Left the gas on

Hey there,

I've read a couple of relevant threads here about what I've just managed to do which were very informative. I just want to make sure that I don't miss anything as I deal with this. So here's my issue:

Last evening I left the gas on after running the bike for a few minutes. It sort of occurred to me that I might have forgotten to turn the taps off later last night, but I fell asleep before going out to check.

This afternoon I went out to start the bike and I could smell gas in the shed as soon as I opened the door. Didn't think too much of it because I had put a full can of gas in the day before and figured it was that. Climbed onto the bike, turned on the choke, gave it a couple of kicks, and nothing (thankfully - at this point I had no idea how serious this was). By now I figured she was flooded, but never imagined how flooded. So I did all the things I'm used to doing on other machines under the circumstances. I pulled the plugs, dried them off, turned the gas off and kicked a bunch of times, put the plugs back in and tried again. No start... again thank goodness.

By now I was getting pretty late for work so I pulled the plugs and went off to work in the truck. Before coming home I checked Access Norton and realized that I might have an engine and primary full of gasoline, and if the engine had started, or had there been lots of fuel in the cylinders I could have really done some damage. Thankfully, I didn't feel or hear anything bad happening when I was kicking her over, and luckily she didn't fire up.

This evening I pulled the drain plug from the bottom of the engine and whole lot of gas (mixed with a bit of oil) came flying out. Probably a good litre and a half I'd say. There was more than a litre in the primary too... oh my...

So I'm getting set to change the oil now. Should I do the filter as well? And is there anything else I should do other than an oil change and prayers of thanks for it not starting despite my best efforts?

Thanks!!

Yeah, adjust your carburator float heights...

stuck carb float

I think I would change the filter. Probably leave it a day with spark plugs out and all other orifices open to let fuel evoprate.
Next question is why carbs didn't stop fuel going into the engine. I found my 900SS in a pool of fuel the other day. The newish plastic float had warped and was binding on the pivot spindle, combined with a leaky petcock fuel had pissed out onto the floor (Dell Orto thing) not into engine (Amal thing)

Thanks fellas, anywhere else that gas might have gotten into that I need to worry about?

It would have gone cylinders, sump then primary. After that to ground when it found a way out. I suppose you might want to check the gearbox but I think the only route would be past the pushrod from the primary.

Cool. I'll have a look into the gearbox too in that case. Hopefully there's none in there.

So my plan now based on this feedback is to drain oil tank and primary, leave plugs out and covers open till tomorrow, and then change filter and add new oil. Should I be dropping a bit of oil into the cylinders and under the exhaust valve covers too?

Oh, and I'll sort the carb (single Mikuni) out when I get a few minutes. And I will never ever leave the fuel on again.

Get some new Stay Up floats from Amal. Open gearbox inspection cover and check for gas in there too. What a mess.

Edit: Didn't see the Mikuni part. Dunno with those things.

Thanks Swooshdave. I'll check the float bowl and the gearbox in any case and see what's going on in both.

I'm a massive fan of the Mi Ty Garage videos by the way - the one's you're in are great. You and Mike should quit your day jobs to focus on making Norton Commando videos faster for people like me .

By the way, if you had fuel in the primary, then when you have it running you are likely to have engine oil making its way in there. You probably need to dismantle primary and use some sealant on the 3 bolts that hold inner primary cover to the crankcase.

Does it not have a overflow hose on the carbie, I know with my PWK carbies if the float sticks it runs out of the overflow hose straight on the floor, it does it pretty quickly and as soon as it does I turn the fuel tap off.
I remember about 25 years ago one of my Amal carbies float stuck and I didn't notice it, I started the bike up but lucky I run my breather hose in a 1ltr catch bottle as soon as it fired up oil and petrol mix filled the catch bottle up till it overflowed turned the bike straight off and drained all my oil and replaced with new oil, funny thing the float never stuck again.

Ashley

I would also kick it thru a dozen or so times with the new oil to prime the oil system and flush out the bearings before it starts up.
Single Mikuni? Checking the float should be job #1 before all else.

Good question Ashman. I believe it does have an overflow hose that has a screw in the end of it from before my time. Should probably remove that one eh...

Good calls there Guido. I'll take that advice too.

Supercat said:

Thanks Swooshdave. I'll check the float bowl and the gearbox in any case and see what's going on in both.

I'm a massive fan of the Mi Ty Garage videos by the way - the one's you're in are great. You and Mike should quit your day jobs to focus on making Norton Commando videos faster for people like me .

Click to expand...

@Mike T needs about a million views per video for that to happen and we'd need one seriously hot co-host for any chance at that.

Am I missing something? How could gas get in gear box?

Your Mik carb does have an overflow on side of body , surely nobody would plug that with a screw ... make sure it clear all the way into carb once screw gone ...

A Mik overflowed and caused all this grief???
I thought they were the impervious to these things............

They are ....

Yeah. Plugging the overflow makes your engine the catch bottle.