I wonder if anyone can help. I’ve got a 1985 kickstart XT 600; the problem is that a little fuel leaks from the carb when I’m starting it. It starts easily with no choke but then stalls after about 10 minutes and won’t start until it’s cold.
I think that it must be running very rich hence the easy starting when cold and the stalling when hot but I don’t know whether that’s just because it’s poorly adjusted or if there’s something else amiss.
If anyone’s got any suggestions then they’d be gratefully received.

The swimmer needle is stuck or not closing.

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.

Amazing how well they run when the choke is switched off heh heh heh

Fuel leaking outside carb and only when you start?
hmm mysterious, on a 1VJ l would admit the fuel pump stops fuel flow when engin switched off,,
What if you didn't have enough fuel in the carb to keep engin running from the moment it ignites,,
thats why you need to wait, not for engin to get cold but for carb to fill up again,,maybe
Try to exactly locate the leak
l do think the inlet valve could be stuck and
worn, letting a little fuel slowly poor thru
that would explain an overfill leak
Here's an easy check you can do before disassembling all the carb:
Check the fuel level in carb!

1 take a transparent fuel line
2 put it where the bleed line is fitted on carb
3 hold it straight up along the carb side like a "U" !
4 Open bleed screw and watch fuel poor "UP!" the line you re holding like a "U" against the catb side
5 lf level is correct, fuel in line should reach the same level as the upper end of the floater case: about where the screws keeps the
under part of carb tightened!!
NOT higher NOT lower !
6 lf good, empty fuel in carb and quickly remake the check to see fuel poors freely

good luck

Matt

Hi Matt

Fatboy fraser, now known as the choker, or any other suitably humorous phrase. The problem was confusion about the position of the choke lever. Flush with the bar seemed to be off from the riders seat but was in fact on. Difficulty starting with choke on ( really off) then stopping a few kays down the road because the choke was in fact on when it was thought to be off!

It was that simple. @%#^^%$^%$ Carb dismantled cleaned rebuilt filter cleaned etc etc all for knowght! giggle giggle.

We did 1000kms over the next two days dirt and twisty bitumen through NE Victoria and it ran like a seiko! Handles heaps better than the G/S on both surfaces.

cheers

alec

hi

l remember having similar problems with my 1VJ long ago, its great to discover when theres often just a small problem on them,

Matt

Many thanks for taking the time to give advice, that carb fuel level trick sounds particularly useful. And yes, as Alec subtly pointed out, the biggest problem was me leaving the choke on when I thought it was off. Still, I’m sure only a few thousand people have read this
Now that my problem has been solved I hope that someone can explain to Alec that his GS will handle better if he actually gets the preload and damper settings on his new rear shock set to something more than nil. Everyone on the bike trip tried but he was adamant that it was so much better than the old shock already that he didn’t need to bother and that pogo-ing down the road was fine

Let him look at www.ohlins.com and he will be convinced.

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.