Bad float?

[Chuck in Indiana]

When I went through the G5, I put new needles in, and saw the "good" brown floats. Yay.  Turned the carb upside down and gently blew into the fitting. Sealed, cool.  The other day when I turned the fuel on, I saw fuel running to the left carb. Thought, "Well it's been sitting for months." However, I forgot to turn the fuel off after coming back and the next day there was a puddle of fuel under the bike.
Weighed the float, and it is 10.51 grams. A new white float weighs 9.11.
I'm *assuming* the original float has a pinhole leak. Yes?

[lucian]

Not necessarily , if fuel leaked in it will leak back out when you shake it . I would pin it down in a cup of gas overnight and see if it has a leak.  My v50 just did the same thing this spring after new needles and floats last year. I replaced the needles again and I usually dress the seats with a scratch awl point  and a few spins. Has been holding fine again. Something tells me the ethanol hardens the rubber needle tips pretty fast. Luckily needle are cheep! 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

When I went through the G5, I put new needles in, and saw the "good" brown floats. Yay.  Turned the carb upside down and gently blew into the fitting. Sealed, cool.  The other day when I turned the fuel on, I saw fuel running to the left carb. Thought, "Well it's been sitting for months." However, I forgot to turn the fuel off after coming back and the next day there was a puddle of fuel under the bike.
Weighed the float, and it is 10.51 grams. A new white float weighs 9.11.
I'm *assuming* the original float has a pinhole leak. Yes?

What is the original float supposed to weigh? The weight is molded into it. Does it slosh when shaken? Could just be a bad seal float needle to seat. Put a little fine valve grinding compound on a Q-Tip, chuck it up into a drill, poke it into the seat and give it a spin.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Not necessarily , if fuel leaked in it will leak back out when you shake it . I would pin it down in a cup of gas overnight and see if it has a leak.  My v50 just did the same thing this spring after new needles and floats last year. I replaced the needles again and I usually dress the seats with a scratch awl point  and a few spins. Has been holding fine again. Something tells me the ethanol hardens the rubber needle tips pretty fast. Luckily needle are cheep!

I've only ran non ethanol since the needle change. It's still not leaking by my not scientific blowing in the fuel inlet method. I went ahead and put a new white one in, but I won't throw away the RHS brown float yet.

[Chuck in Indiana]

What is the original float supposed to weigh? The weight is molded into it. Does it slosh when shaken? Could just be a bad seal float needle to seat. Put a little fine valve grinding compound on a Q-Tip, chuck it up into a drill, poke it into the seat and give it a spin.

It says, 10. The needle doesn't seem to be leaking.. (?) I'm deaf as a post, Charlie.. I couldn't hear it if it was full of fuel. 

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

If it says 10 and weighs 10.5 then I doubt it's leaking. Hope you have better luck with that white one than I've had with them. They do fill with gas.

[Chuck in Indiana]

If it says 10 and weighs 10.5 then I doubt it's leaking. Hope you have better luck with that white one than I've had with them. They do fill with gas.

Yeah, I know.. does that mean my test of turning it upside down and blowing in the fuel inlet is bogus?

[lucian]

Yeah, I know.. does that mean my test of turning it upside down and blowing in the fuel inlet is bogus?

Bogus? Hell no that's industry standard 

[SED]

I had a Dellorto float problem where it would hang up - not rotate up to close easily.  IIRC it was a burr on the steel bale or on the the alloy post the pivot pin goes through.

It would only stick or hang-up when nearly closed so difficult to find.

Someone here on WG also mentioned the spring loaded pin in some Dellorto float needles can wear and hang up giving faulty fuel level, but not sure how that would cause the needle to stick open.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Thanks for the replies. Since I already had the white one in it, I buttoned it up and went for a putt around the block. It ran fine, of course. Tomorrow will tell the tale, but I imagine Charlie is right, of course.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Closure to this thread.
Charlie was right, of course. 
Pulled the carb again, and polished the seat with green diamond compound and a Q tip. Oooh, shiny..  Blew it out with carb cleaner, reassembled with the brown float, and it quit seeping.
Yay.

[Antietam Classic Cycle]

Closure to this thread.
Charlie was right, of course. 
Pulled the carb again, and polished the seat with green diamond compound and a Q tip. Oooh, shiny..  Blew it out with carb cleaner, reassembled with the brown float, and it quit seeping.
Yay.

"Even a stopped clock is right twice a day".