Now I've got Fuelling problems ( and focced off with it )

[Graham53]

I've had the bike since October 19k miles, service history , recently serviced by Yam. I don't use it much but when it's parked for more than a few days I turn the fuel tap off and run it until it's dry.
Not sure if this is related to the problem but I'll put it in , it felt like the throttle grip had loosened off on the bars and was twisting all the way round but if gripped hard it will turn normally so put it to do soon, then I notice I can't adjust the idle screw it turns but not a lot happens it'll raise the revs but not much 1800 max.
I was today looking at my radiator that has a hairline crack in ( my fault don't ask longer story ) I thought I'd start her up and see how bad the leak is, turned on fuel, it started on the button but I noticed its lumpy , the engine isn't just vibrating it's really vibrating ( a bit like an old cx500 if you're old enough to remember ) and I'm not sure but thought I heard feint knocking and it'll idle but not smoothly on the rev needle it fluctuates a bit( I was putting down to empty float bowls filling up )
So then my son comes out asks what I'm doing and decides to ask questions about bike engines (unusual ) so we get to the clutch casing I explain the clutch, unscrew the oil fill plug to say you can just see the clutch spinning in there when I get a huge whiff of fuel out of the fill hole it's mega strong so at that point turn off the engine and decide to have a look at the 2 easiest plugs (1 & 4) as it's now raining and I'm outside.
The plugs look ok but are wet and black at the sides but normal colour but wet in the centre which says to me flooding and / or stuck float for some reason  but would that then run into the sump past the rings ?  When I went back after a few minutes the fuel smell has gone but when I went back a few hours later without starting the engine the fuel smell is back.
I also noticed when I was pulling no 4 plug that it looks like the TPS has been moved ( previous owner ) as the torx heads look a bit messed with and there's a tide mark where it looks like it was.
All I've done to the bike since I got it was put a can on 50 miles previously  and some carbon fairing infills ( cured the fairing buzz ) and carbon rad covers ( undoing seized bolt caused the hairline rad crack ).
So now focced of and concerned that I've either got an expensive repair bill or a modern art fazer shaped sculpture for my front garden.

[Falcon 269]

Is this your Foxeye or Thou you're having trouble with?  The reference to the fuel tap suggests the former because to reach the fuel tap on the Thou you have to lift the tank.

[Graham53]

Sorry falcon should have said it's the thou, it's dumped about quarter tank in there

[Fazerider]

Sorry falcon should have said it's the thou, it's dumped about quarter tank in there

A gallon of petrol in the sump?
That doesn't sound like seepage past the rings... more like a holed piston and a seriously flooding carb.
I'd check the fuel levels in the carbs and a compression test before attempting to fire it up again.

[Graham53]

Sorry falcon should have said it's the thou, it's dumped about quarter tank in there

A gallon of petrol in the sump?
That doesn't sound like seepage past the rings... more like a holed piston and a seriously flooding carb.
I'd check the fuel levels in the carbs and a compression test before attempting to fire it up again.

Beyond my lack of mechanical talent, but I'm guesstimating from the last time I rode it and looked at the fuel gauge but I might be wrong, at the moment my heads all over the place with it.
I think I'm going to book it in to someone with knowledge tomorrow

[Falcon 269]

So you're lifting the tank each time to turn off the fuel tap?  Why?  It's only there for maintenance purposes should you need to remove the tank.  No need to drain the carbs every time you lay the bike up for a week or two.  Or month or two, for that matter ...

My guess is that the constant on/off has either caused a float to stick or - more likely - you've got an issue with the float valve seat O-rings.  It's a common problem with the Fazers as they get older and the original O-rings harden.  It causes the fuel level to get too high in the affected carb(s) which in turn creates a rich misfire and would also explain the fuel smell.

Excessive fuel in the carbs should come out of the overflow tubes rather than leak into the engine.  That's what the overflows are there for, so it's unlikely that you've got a gallon of fuel in the sump.  You can relax on that score.

A decent mechanic will know how to check the fuel level in the float chambers to see if there's a problem in that area.  Replacing the float valve seat O-rings is a carbs-out job so probably budget for a couple of hours labour.  Not that it should take that long ...

