Can a Mikuni carburetor leak gas from the vent?
While a Mikuni carburetor is reliable and generally requires little attention beyond regular cleaning, problems can and will occur. A fuel leak, starting from the carburetor’s vent tube, can be worrisome affair for many motorcyclists. In order to fix the problem, you need to understand what causes the leak in the first place.
What kind of carburetor does a Mikuni motorcycle use?
Mikuni’s range of carburetors are a common sight on nearly every Japanese motorcycle ever built, ranging in form from a simple round-slide carburetor to the more-complex constant velocity carburetor. While a Mikuni carburetor is reliable and generally requires little attention beyond regular cleaning, problems can and will occur.
What happens to the float in a carburetor?
As fuel is drawn into the carburetor jets, the fuel level decreases and lowers the float. This in turn opens the valve and admits more fuel into the float chamber, raising the float again and closing the valve.
Why is my carburetor leaking gas from the vent?
Once the float has been adjusted, the carburetor is reinstalled and the fuel level check must be performed again. A vent hose fuel leak can also occur if the float valve does not seat properly in a fully closed position, allowing fuel to continue to fill the float chamber regardless of the float position.
How does the float work in a Mikuni carburetor?
Mikuni’s motorcycle-specific carburetors use a float-type fuel delivery system. The float is a hinged valve that literally floats on the fuel surface within the carburetor’s lower float chamber. As fuel is drawn into the carburetor jets, the fuel level decreases and lowers the float.
What causes a fuel leak on a Mikuni motorcycle?
A fuel leak, starting from the carburetor’s vent tube, can be worrisome affair for many motorcyclists. In order to fix the problem, you need to understand what causes the leak in the first place. Mikuni’s motorcycle-specific carburetors use a float-type fuel delivery system.
As fuel is drawn into the carburetor jets, the fuel level decreases and lowers the float. This in turn opens the valve and admits more fuel into the float chamber, raising the float again and closing the valve.
How does the Tang work on a Mikuni?
Most Mikuni floats have a tang at the center of the bridge that is used to push the fuel valve upward into the valve seat, restricting the incoming flow of fuel. In some cases, the tang is adjustable to raise or lower the fuel level for performance tuning purposes. If the tang is moved upward, the fuel level is decreased and vice-versa.