[Kawasakian]

Nice!!

 

[rbentnail]

How long is your ride to work? Short rides on these bikes will make the oil smell like gas.

 

[Kawasakian]

How long is your ride to work? Short rides on these bikes will make the oil smell like gas.

Really!?! I lived in New Jersey for a while some decades back and a short ride anywhere made everything smell like gas. I've never experienced that before though, to be honest.

 

[9094]

could also be a plugged vent line to the carb float bowl or fuel tank, maybe a bug or something built a nest in there as they both hang down below the bike, hose got crimped or pinched during maintenance etc...Fuel vapor pressure can build up and force it to flood. then runs down past the rings into the oil. There was a 750 Shadow recently with the same issue, when he tried to start it, one cylinder fired, the other was full of gas, hydro-locked and bent the connecting rod... use caution.

Does the 800 have a vacuum operated petcock? can't remember that far back. If so, the vac diaphragm that operates the shutoff can fail and fuel leak down the vacuum line into the intake.

 

[rbentnail]

Really!?! I lived in New Jersey for a while some decades back and a short ride anywhere made everything smell like gas. I've never experienced that before though, to be honest.

Yeah, the '03 800 I had was bad for that. I had to be sure I got it up to operating temp or it would put some gas in the oil and fill the little vent bottle.

 

[Kawasakian]

It's good to learn stuff like that. Thanks!

 

[mercedees1202]

A fuel filter is a must. I like the ones that show the fuel flowing. That oil can be felt through your finger tips. The smell of gas in the oil confirms you have fuel pouring into the crankcase. If you can feel your finger prints, the oil is shot. A very dangerous situation. If it has a vacuum setting on the petcock, it could be stuck open, which would be like leaving the bike in the prime position. That's easy to check. When the tank is off, put the pet **** in all positions, and see if fuel comes out. Suck on the vacuum line, that should open the fuel petcock opening. If it is pouring gas with out vacuum, you need to rebuild, or purchase a petcock, or put in an On/Off switch line, and remember to shut it off when you are done riding.

What is the prime for an would it put gas in oil if left on prime an then ride for 18 miles. I've rode couple times around block an oil level hasn't changed now sence I tapped on float bowl

 

[Kawasakian]

If you are driving the bike, for that amount of time, if the oil level is the same, you are probably O.K.. I left the petcock on prime on my bike for 28 miles, and noticed the engine temperature slightly raised. I got off the bike and the oil level was all the way up. I got to a gas station and got them to drain the oil. I had a copper gasket, so I just had them reheat it with a propane torch, and that swelled it up again. The filter was new, so I didn't worry about that. After I buttoned it all up, the temperature went back downn to where it always was. I must confess I was doing around 100 mph on the Merritt Pkwy. in Connecticut. I was riding hard. Prime should just be used to fill the float bowls, a couple of miutes, then try and start the bike. These days I don't use it, if the bike has been sitting, or it's cold. I just put my hand over the air intake (1983 GS750ES Suzuki) and choke it that way, it starts instantly. When I park my bike, I run Marvel Mystery fuel in the fuel, a tablespoon of Sea Foam (5.2 Gallon tank), then run the bik till it's hot. I then make sure the petock is in it's run position, and I drain the float bowls. That way nothing will happen in there, at the beginning I will put it in prime for not more than 4 minutes, put in in Run position, and use my hand over the intake to choke the bike to life. I purchased this bike new, it's very cold blooded. I raised the needles and put jets in one size higher, and it runs much better. The choke mechanism is useless though. The hand method is a guaranteed start. :