[71gtx]

I own a 2000 Buell Cyclone which has a sportster motor in it. I've had two freak ocurrences happen in the past two days. First, I ran the bike around town, came home and when I went to start it again, the starter just clicked. I put it in 5th gear, rolled it backwards to bring the pistons to a different position, and it fired right up.

Then, this morning I go in my garage and all of the gas in the tank leaked all over the floor. Didn't see any leaks in the carb, none in the lines from the tank. So I put it on reserve and started it, and found tons of gas/oil spraying out of my primary discharge tube as if it were a firehose.

So, how does gas get into the primary? Possibly rings?

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by 71gtx

I own a 2000 Buell Cyclone which has a sportster motor in it. I've had two freak ocurrences happen in the past two days. First, I ran the bike around town, came home and when I went to start it again, the starter just clicked. I put it in 5th gear, rolled it backwards to bring the pistons to a different position, and it fired right up.

Then, this morning I go in my garage and all of the gas in the tank leaked all over the floor. Didn't see any leaks in the carb, none in the lines from the tank. So I put it on reserve and started it, and found tons of gas/oil spraying out of my primary discharge tube as if it were a firehose.

So, how does gas get into the primary? Possibly rings?

You didn't shut the petcock off when shutting down, or it leaks. In either event the fuel in the tank drained into the carb (I thought this was injected?)which also has a leaky float valve. From there it ran into the cylinders, past the rings and into the crankcase, filling it. When you went to start it a cylinder was at hydraulic lock. Changing the engine's rotation allowed that cylinder to drain enough fuel to where it was no-longer locked. When the engine fired, the fuel flooded crankcase blew out thru the crank seal into the primary.

The fact you're still alive to relate the story is something of a miracle, you should be burnt to death by now, I'd consider thankful prayer.

Bogie

[71gtx]

ah, makes perfect sense. i guess i never really thought that much fuel could pass the rings. do you think the crank seal is bad now? and thank you for your praise, i guess i am a lucky person for that!

[oldbogie]

Originally Posted by 71gtx

ah, makes perfect sense. i guess i never really thought that much fuel could pass the rings. do you think the crank seal is bad now? and thank you for your praise, i guess i am a lucky person for that!

I think that you should drain the crankcase and the oil tank. Make what ever repairs you find necessary. Put fresh oil in the tank, an fresh filter. Put a little top end lube like Marvel Mystery oil through the spark plug holes. Then crank it around a few times without the ignition on, and spark plugs out. Then fire the engine. Be aware it will smoke, you'll probably want a fresh set of plugs handy in case the existing ones foul out. Then see if the case seals leak. If they do then you've got to go in and make repairs, if they don't then you haven't performed an needless operation on the engine.

Bogie

[71gtx]

Thanks for the tips, I just got done taking the primary off, watching 12 quarts of fluid come out. Drained the oil, but couldn't find a crank case drain plug. I tipped the bike over pretty far and got some extra gas to come out of the crank, so it definitely needs to be drained. Question is if that seal is bad or just allowing gas to get through. Do you know of an easy method to drain the crank case, and also Id like to run it for a while and see if the seals are leaking, but I will have the primary on while running it. So run it with the primary off or run it with the primary dry and see if anything is seeping through?

[techron]

if you have gas coming out of the crankcase into the primary, as you stated, when you leaned it over you definately have a bad crankcase seal. you need to replace it.
oldbogie is right about how the gas got down there, when you mention about the gas puking out the breather it probably blew the seal at the same time.

ALWAYS-ALWAYS turn off the petcock before leaving the bike... NEVER-NEVER leave a bike with the petcock on. most of the time there are no consequences, but eventually the odds are going to catch up with you though. all it takes is one microscopec peice of trash between the needle+seat and what happened to you is the result.