It had been sitting for a week so I started it up on Prime and went for a 30 minute ride.  When I came back I parked it in the garage and the next day smelled a strong odor of gas.  Thought it was some gas I spilled and left the door open over the day to clear up the smell but then the next day I remembered I had left it on Prime.  Will this cause it to hydro lock and if so how do I check for it and clear it up if I did?
Thanks, DK

If you are smelling it, better pull the cover off the air filter box and inspect there first thing, if it smells strong, or is wet DO NOT PRESS THE STARTER BUTTON...
remove the tanks, and pull the spark plugs, move the bike OUTDOORS.

with the plugs removed, cover the valve cover with a towel, have rags handy, and a fire extinguisher at hand wouldn't hurt.
Carefully crank the engine over to expel the fuel from the cylinders. Use caution, it will be expelled forcefully, and usually in a very messy and profuse quantity.

clean everything up before re-assembly.

oh, put the fuel valve back to Run.

Does he need to check the oil for wash down?

Does he need to check the oil for wash down?

Heck yes.  Then check to see which carb float valve is hanging open.

Heck yes.  Then check to see which carb float valve is hanging open.

  A BIG plus 1 on a stuck float valve. They ain't  'posed to do that!!

The above posters have given good sound advice.    I was having some problems with a rebuilt petcock and suspected a possible hydrolock condition.   I am pretty lazy.   I pulled the left inspection cover off the end of the crank and turned the shaft slowly with a wrench.  You definately can feel when each cylinder comes up to compression, but it will pull through.  (it takes 720 degrees)
If I did have liquid fuel on the piston top, it was flushed through as I turned the wrench.
Once I was sure it would turn freely, I slipped the cover on and fired it up.   

PS, you will want the bike on centerstand and in neutral when you do this. 

Good Luck

This happened to a fellow connie rider years ago. Thankfully, for him, he was aware of the possible hydrolock condition and didn't try to start it. Turns out #1 was full of fuel on the up-stroke. I removed the spark plug and sucked the fuel out with a tube attached to a syringe. The other holes were fine. I took the carbs home with me for servicing and found the bowls were filthy with sediment. Replaced all float needles/seats. Advised him to flush the tank and inspect/replace the petcock and also change the oil. Back on the road with four straight con-rods. Yippie!

 

Thanks for the help everyone.  Took the plugs out and hit the starter (thanks for the "messy" heads up) and #4 was full of gas.  Blew the towel I had over the engine off to the side and spooged gas on the right side of the bike/windshield.  While I had them out I put in new plugs, buttoned it up, hit the starter and it actually started.  I'll change the oil tomorrow, re-oil the air fliter and that should do it.
Thanks, DK

  You may have a bad float needle and it could happen again. You really need overflow tubes.

                  https://sites.google.com/site/shoodabenengineering/intake-and-exhaust

Took it out for an hour ride and she runs great.  Amazing what new plugs will do after 20K, started so much easier.  Later this winter when I have it apart to do the valves I'll check the carbs.  The air filter was soaked with gas when I checked.
Thanks again gang, DK

Thanks for the help everyone.  Took the plugs out and hit the starter (thanks for the "messy" heads up) and #4 was full of gas.  Blew the towel I had over the engine off to the side and spooged gas on the right side of the bike/windshield.  While I had them out I put in new plugs, buttoned it up, hit the starter and it actually started.  I'll change the oil tomorrow, re-oil the air fliter and that should do it.
Thanks, DK

That wont 'Do it' until you fix your bad carbs - your float needle is not sealing.  While your fixing your carbs install over flow tubes.
That is how you 'Do it!'
Dont think that because you caught it this time that you are out of danger. You could still hydro-lock your engine on the next push of that starter button.

Pretty sure leaving it in Prime for a couple days was the main culprit, but a new petcock and carb rebuild will happen in the next month or two. It's not something that has ever happened before in 14 years of ownership.  Also the smell of gas when this happened isn't anything I could miss and I'll be very watchful from now on.
DK

Pretty sure leaving it in Prime for a couple days was the main culprit, but a new petcock and carb rebuild will happen in the next month or two. It's not something that has ever happened before in 14 years of ownership.  Also the smell of gas when this happened isn't anything I could miss and I'll be very watchful from now on.
DK

Not to beat Mike's drum but.... No the main culprit is a leaking float valve in the carb, it will only be a matter of time before it happens again either to you or anyone of us and our aging bikes. The float valve was designed to seal against the force of the fuel wanting to exit the tank via gravity. New float valves may need to be considered to stop this from happening again. The install of overflow tubes will not stop your carbs from malfunctioning but they will serve to help prevent the fuel from flooding your engine again when the phase sequence of the sun and moon are again in sync.....

You got lucky, you smelled fuel. that may not happen the next time.
Make sure you tap that starter button to be sure the engine is not locked up on every start until you get overflow tubes.
Most likely your still leaking extra fuel all the time your engine is running. Keeping track of your fuel economy and seeing a drop is a sure sign of a leaky float

daklugdad, you got some very good advice here and it didn't cost you a thing. We all forget, I am glad there was no harem done, it can be a Connie killer.   PS  Leo I like the way you go at it, thanks, it is good to see you are still around. JD

You mentioned you had the bike for 14 years, another source of this problem is a float level set too high.  My theory is that the floats get out of adjustment over time and eventually rise enough for the float to bottom out on the base of the carburetor and keep the needles from closing properly.  When my bike did this and I pulled the carbs more that one float was near bottoming out on the base.  I now have overflows and a manual petcock, lessons learned.