Gas getting into air cleaner housing?

mmcclish · 04-09-2006

Hi all,

I have a 1983, I think, Vulcan EN500 with ~ 13,000 miles on it. I bought it last summer and stored it during the winter. Today I took it out of storage and things did not go well. The bike will barely start (even with the choke out) and idle really rough. When I give it some throttle, the bike starts to cough and bog down like the gas line petcock is turned off, which it isn't, and then die on me. The bike belches a good amount of grey and black smoke when I hit the throttle too. When I re-start it, the same thing, really rough idling....not smooth purring like it was before I put it into storage. [I did use Stabil BTW.] One thing I noticed is that gasoline was draining from the air cleaner housing. I took off the element cover and took out the air cleaner element. Yep, there was gas in the bottom of the housing and the air cleaner foam was damp with gasoline. I cleaned that all out--perfectly dry--put back in the element and put on the cover. I started the bike back up. Same as before, coughing & rough idling. I tried to rev up the engine with the throttle, and gas started leaking again from the air housing. How in the heck is gas getting in there?

Can some one please help me figure out what is causing this and how to stop it? I am sure the gas - air housing problem and the bike's poor idling are related. Before I put the bike in storage it was running great and now this is happening. All it did was sit in a garage! Please help!

QKENUF4U · 04-09-2006

time to pull the carbs and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN (stabil or not)

mmcclish · 04-09-2006

That's what I am afraid of. I know very little about motorcycle mechanics so I could quite possibily make the situation worse by taking the engine apart to do that. I am hoping this is something simple, rather than cleaning out the carbs.

It's like the engine is flooded or something. I dunno...

QKENUF4U · 04-09-2006

basically small holes are clogged wth dirt/varnish from sitting and now they need cleaned out.

mmcclish · 04-10-2006

That may very well be true, but does it explain gas being blown into the air cleaner housing?

elr658 · 04-10-2006

Because, the overflow is vented into the AIRBOX, and that's where the gas is coming from.

mmcclish · 04-10-2006

Ok, that makes sense then. Well, is there a relatively easy way to clean out...or blow out...the obstructions rather than taking the bike apart to get at the carbs and cleaning them out? Hand cleaning is obviously the correct way, but believe me, if I tried to do that myself...with my feeble skills...I would definitely screw something up.

elr658 · 04-10-2006

There is no easy way that works.

mmcclish · 04-10-2006

I agree. One of these days I will be more comfortable doing this myself, but it looks like I'll be hitting up the local cycle mechanic....

OKC_Kent · 04-11-2006

The only cheap, easy way would be running a good dose of Seafoam in the first few tanks and hope it cleans the gunk out. I would try that and also a new set of spark plugs, before dropping it off at a mechanic this time of year.
It's riding season!!

elr658 · 04-11-2006

This is past the point of mechanic in a can.

Ericthejet · 04-12-2006

Pull the carbs, get a stool and take your time.

04-09-2006	#1 (permalink)
mmcclish Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	Gas getting into air cleaner housing? Hi all, I have a 1983, I think, Vulcan EN500 with ~ 13,000 miles on it. I bought it last summer and stored it during the winter. Today I took it out of storage and things did not go well. The bike will barely start (even with the choke out) and idle really rough. When I give it some throttle, the bike starts to cough and bog down like the gas line petcock is turned off, which it isn't, and then die on me. The bike belches a good amount of grey and black smoke when I hit the throttle too. When I re-start it, the same thing, really rough idling....not smooth purring like it was before I put it into storage. [I did use Stabil BTW.] One thing I noticed is that gasoline was draining from the air cleaner housing. I took off the element cover and took out the air cleaner element. Yep, there was gas in the bottom of the housing and the air cleaner foam was damp with gasoline. I cleaned that all out--perfectly dry--put back in the element and put on the cover. I started the bike back up. Same as before, coughing & rough idling. I tried to rev up the engine with the throttle, and gas started leaking again from the air housing. How in the heck is gas getting in there? Can some one please help me figure out what is causing this and how to stop it? I am sure the gas - air housing problem and the bike's poor idling are related. Before I put the bike in storage it was running great and now this is happening. All it did was sit in a garage! Please help!

04-10-2006	#6 (permalink)
elr658 Eddie Lawson is God! BTK Expert Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seymour,CT Posts: 4,889	Because, the overflow is vented into the AIRBOX, and that's where the gas is coming from. __________________ 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R1 #658 1983 Honda CB1100F Blue. www.myspace.com/79cb750f

04-10-2006	#8 (permalink)
elr658 Eddie Lawson is God! BTK Expert Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seymour,CT Posts: 4,889	There is no easy way that works. __________________ 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R1 #658 1983 Honda CB1100F Blue. www.myspace.com/79cb750f

04-11-2006	#10 (permalink)
OKC_Kent Riding every day! BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Oklahoma City Posts: 1,034	The only cheap, easy way would be running a good dose of Seafoam in the first few tanks and hope it cleans the gunk out. I would try that and also a new set of spark plugs, before dropping it off at a mechanic this time of year. It's riding season!! __________________ Oklahoma City '78 KZ 650 '83 KZ 750 Proud Marine Corp Dad

04-11-2006	#11 (permalink)
elr658 Eddie Lawson is God! BTK Expert Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Seymour,CT Posts: 4,889	This is past the point of mechanic in a can. __________________ 1982 Kawasaki KZ1000R1 #658 1983 Honda CB1100F Blue. www.myspace.com/79cb750f

04-09-2006	#2 (permalink)
QKENUF4U AZ's Official Mechanic BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: lake havasu city arizona Posts: 4,738	time to pull the carbs and CLEAN CLEAN CLEAN (stabil or not)

04-09-2006	#3 (permalink)
mmcclish Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	That's what I am afraid of. I know very little about motorcycle mechanics so I could quite possibily make the situation worse by taking the engine apart to do that. I am hoping this is something simple, rather than cleaning out the carbs. It's like the engine is flooded or something. I dunno...

04-09-2006	#4 (permalink)
QKENUF4U AZ's Official Mechanic BTK Expert Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: lake havasu city arizona Posts: 4,738	basically small holes are clogged wth dirt/varnish from sitting and now they need cleaned out.

04-10-2006	#5 (permalink)
mmcclish Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	That may very well be true, but does it explain gas being blown into the air cleaner housing?

04-10-2006	#7 (permalink)
mmcclish Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	Ok, that makes sense then. Well, is there a relatively easy way to clean out...or blow out...the obstructions rather than taking the bike apart to get at the carbs and cleaning them out? Hand cleaning is obviously the correct way, but believe me, if I tried to do that myself...with my feeble skills...I would definitely screw something up.

04-10-2006	#9 (permalink)
mmcclish Newbie Join Date: Apr 2006 Posts: 5	I agree. One of these days I will be more comfortable doing this myself, but it looks like I'll be hitting up the local cycle mechanic....

04-12-2006	#12 (permalink)
Ericthejet Needs A Real Job BTK Expert Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: The northeast! Posts: 2,020	Pull the carbs, get a stool and take your time. __________________ 1984 Ninja 900 (A1) To make it go faster I need to add more lightness!

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