Carb issue?? please help...

Ok, noob here, but... about a week ago my wife dumped my bike over on the left side in the garage. it was down for a couple minutes before i got it back up. since then it has been idling really high, about 4k. when i put it in gear and ride, it drops back down accordingly, but as soon as i engage the clutch it goes back up. it sounds like it is drowning and the spark plugs have a lot of carbon deposits on them. from doing some research online, i'm assuming that my float levels are now messed up? i'm just wondering if this sounds like a plausible diagnosis? this is my first bike, but i am also eager and ignorant, and so far this has got me along pretty well oh yeah, today when i got home i noticed this!





thanks a lot

The float levels may be ok, but if that's fuel I see coming from an overflow tube you have a float valve sticking open. Trace that tube to the carbs to see which one is leaking. You then need to drop the fuel bowl on that carb and see what's hanging up the little stubby needle in the float valve. This shouldn't be too difficult to diagnose, but be sure to turn off the petcock and drain the carb in question before dropping the fuel bowl. And no smoking! Ed

thanks for your help, ed! it certainly is fuel that you see. in all honesty, ever since i bought the thing i have secretly been wondering when the time would come where i would be able to start getting my hands dirty and learning about the ol' girl. thanks again for the info, and i'm sure there will be more ?'s to come... brad

Hello, Brad, and WELCOME to KZR Forum!
We're glad you're here.

The fall might have dislodged some crud which is now preventing the float valve from fully closing whereby the excess fuel is being discharged through the overflow circuit.

Am doubtful that the fall would have caused any damage to the floats, or knocked them out of adjustment.

If not already fitted, an inline fuel filter should be installed incident to correcting the carb problem.

Would also double-check routing and connections of the throttle cables, which might have been pulled from their existing positions if the handlebars locked upon falling. Assure they are not binding or kinked anywhere, and adjusted with a little slack in the cables where they attach to the carb when the throttle grip is released, so the carb slides are fully closing.

Good Luck!

thanks for the info and the warm welcome, Patton! i messed with the throttle cables and i'm pretty sure that they're good.

i have isolated the 2 overflow hoses and only one of them had fuel residue on it. I traced it back to this point. i have the fuel line shut off. is it ok to now open this thing up and see whats inside? thanks again, brad