[Graham53]

Thanks Falcon,
Re the turning off fuel tap thing, I think maybe a little over zealous in worrying my carbs will gum up as I don't use it much and by the sounds of it seem to have created a problem in trying to prevent one.
I've done a bit more head scratching and gone back to the bike and checked the oil level hasn't risen any so suspect that there's no fuel in the oil , the fuel smell has dissipated and think all the oil smells of is normal used engine oil, took a small sample of oil to double check this and all seems as it should.
looking at it logically ( opposite to before ) and taking into account your knowledge and experience I think your summation is correct and will get it checked out by a mechanic and stop doing an impersonation of a chicken minus it's head.

[Falcon 269]

 ... and breathe, and relax.

FWIW, both my Fazer and R1 have sat for months on end without being started over many years and neither has suffered from gummed up carbs.  I think tends to be more of a problem reported in the USA because of their inferior fuel quality. 

Well, it is too damned cheap ...

[Graham53]

... and breathe, and relax.

FWIW, both my Fazer and R1 have sat for months on end without being started over many years and neither has suffered from gummed up carbs.  I think tends to be more of a problem reported in the USA because of their inferior fuel quality. 

Well, it is too damned cheap ...

You must be clairvoyant 
It was after browsing the FZ1OA site that all I kept reading about was gummed carbs , seafoam I wouldn't mind having shares in that stuff   wonder how they'd feel paying our fuel prices.
Calmed down now , I

[ogri48]

Fuel getting into a bore has only ever happened to me once, on an ageing vfr750, and like mike says, easy /cheap enough to cure with new float valves and/ or seals. I didn't even know my fazer had a fuel tap lol...having spent many, many hours cleaning out the tank and carbs from the zzr1100 I bought outta storage, I'll only put super unleaded in my thou and won't touch supermarket fuel stations. I know everybody has different opinions and that's obviously fine, but the shit they put into cheap petrol now is unbelievable, especially considering some of it actually absorbs moisture, I want my fazer to last me to the grave, and I don't mind spending a bit extra to help ensure that. If your bikes off the road for reasonable periods mate, it's gonna be worth getting the carbs off and giving them a good once over. Even summat like a tiny hole blocked in an emulsion tube makes an immense difference to its running

[Graham53]

Thanks Ogri
I called a mobile spanner man that a few mates have used to come and do it and then I can finally rest, I always use shell opti vmax whatever it's called on bikes, the car gets supermarket shite.
My problem is and I'm not going to blather on about my life but I had some bad personal stuff happen a couple of years ago coupled with an accident ( not bike ) that I had and it's caused a condition called fibromyalgia , a big symptom of which apart from the pain is anxiety and at the mo my focus seems to be the bike, which I bought partly to help me get back into the big wide world again, daft and not logical I know but there it is , all I'm gonna say now is that I clearly need more medication.
Now where's that nurse with my tablets

[Kenbob]

Most if not all petrol manufacturers have to put ethanol into their fuels.
Ethanol absorbs water but magically ethanol can be removed from petrol by adding water.
Yeah it's true google it.

[Graham53]

Most if not all petrol manufacturers have to put ethanol into their fuels.
Ethanol absorbs water but magically ethanol can be removed from petrol by adding water.
Yeah it's true google it.

Without googling I think the ethanol attracts with the water and in doing so separates from the fuel but you've got to give it a good shake and then the heavier ethanol/water settles at the bottom.

[ogri48]

Thanks Ogri
I called a mobile spanner man that a few mates have used to come and do it and then I can finally rest, I always use shell opti vmax whatever it's called on bikes, the car gets supermarket shite.
My problem is and I'm not going to blather on about my life but I had some bad personal stuff happen a couple of years ago coupled with an accident ( not bike ) that I had and it's caused a condition called fibromyalgia , a big symptom of which apart from the pain is anxiety and at the mo my focus seems to be the bike, which I bought partly to help me get back into the big wide world again, daft and not logical I know but there it is , all I'm gonna say now is that I clearly need more medication.
Now where's that nurse with my tablets

Not daft at all mate, despite the shitty weather Over the winter riding the bike has done its bit to help me get over losing my dog last November, I get out on it nearly every day. Good luck with getting both the bike and yourself sorted my friend, and hopefully meet up on a ride sometime this year

[Graham53]

Thanks mate ,
Appreciate it    and hope you're getting better with your old op injury and keeping up the walking