TOPIC:

What a bummer but the positive side is that at least you didn't hit the starter button.

Mark wrote: These bikes were initially fitted with a Fuel Solenoid shut Valve electronically Operated and bolted to the lower section of the air box, this provided a positive shut off when not running. For some reason people removed them am not sure why, I take the view that it is a good idea to re-fit. Somebody may say different and know the reason, I would be curious as to what this is.

Boy will you be sorry you mentioned the solenoid valve, I was after one a while ago to complete my resto and asked if anyone had one, I was sorry I did, anyway the solenoid valve was not a good idea, so I was told, as it was believed that it would play up and shut off the fuel while you were riding and leave you stranded on the side of the road, so everyone took it off and threw it away. I had problems with a carb rebuild kit a while ago and did a post here showing the new clips for the needle valve were sometimes binding on the needle and holding them open, I had a flood of fuel one day and that was because I relied on the floats to work and didn't turn off the old petcock valve, a bad habit to get into, even though the sidecar holds my bike upright and I don't use the sidestand. I changed to the vacuum petcock and fixed the clips by using the old original Kawasaki ones and (touch wood) haven't had a problem since, well I lie, I did have a fuel filter that was too small for the required fuel flow, changed that to a bigger one and all is well with the world at present.

During your carb rebuild, did you change out the Orings between the needle seat and the carb body? I found that particular oring on my carbs had shrunk due to the ethanol in the fuel and it could lead to fuel passing around the needle seat and flooding the carb. Viton O-rings will handle the ethanol where as the nitrile O-rings which are supplied with most of the carb kits will not handle ethanol. KZQ added a reference in the FAQ section regarding the Viton O-rings.

He's an aussie, we don't have the ethanol in our fuels unless you fill up with the E-10, just saying ... no offence meant

kza13 wrote: He's an aussie, we don't have the ethanol in our fuels unless you fill up with the E-10, just saying ... no offence meant

Don't say it too loud Pete! The gubbermint mugs are probly lissnin in.

Hello again, another quick update.
Have taken the cabs off and swapped over the needle valve retainers. What a difference between the two.
As Pete rightly pointed out I'm an Aussie so we don't have ethanol in our fuel and the o rings appear to be ok, however as I have them apart I'll change them out just in case. It's Sunday here so will have to wait until tomorrow to get them.

Next thing I did was drop the oil, again just in case. I am pleased I did, it was like a petrol bath in there. Took the oil filter out also. Will replace them tomorrow as well.

Hope this is not going to be a regular occurrence.

Still at a loss as to where all the fuel has come from. The fuel tap is in the correct position NOT on prime. When I took the fuel line off from the tank no fuel ran out from the tank as I would have expected if there was a fault with the tap. All the carbs still had fuel in.......got me buggered.

Oh I meant to mention in my first post that I had a strange water weep/leak.
It appeared to be coming from under the tappet cover at the front of the engine on the left hand side.

Had a good look in there and can't see where it could have been coming from. Can't see any trace where it has run down from somewhere else and there is nothing in the tappet cover area there to leak from. Strange, will investigate further when I have her running again.

Anyway will keep you posted as I try to sort this saga out.

Cheers for all your help / advice