Hi All
I'm looking for help again. A quick reponse would be great as we're finally having good weather here

I am having bad fuel leaking problems on my 2005 1700ATMT. I've localised the problem and beleive that fuel is coming out of the pilot air jet screw and through the airbox before dumping onto the engine.

I can stop this be turning off the fuel and opening the four float screws and letting the fuel expell from the seals. This is only when its parked though. THE FUEL STILL COMES OUT WHEN PARKED IF IT IS NOT DRAINED! I can't seem to get the float bowl off to check inside.

I'm at a loss with stuff like this and wondering why I went for a carb based system - I do love the bike but won't ride it whilst its leaking fuel. I'm sure this is not the PUKING problem.

Any help with instructions would be greatfully received. Thanks
Martin - UK

need to look up adjusting the float. your float valve is not closing. the float are held in with a pin that you can just tap out.

re-read.. oh float bowl screws... ya .. you can with a second person, press down hard on the screw, apply pressure unscrewing it.. tap back of screw driver with hammer... or if you have a torque screw driver (screw driver that turns the screw when you hit it with a hammer) having difficulty remembering name (impact driver?/ doesn't sound right)... get at sears... some autoparts stores...

If you do strip them you wouldn't be the first person .. cut slot in them with dremmel and use a flat head screw driver ... replace...

Like Dave said it has to be your float needle. I used small vise grips to get mine out. Go to Home Depot and get allan head screws to replace them with. Set your float according to the write up in the tech articles.

I presume the float bowl screws are the four brass ones. These come off really easy so maybe its been off before?

But....with these 4 screws out the bowl still doesn't come off, it seems to be held at the back mid-left (about where the spade and bullet connectors are), I can't see there but I can feel, and there seems to be no other screws or anything else that might hold the bowl on.

I agree that the float is staying open, but can it go out of adjustment or does it just need cleaning out. The carb is still on the bike and I don't fancy stripping it off, can the float be adjusted, cleaned or replaced with just the bowl off.

The bike has done about 27K miles and was imported from California I think, it is gorgeous but I don't know any history. It is 5 years old so are there any diaphragms or seals around the float that could be torn or perished and need replacement (general maintenance items) - if so, does the XV1600 bits fit. The 1700 was never imported to the UK and it is difficult for me to get bits. I just got a new oil and air filter combo for a 1600 in the UK which look the same as the 1700.

I've had the bike for 6 months now but only just starting to get to know it now the weather is picking up.

Yes your right there is a spade terminal at the back that keeps it from coming off. You are going to have to take the carb off and it isn't that hard. On the cables loosen the top nuts on the cables but don't change the setting of the bottom ones and they will go back just the way they were adjusted before. Take the gas line loose on the left side rather than the carb side unhook the two wire connections on the backbone at the left side of the bike and the choke on that side too. Carefull with the nut that is on the back side of the choke cable because it can be broken. Once the carb is off loosen the brass terminal that hold the spade terminal to the carb and rotate it out of the way of the bowel. If it doesn't clear take a file and file the corner of it until you can take the bowel off lifting straight up on it. Now you can set your float and clean the bowl. From now on you can remove the bowel with the carb on the bike.

Thanks Dave & Curt

Just finished up in the garage for tonight. Tank off, carb off, cleaned everything out and the float seems really free up/down. Will try it with fuel in the next few days to see if it worked ok.

The only problem was that when I removed the fuel pipe (left side) it was perished at the end so had to cut about 3/4" off when I put it back on, but there was enough (no more though).

With the electrode, rather than cut it down, it swivelled out of the way easily and locked down ok so it stays out of the way (maybe 1/8" turn away from the float bowl). I can't see any problems doing this but please let me know if anyone else knows differently.

Really glad I tried to do this myself, wouldn't normally. Your instructions were very clear and easy to follow and I now understand how the carb and everything connects, also cleaned under the tank as well!!

Thanks again for the help. Hopefully I won't be asking for help when I fuel it up.

No problem just moving it out of the way I did that on one carb but some still arn't far enough out of the way so you have to file a corner for the bowel to clear. Double check your float level If you click on "My Site" one the upper right of mt sig picture you will go to my site. Click on the "projects" button and you will see a picture of ho0w I did it.

Hi Everyone

Just when I thought the problem was solved....guess what.

Stripped the carb down, cleaned it all up etc and no leak. Went for a good 4 hour ride on Saturday, no leak. Got the bike out last night to go for a ride and thought I'd check the oil level first so I started the bike for only 3-4 minutes to warm the oil up and notice that I had a bit of petrol leaking again. Turned off the bike and started it again, took ages to start (like no fuel) and when it did start it leaked again. I notice that when I increase the revs the fuel stops leaking - being sucked into the engine I guess.

I've search this forum loads and wondering if I go pumpless, the only worry is that I can't see where the fuels coming from, it doesn't seem to be the breather or anything else described here - it seems to be at the back of the carb (really ca\n't see where)and flooding heavily when it starts. Because this seems different than anything else described I feel totally lost knowing what to do.

Do we go pumpless because of fuel leaks, is there a diaphragm in the carb that could be ripped/rotten.

Any help please I've lost confidence now and have a bike I daren't ride.

could be a bad valve assy (which if you go pumpless you replace this) or floats outa adjust.