float valves leaking on 97 VFR750

I think my 97 VFR750 has leaking carbs. No external leakage anywher,
but the bike gets crappy gas mileage and the oil sometimes smells of
gas. Also there is a strong smell of gas for hours after riding.

The bike has an electric fuel pump, so there's no petcock issue to deal
with. However, I've pulled the carbs and the floats do not have fuel in
them, the float needles look to be in good shape, and the float seats
are not replaceable. Also, the floats are not adjustable.

I don't know what to try next. I guess I will order some new float
needles, then maybe new floats?

Any other ideas or tests I should try?

Thanks,
Brian

 

Hrm, the seat is recessed down in a hole. Kinda hard to get a good look
at it. Maybe I should just scrape them out with a small bit of
wood--toothpick, popsicle stick, or something.

Yeah, these have a rubber, conical tip on them, so maybe they're not a
"needle" in true sense of the word, but I didn't know what else to call
them.

Thanks,
Brian

 

Air filter was replaced at the 16k service last September.

I'm going to order some tomorrow.

Laters,
Brian

 

So, in an attempt to find this fuel leak, I pulled the carbs and
replaced the float needles in the VFR yesterday.

Put her all back together last night, changed the oil this morning and
headed off to work.

As I pulled out of my neighborhood, I noticed a hesitation. On the
highway, that turned to stumbling, but never cutting out or shutdown.

Hrm, this is what I get for not doing a shakedown ride. I had to get to
work, and it didn't seem too bad, so I pressed on.

Up to about 4-5k rpm, it was fine, and from there up to 8k was just
wishy-washy. In high gears, full throttle would do nothing
acceleration-wise. I can be WOT in 6th and the bike does not accelerate
at all.

I did find that in 3rd, though, it would accelerate nicely from 8k to
redline. I cruised there and back mostly in 3rd and sometimes 4th gear.

My first thought was that the tank wasn't venting right, but I opened it
and filled up with gas and there was no woosh or sucking noise.

Aside from the float needles and oil & filter, the only thing I
(intentionally) changed is adding a longer hose to the carb overflow
vents. It had a short 3" hose that just dumped excess fuel onto the
engine. I ran a 2' piece out down the bottom of the bike where I can
see it with the bodywork on.

Fuel hoses and tank vent hoses are on correctly. Petcock is to full
"On".

Could there somehow be air in the fuel line, pump, or filter?

Any other ideas?

Thanks,
Brian