Water in the carbs

[Barry]

Just spent a useful half hour in the garage.

I'd noticed a slight hesitation at small throttle openings and after a couple of days the penny finally dropped and I recognised the symptoms from previous winters.

When I whipped the bowls off and removed the main jets and holders great gobs of water fell out of both carbs. I exaggerate but there was a surprising amount of water that must have collected around the emulsion tubes. Not a drop in the bowls so it's condensation from the engine breather not water in the tank.  I know the cause, it's because I've only done short commutes in cold weather for the last month which is not getting the oil hot enough to drive off the moisture.

It will be fine tomorrow and if I give it a decent run and remove the dip stick to let it breath afterwards that will help keep things clear.

[steve hawkins]

I was quite surprised when I took my jets out of my carbs, years ago, and found myself chipping out what can only be described as lime scale.

Must have been a river flowing through....

Its a hard water area

Cheers

Rev. light

[Dustybin]

And as you will remember Steve there was water in the carbs when I emptied the bowls out a couple of weeks ago on the R65 :-?

[Bob_Roller]

I installed a paper element inline filter about 7years ago .

Whenever i would remove the float bowls, there would always be a 'glob' or two of water in there, plus some fine sediment .

Since the addition of the filter, no water or sediment in the float bowls .

One thing that gets overlooked, is the condition of the rubber seal on the fuel cap .

Easy to get water into the tank if the seal I replace mine every 5 years or so, it is usually hardened and brittle by then .

[Barry]

It's condensation from the breather that causes the space around the emulsion tubes to gunge up.  If they are cleaned regularly it's just water that drops out. When left long enough the gunge eventually turns solid like Steve's. Well like most of us that inherited a bike that hadn't had the carbs cleaned for many years.

Gunged up tubes have a significant impact on fuel economy due to the pre-mix air supply being blocked so they are worth keeping on top of.  The other benefit is when the jets are removed every year and put back with a smear of silcone grease they won't every seize up on you and the whole excerise becomes a breeze. We are after all blessed with the easiest carbs in the world to work on while they are still attached to the bike.

[steve hawkins]

Yes Tony, And I had only replaced the seal on the petrol tank filler a week or two before I sold the bike to you.

Should not wash the bike so often.

[clonmore1]

"Yes Tony, And I had only replaced the seal on the petrol tank filler a week or two before I sold the bike to you.

Should not wash the bike so often".

Aw, there's brotherly love in the room...

[clonmore1]

1. I installed a paper element inline filter about 7years ago. Whenever i would remove the float bowls, there would always be a 'glob' or two of water in there, plus some fine sediment. Since the addition of the filter, no water or sediment in the float bowls. One thing that gets overlooked, is the condition of the rubber seal on the fuel cap. Easy to get water into the tank if the seal I replace mine every 5 years or so, it is usually hardened and brittle by then.

2.   Gunged up tubes have a significant impact on fuel economy due to the pre-mix air supply being blocked so they are worth keeping on top of.  The other benefit is when the jets are removed every year and put back with a smear of silicone grease they won't every seize up on you and the whole exercise becomes a breeze.

Two examples of why this site works for us "non" techie people, you just learn so much.

Thank you