Motorcycle Adventure

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So I go outside this morning with the intent of going for a motorcycle ride. Well, it doesn't start and the battery dies trying to crank it. Normally this only happens when hot. Well, I try push starting it- no dice.

I finally resort to jump starting it with my car. It works! Except it doesn't idle- then it dies. Then gasoline starts dripping out of the muffler. Uh oh. What?

I call my grandfather and ask him, and he says if the fuel valve was left on (it was, by either my dad or I) it could have flooded the engine. The formerly half tank of gas is now empty. It's still dripping out of the muffler. Uh oh. I pull the dipstick- and it overflows with watery oil- there is more gasoline in the oil than oil. So I run out to advance, pick up 3 quarts of Castrol PowerRS Racing 4T 10W-40, and a new K&N filter.

I get home, and I drain it out, run the remainder of the Supertech 5W-20 I had around from the head gasket on the cavalier, and changed the filter. Added oil, pulled spark plugs and cranked a bit, put back in, and it starts and runs just fine now. Went on a ride even.

So now we know to make double sure the fuel is turned off, because apparently it will literally flood the engine. When I pulled the drainplug, it was a geyser of mostly gasoline.

My question is, how likely is it that it damaged the engine, and also, the oil I used is all they had, and it says Racing on it. Is it like car racing oil that it's for racing only, or is it good for long term use?

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Common problem with leaving the petcock on.

No damage.

Oil is fine to use that you bought.

Good to change the oil with all the gas in it and make sure you winterize the bike BEFORE winter.

After the oil change take it for a nice ride.
 
Can you fit a vacuum petcock? I have them on my virago (two, for two carbs, in a quest for complexity) and I appreciate the lack of thought required.

Since you didn't hydrolock the thing the first time you cranked it, it should survive.
 
just my 2 cents, just like with a car when you drain the oil on your bike not all the oil is comming out.. if this had happend to me i would have drained the oil, turned the engine over with no spark or if it applies to your bike , put it in a diagnostic mode so it cant start, and cranked it to get as much remaining oil out as posabble. Then a cheap (disposable oil) would have been used for a short run and then repeat the entire process (for peace of mind).. The 4T you picked up is not stricktly "Racing oil" its a fantastic motorcycle specific motor oil that's also a great high performance standard motorcycles.. My R1 gets 4T, and so does my little 250 NINJA.. its not a racer, but im sure it appreciates the 4T im putting in her.
 
Leaking float valve? turning off the petcock is a good idea, but it shouldn't drain the tank into the engine if you don't.
 
carbs need floats adjusted, needles adjusted, cleaned or rebuilt.

petcock won't be enough, as any tiny excess fuel in the carbs will seep after every ride into the cylinders into the oil.

you can run it like this with more frequent oil changes.

or you can catch on fire. I lost a '73 bus this same way.... the muffler went >>>>>FWWOOOOMP<<<<< and fire wrapped around the back of my head. but thats another story.
 
Originally Posted By: Drew2000
Awwww....I thought this thread was about riding a old CB750 to Alaska or something...

ha, me too.

Definitely find the source of this problem and fix it. The bike shouldn't do this whether you leave the petcock on or not.

jeff
 
See that concerns me because we just had it at a motorcycle shop, had the rear tire changed (though they did put it on the rim backwards) and had the carbs cleaned and rebuilt, and the plugs changed.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nick R
See that concerns me because we just had it at a motorcycle shop, had the rear tire changed (though they did put it on the rim backwards) and had the carbs cleaned and rebuilt, and the plugs changed.


The needle/float may be sticking. You using ethanol gas in it?
 
Originally Posted By: OVERK1LL
Originally Posted By: Nick R
See that concerns me because we just had it at a motorcycle shop, had the rear tire changed (though they did put it on the rim backwards) and had the carbs cleaned and rebuilt, and the plugs changed.


The needle/float may be sticking. You using ethanol gas in it?


E10 is all we have here, there is no ethanol free gas. Well there is, but it's 50 miles away so it's not worth it. I am running premium in it though.
 
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