Do these float needles look ok?

[john24ssj]

Hi guys,

Got a petrol leak on the ER5:( Both the petcock and left carb float failed.

Took the petcock apart didn't see anything special once I put it back together it seems to work fine now but the carbs are still off, using some test tubes I can see the left carb is leaking:

https://i.imgur.com/UJqEd2T.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3F8cuZN.jpg

But after moving the float needles and floats I got very inconsistent results sometimes the issue moved and sometimes it didn't between the sides.

Here are the floats:
https://i.imgur.com/sPx0iu7.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/hnmJbyz.jpg

Do you think I need new float needles?

Thanks
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[stinkwheel]

https://i.imgur.com/sPx0iu7.jpg

On your picture, the one on the right has an obvious concavity to the taper and a larger gap between the body and "cone" part. The latter may fix by squirting WD40 and wiggling.

Consider the brass needle seat may be equally worn.

In answer to your question, I don't know if you need new floats, that depends if they still float. Usually the floats are either perfectly fine or leaking (do they float level in water, do they bubble when pushed undewr the water?). But yes, I think you need to replace the needle valves. Possibly their seats too.
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“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[john24ssj]

Ballz sorry meant to ask float needles but the floats those are fine. I don't think the seating is replaceable
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[stinkwheel]

A quick check confims the seats aren't available seperately.

You can buy carb service kits which include a needle valve.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[john24ssj]

[WD Forte]

Yep, those float needles look very second hand to me.
Manky too.
I'd be inclined to buy the service kits and a tin or two of carb cleaner then strip and clean them while they're out and fit an inline fuel filter too.
Don't forget to balance them when they're back in.

I'd treat the tap as a seperate issue and be looking into sourcing one if it proves to be unreliable
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bikers smell of wee

[john24ssj]

Well after fully stripping the carbs and cleaning them all is good. I further inspected the needles and found out that gap between the rubber and metal was caused by a build-up inside which pushed the rubber forward.
https://i.imgur.com/guNURkj.jpg

After cleaning all the muck in between the rubber and needle body all seems good no more leaks BUT I won't be using those needles as i bought new ones as I am sure the muck will build up there again, so better be safe with new ones.
At least now I know it was the needles fault.

Now I need to find a good solution for the tap.
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[Robby]

If it is a vacuum tap, the diaphragm can fail. Rebuild kits are available for most bikes with vacuum petcocks. In addition, there are only a handful of different sizes of fitting so you may be able to get a replacement tap for less than a rebuild kit. I did this in the past when I had a particularly dodgy vacuum tap, replaced it with a normal (non-vacuum) one and capped off the vacuum port on the inlet rubber.

Of course, it doesn't matter so much if your needle valves are sealing again.

[john24ssj]

Thanks for all the replies guys

So after further inspection it seems that the o-ring that sits behind the actual turn tap is cracked in two placed. The red marked on the picture. I don't think if that would cause the tap leak issue though :\

https://i.imgur.com/4GVw5y3.png


I can't find this o-ring anywhere.

Any suggestions guys?
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[Pete.]

The brass needle seats might be worn but rejuvenating them is a simple matter. My dad's GS850 would forever leak from the carb bowls where the needles would not seal in the seats. I stripped them down and noticed a ridge in the needle cone (hardened metal, not viton rubber like these ones) and a corresponding shiny ring on the edge of the seat.
I fixed them by simply running a drill through the seat to open the hole out a tiny amount (less than half a mm). This caused the needles to seat on a wider part of the cone (obviously un-worn there) and they sealed up perfectly. All I had to do was bend the float tabs to re-set the height to allow for the slightly deeper setting of the needle.
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a.k.a 'Geri'

132.9mph off and walked away. Gear is good, gear is good, gear is very very good

[A100man]

[john24ssj]

[WD Forte]

there are various flavours of 'rubber' o rings
Rubber Nitrile, Butyl, Viton etc.
cant recall off hand which copes best with unleaded fuel so suggest you look it up.
I usually use
https://simplybearings.co.uk/shop/Products-O-Ring+Seals/c4747_4515/index.html
for stuff like that
Edit:
Looked it up myself to refresh my memory
Nitrile and Viton look OK, avoid EPDM
source
https://www.marcorubber.com/materialguide.htm
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bikers smell of wee

[john24ssj]

Well guys the float needles have arrived and yep made all the difference. Upon doing all the tests there are no more leaks

So everything it back together with carbs, air box and new air filter. Just waiting for the o-ring and rubber gasket for the tap.

Thanks for all the help and I will keep you updated once the bike is up and running again


WD Forte I bought a fuel hose today but I am not sure what kind of rubber is it as the old one is all too soft and feels just weird.
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[john24ssj]

Getting the stupid oring was quite stupid none of the shops had it even the Kawasaki dealer said it does not come up on the parts lists. So i got it from ebay but will have to wait until Wednesday
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[nisp]

oh 'john', you you and your ER5. Hows that ACF-50??
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Suzuki TS 50 1999 Honda CB 125 t2 1981 Yamaha XJ 600 s Diversion Honda cx 500 MZ ETZ 250 1985 Yamaha FZR 400 1981 Suzuki TS 185 1984 Triumph bonneville 790 2001 MZ TS250 1979 Suzuki sv 650 1999 KTM exc RFS 450 2007 Hercules mx 125 1976

[john24ssj]

[john24ssj]

Well after getting the o ring and gasket the bike is up and running.

It runs quite different now actually, revs much easier and quicker.

Also what was odd the clutch felt complete different, it would like almost right away.
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5