TOPIC:

The effing K&L float needles don't seal when the bike is running.

They seal most of the time when it's on the center or side stand. Yes, the little pin with the spring is springy. Yes, the floats are set to the spec level. No, the floats don't leak. No, I an't find anyplace where the floats bind or interefere with the bowl sides.

The OEM float needles have a rubber to brass junction at the port. The K&L are brass to brass. Is this the root of the problem?

Anyone else have this problem? Am I missing something?

Also curious as to how the petcock innards kit works. I see them offered on ebay and at parts shops. I put a new O-ring in mine and it seals fine about 4:5 times which is not adequate, especially when both the petcock and the float fail to seal at the same time. I tried strethign the spring a little and ended up with the thing not opening enough to kepe the bowls full under ehavy throttle.

Carbs are of the ubiquitios MIC BS34 variety.

-Duck

I don't understand your comment re the "rubber to brass junction at the port". Are you talking about the float needles? The float needles on Kaw versions of the BS34 do not have any rubber on them anywhere. They are bright metal... probably steel and have no rubber cladding on the tips. Which float needles did you purchase? The float needles for the VM series carbs look exactly like the BS series carbs but are shorter by about 1mm or so... They MIGHT work if the fuel level was readjusted... don't know for sure as I haven't tried using them. What is the K&L part number on the packaging?

WG-

The float needles that came out must not be original. They had worn out rubber tips. Guess the next step is to look at actual fuel level in the bowl rather than measuring stick float height.

Tank and fuel are clean.

-Duck

Some needles are all brass, some are black at the tips. I'm not sure it's rubber, but whatever it is, it's black. I've seen them both ways. I always use used needles and seats out of junk carbs when I have a problem and currently I have 2 of each type of needles/seats in my everyday rider 650. They both should work fine.

Sometimes it doesn't leak at the needle, but under the seat. There should be a gasket under the needle-seat.

They might leak from the seat, that is true but if you took rubber clad needles out, they are surely the wrong taper and will never really fit UNLESS some replaced the needles and seats which would have a matched taper. I suggest you purchase some needle/seat sets. Also, use the small filter screens which snap onto the seats as these are the only real defense against crud getting into the needle/seat which would keep the needle from seating. The problem on the BS34 is there is no overflow system so they took this extra measure (the filter screen) to avoid gas from filling your airbox and combustion chamber in the event the needles are not seating from crud.