Oil Horror Story

[Zenosan 2]

This happened to me last fall on one of my "GulP" Quads I have up in Page but it also just happened to a friend of mine's Honda XR650L two weeks ago. I forgot to turn off the fuel shut off valve when I parked it with a full tank of gas in the shed out back the last time I used it sometime last August. Didn't get around to starting it up again until Dec. When I tried it was flooding so badly that I saw oil and gas running out of the air cleaner box. When I took a closer look I noticed tha the fuel tank was empty. Each time I cranked the starter oil and fuel blew back out of the breather tube. The whole tank of gas had leaked into the crankcase diluting the oil. Two weeks ago a friend of mine blew the engine on his XR650 and asked me to take a look at it. He swore he changed the oil regularly but when I opened it up the oil was diluted with fuel. When I asked if he shut off his fuel valve when he parked it he said he never did that.

Moral of story is that sometimes float valves stick open and vent tubes get clogged. When the sun heats up the tank it becomes pressurized and pushes fuel into the cylinder and seeps into the crankcase diluting the oil.

[tntmo 910]

Most newer dual sports have vacuum operated petcocks that shut off automatically when the engine is off. That's all fine and dandy unless they fail. Had it happen to my DRZ400, petcock failed and the float valve in the carb was weak so it flooded the cylinder. I ended up changing out to a manual petcock.

[Zenosan 2]

My 86 Virago has the vacuum shut off also. I don't have much confidence in my aging memory or the vacuum shutoff.

[rexr 0]

Wow.. I have never heard of that.. Thanks for sharing that information.

[dirt dame 561]

Same thing used to happen to people's two stroke bikes, only they couldn't get the kickstarter to move when they went to start their machines. Upon removing the sparkplug and turning the motor over, a column of fuel would come shooting out of the sparkplug hole.

[Zenosan 2]

Same thing used to happen to people's two stroke bikes, only they couldn't get the kickstarter to move when they went to start their machines. Upon removing the sparkplug and turning the motor over, a column of fuel would come shooting out of the sparkplug hole.

Been there done that!

[dirt dame 561]

In the "good old days" when off roaders would toss out their airboxes and just run a sock style filter element (known as the "green weenie"), a favorite prank to pull on the unsuspecting owner was to pull the green weenie off the carb and put a piece of saran wrap over the back bell of the carb body, then replace the weenie. When the rider returned to his machine for a ride, he would kick and kick and kick the machine to no avail, as each kick just sucked more and more fuel out of the tank, through the carb and into the engine. Then the guy would pull his sparkplug and....of course there was that column of gasoline shooting out as soon as he gave it a kick. Okay, it was stupid, but we were young and we thought it was funny.

[bikeslut 1]

Don; been there, done that

Same exact problem with my DRZ... I had already replaced the petcock, due to leaking, and forgot to turn off the DRZs manual petcock... lesson learned

[PastaPilot 17]

What's a float valve?

What are you doing to your whatcock?

[bikeslut 1]

What's a float valve?

Don still has twin rear shocks and drum brakes... give'm a break

"and it still gets me everywhere I want to go... get off my lawn"

[Strega 0]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballcock

[bikeslut 1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballcock

I think Jon was being an EFI snob

[Zenosan 2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ballcock

I think Jon was being an EFI snob

Quite so ma boy.

Let's just see how things go when you are 30 miles out in the boonies and the EFI doesn't have enough fuel pressure, or an injector gets clogged. I have been in this situation plenty of times on a Vintage Husky and always had a way to solve the problem and make my way back. Even forgot to shut off the fuel at a rest stop and had pressure in the tank fill the lower crankcase full of premix. No problem, take out the plug-put it in 6th gear and push it 30 ft to pump out all the excess fuel. Starts right up and I am again on my merry carbureted dual shocked Vintage Husky way.

:ok:

[dirt dame 561]

Let's just see how things go when you are 30 miles out in the boonies and the EFI doesn't have enough fuel pressure, or an injector gets clogged.

Or the battery goes dead. I don't know about the Aprillia, but when the battery conks out on a an EFI Husky, the bike won't run. It won't kick start, it won't bump start, it plain won't start. It has to have power to the fuel pump and the injectors. I'm glad I have an old decrepit carburetor on my bike. All my bikes.

