Fuel from carb overflow

BillBee · Jun 19, 2011

Arctic Cat 400 - recently fuel started pouring from the carburetor bowl drain. The drain screw was tight. I've removed the carburetor and cleaned the bowl, but with the drain screw secured fuel continues to pour from the overflow. The float appears to be operating normal.
What would cause the fuel to poor from the overflow?

SpudHauler · Jun 20, 2011

Remove carb, remove bowl, remove float, remove inlet needle and blow out the line from the hose on the carb through to the inlet needle. You have dirt stuck under the inlet needle.

TOMMYHPX4X4 · Jun 20, 2011

i second the dirt in the carb. what i do is get some carb cleaner and use the little red tube that comes with it abd shoot in into all the holes after the needls are removed that is. and sometimes it's not dirt but a tar like gunk that forms on the needles and walls of the needle bodies.it might take you a few cleanings to get it all out but thats what i would do.

BillBee · Jun 21, 2011

Thanks I'll give what you suggest a try. But it appears to be more of a seal problem, when I take the bowl off and fill with a small amount of fuel, the fuel leaks out the bowl drain with the bowl drain screw in place.

SpudHauler · Jun 21, 2011

Ok, that makes sense. The drain has a bad seal or the bowl has gotten corroded over the years and the drain screw is not seating properly. Try a little silicone around the screw and then put it back in and let sit over night to harden before putting the bowl back on. Might be a cheap fix.

BillBee · Jun 21, 2011

SpudHauler said:
Ok, that makes sense. The drain has a bad seal or the bowl has gotten corroded over the years and the drain screw is not seating properly. Try a little silicone around the screw and then put it back in and let sit over night to harden before putting the bowl back on. Might be a cheap fix.

Thats a good idea. Silicone will withstand fuel don't you think? Thanks.

TOMMYHPX4X4 · Jun 21, 2011

silicone and gas don't mix .the gas will eat it up fast and then you'll get bits of silicone stuck in the needle valves.i would stick to just cleaning it out .i know one thing thats real good to use in the cleaning but your wife might get mad at you .take her eyelash brush and clean the eye lash stuff off that will give you a verey small bore brush it work pretty good.i think they even sell them small brushes in the gun cleaning section to but they are kinda hard to find so it might be worth the fussing from the wife for a few minutes to get the parts cleaned.then take her to the store and let her buy a new one she'll get over it and you'll have a new little tool for your tool box.you could buy a gun cleaning kit with those little brass barrel scrubbing brushes but most have the metal protruding through the end so you might have to look at a few of them to find one withut the metal coming through the end.something good to use also is breakfree powder blast gun cleaner but just make sure you let it dry really good and wash it after because it's kinda rough on some rubber and plastics but it does a really good job of breaking down gunk and blowing it out.

TOMMYHPX4X4 · Jun 21, 2011

plus one other thing i forgot to mention is if it's the jet needles that are sticking sealing up the bowl will keep the gas in it but it will also just flood the engine too . you have to find what jet valve is doing the leaking and fix it. i tried the silicone thing on lots of leaking gas tanks only to have the fuel eat the silicone and break it down .

SpudHauler · Jun 22, 2011

Good point Tommy, about the gas and silicone not mixing.

But if you put it on the threads and o-ring area it should not really see much gas and will be just behind the hole it is meant to plug. Worth a try.

Hard to tell what he is looking at from thousands of miles away eh! :laughing:

We love pictures :thumbsup:

Good luck!