should this be in the list of newbie mistakes? well im glad i caught it early. could this contribute to a smoking exhaust by chance?

[SVSooke]

It could as the oil was thinned by the gas.

[Guest]

Make sure that none of your cylinders have filled with fuel!!! I had a petcock valve fail a few years back and a couple of the cylinders filled with gas and caused a "hydro-lock" where the engine locked up, until I pulled all 4 spark plugs, then hit the starter butten where gas shot out of the plug holes!

[Hoggystyle]

oh man, i didnt know that could happen! ill check after i finish tweaking my valves, since ill have to pull the plugs anyway. what did you do with the petcock? rebuild or buy a new one?

[Guest]

I bought a new o.e.m. petcock from bike bandit! Cant remember how much it was..... but the new one works great! No problems!