[Audible 0]

Happened on my 04 LT400 Quad. Went for trailer ride from shop to my house and left fuel set on "prime" after cold start= completely flooded everything with fuel. So, I had to take tank off/drain oil/pulled plug and hit start button====look like a a water (fuel) fountain squirting out of spark plug hole. I then filled with oil road around block a few times and changed again for good measure.

[650hucker 0]

*walks out to garage, checks petcock, sits back down*

[Zenosan 2]

Let's just see how things go when you are 30 miles out in the boonies and the EFI doesn't have enough fuel pressure, or an injector gets clogged.

Or the battery goes dead. I don't know about the Aprillia, but when the battery conks out on a an EFI Husky, the bike won't run. It won't kick start, it won't bump start, it plain won't start. It has to have power to the fuel pump and the injectors. I'm glad I have an old decrepit carburetor on my bike. All my bikes.

To make matters worse-he probably will have to make the long walk back in stiff heavy nonleather modern plastic boots.

[jbw 0]

Seems the DRZ's have a problem with the stock petcock. Mine started leaking and actually hydrolocked the cylinder. Took the spark plug out and got a gasoline fountain. Replaced with manual petecock. Lots of flushing with cheap oil and the bike was fine.

[PastaPilot 17]

How's that computer thingy working for you? Do you use a celular phone or still on a land line with a rotary dial?

I guess when we have equal getoffs and your foot is smashed inside your leather boots I'll uncomfortably walk back and get help for you. I'm sure you appreciatte the added benefits of your Snell approved helmets too.

[dirt dame 561]

Do you use a celular phone or still on a land line with a ratory dial?

I personally got tired of all the rats I kept getting with ratory dial, so I switched.

[bikeslut 1]

I think there are people that stay with what they're comfortable with, and people that have to be on the cutting edge of technology... some people that are held back by old school, and some people that are victims of unforeseen pitfalls of new school

I don't figure EFI falls in to this category... it has been around for a LONG time, and only recently made it's way in to a lot of dirtbikes... It is clearly the way to go in the future

I also think new boots are better protection, than older boots... you could make the argument to "slow down, and maybe you won't get hurt", to which I respond... I'll stay home and watch Supercross on the telly and not get hurt either... I WANT to go fast, so I'll protect myself as best I can.

I am lucky that my work has MADE me embrace new technology... You don't really see the benefits of it, until you use it sometimes

I still don't use all the functions of my GPS, but am sure glad I have it... cell phones, MP3 players, CD players.... I was late to adopt all of these things, but love them now...

And things CAN happen to carbs out in the field, that you won't fix with a bit of safety wire and gasoline... It's not like they are foolproof, either

[bikeslut 1]

Do you use a celular phone or still on a land line with a ratory dial?

I personally got tired of all the rats I kept getting with ratory dial, so I switched.

embrace new technology... like spell check

[Zenosan 2]

How's that computer thingy working for you? Do you use a celular phone or still on a land line with a ratory dial?

I guess when we have equal getoffs and your foot is smashed inside your leather boots I'll uncomfortably walk back and get help for you. I'm sure you appreciatte the added benefits of your Snell approved helmets too.

Red Herring Pasta.

The topic was the virture of simplicity of classic designs for some applications.

I will give you the cell phone and computer and even my new Shoei Helmet over my old duckbills. I will even give you my newer Tourmaster Jacket over my old Hallman Racing jacket (pretty flimsy and light padding).

However, in over 50 years of riding I have never had a foot or leg injury with my Alpinestars HiPoint leather boots.

For the record - I have had my share of getoffs but I gave that up in recent years because I am getting too old.

By the way, when doing wilderness exploring around Page I still often wear my open face duckbills. I don't worry about smashing my face doing that kind of riding.

[dirt dame 561]

By the way, when doing wilderness exploring around Page I still often wear my open face duckbills. I don't worry about smashing my face doing that kind of riding.

Back in the 80s, I used to like wearing a trials helmet for riding around Corral Canyon and any place where it was easy paced singletrack riding. I still wish I could find a nice comfy open face helmet that was sort of "dirt" designed (sort of like the old JT MX helmets).

[rexr 0]

I think it is great that we have representatives on both side of this argument. Technology is great but let us not forget where we came from either. Personally I love to see those like Zenosan and others on the board that are passionate about the vintage bikes.