I left my 2001 connie covered for a week with a full tank of gas and sitting in my side yard as there is no room in the garage.  I have Bergman’s petcock upgrade and had the handle turned off (fully left) to the front.  It started normally and after 5 or 6 minutes of warm up I went to work.  It didn’t do well even before I hit the street, it stumbled, I gave it more gas and it picked up some. By the time I hit a four lane and could get up to 45-50 mph, I could tell there was something wrong, but I went to work anyway.   When I got to work, only 10 miles away, there was gas leaking.  I pulled the left side cover and found it was coming from the air filter box.  There was not a lot of gas and it quickly dried up.  I had no other way home, so I rode it back the 10 miles under a little better performance.  I spent last night looking up reasons for this issue and came up with the hydrolock issue, or leaking petcock.   Took off the gas tank and the petcock does not leak.  I pulled the plugs. #1 and #2 were black and fouled, #3 & #4 were fine.   No hydrolock as I performed the test Steve in Sunnt Fla video showed.  Whew! 
I’ve drained the bowls and will use the poor man’s quick fix of using Sea Foam overnight.  I’ll drain the bowls again and refill with fresh gas, put her back together and see what happens.  Can anyone explain why plugs #1 and #2 were fouled up with carbon?  I’m not a mechanic, but I want to be.   

Okay, even if the petcock was leaking that isn't the problem. Your problem lies in the carbs. The float needles aren't seating properly allowing those cylinders with the fouled plugs to flood. You have a manual petcock so when you shut it off the flow of fuel stops so no hydrolock. Leave it on and it will. Remove the float bowls and floats and clean the needle/ seats or replace them.

Okay, even if the petcock was leaking that isn't the problem. Your problem lies in the carbs. The float needles aren't seating properly allowing those cylinders with the fouled plugs to flood. You have a manual petcock so when you shut it off the flow of fuel stops so no hydrolock.

  Correct, the issue is in the carbs. Steve

Thanks for the info on the carbs.  I'm a little tentative about pulling the carbs by myself.  I'll see if I can get them pulled off tomorrow.

LJ

Your probably not adding a little two stroke oil to your gas on every fill up.
Time for a carb spa. Ship those carbs out for servicing and overflow tubes.

Ok, sorry for the delay....
Drained the bowls again and put in new plugs, filled the bowls with new gas and viola, I'm back in business.
I'll put off pulling the carbs for another day, I know it's coming.

I have another couple of questions.  Should I start another post for each question?

So adding 2 stroke oil to my tank at every filling?  How much, and what does it do other than lubricate?  Does it affect gas mileage?



My 2001 is a California bike, I live in Colorado, are there any advantages to removing all of the pollution control stuff?  Is it against any laws to do so?

And, I want to change my oil this week and the glass is near unreadable, how can I clean it?

thanks for your wise replies in advance!

LJ

1.  Go to wally world and get a gallon of their version (Super Tech) of TC-W3 Outboard Motor oil (about $13).  The mix ratio recommend by Steve in Florida is 1 to 2 oz per 4 gal of fuel.  I've been adding 1 oz if the bike is going to sit up to 1 week, 2 oz for longer periods of inactivity.  The purpose is not to lubricate but to prevent evaporating fuel in the carbs from leaving a film which clogs the jets and tributaries.  I've seen no decrease in mileage, although, when using the 2 oz concentration you may notice the slight aroma of an outboard motor when sitting at a traffic light.

2.  I don't know about Colorado, but here's what it says in Texas about emission control tampering:

(b) No person may remove or make inoperable any system or device used to
control emissions from a motor vehicle or motor vehicle engine or any part thereof, except where the purpose of removal of the system or device, or part thereof, is to install another system or device, or part thereof, which is equally effective in reducing emissions from the vehicle.

If it's not broke....  Besides, the only advantage would be a few less hoses (4) to remove when doing a valve adjustment.

3.  If you are sure you’re not overfilled and this is the your first oil change, give it a little time to clear itself up.  I have to use a flashlight or be in bright sun to see mine.  The alternative might be to use a stiff wire with a swab securely attached and snaking it down to the window through the oil fill plug.  Personally, I'll keep using the flashlight.  With my luck, whatever I stick in there would stay!

And as Mike said, overflow tubes (if they are not already installed) and a day at Steve's spa for cleaning.

With your bike on the center stand, start it up and then check the sight glass with a flashlight to see if it's dirty.

With the bike running the oil level will be below the sight glass and you should be able to see through it.

Could be that your oil is a little over filled and dirty and that's why you can't see it in the sight glass.

my oil gets brown/dark fairly quickly and almost immediately looks dark(er) in the sight-glass.

my sight-glass is unreliable. I go by measurements rather than view. I just did an oil & filter change; I put in exactly 3 quart bottles but by 2.75 qts my oil was above the top of the glass. I ran the bike and checked again (bike leveled) but the sight-glass was still full.

when I measured the drained oil it was a hair less than 3 qts. The hair possibly stuck to the old filter, engine and the 8qt drain pan I use.

I don't think the 2-stroke oil is needed if you don't let the bike sit too long. perhaps sitting more than a few weeks. some riders use it religiously every tankful. I currently fill up every 2 weeks and so I don't use it. I will in the winter when I will fill up every 6-8 weeks. I'll also add Stabil.

my oil gets brown/dark fairly quickly and almost immediately looks dark(er) in the sight-glass.

my sight-glass is unreliable. I go by measurements rather than view. I just did an oil & filter change; I put in exactly 3 quart bottles but by 2.75 qts my oil was above the top of the glass. I ran the bike and checked again (bike leveled) but the sight-glass was still full.

when I measured the drained oil it was a hair less than 3 qts. The hair possibly stuck to the old filter, engine and the 8qt drain pan I use.

I don't think the 2-stroke oil is needed if you don't let the bike sit too long. perhaps sitting more than a few weeks. some riders use it religiously every tankful. I currently fill up every 2 weeks and so I don't use it. I will in the winter when I will fill up every 6-8 weeks. I'll also add Stabil.

The sight glass is very reliable. Are you draining your oil by removing the TWO drain plugs or just the one drain plug?

You dont NEED the 2 stroke oil if you dont let it sit long but it cannot hurt to do it anyway. Long is about 1  to two weeks.

Daytona,

I drain the 2 bolts and replace the filter. Thus far I have done 2 oil changes and both times the oil level was above the sight glass. Last time I used a gallon of shell 15-40 and poured in exactly 3 liters since the gallon had marking for liters. This time I had qt bottles of castrol 10-40. so I poured in 3 bottles and called it a day. Again the sight glass was all filled up!

Both times I let the oil drain over a lazy Sunday brunch, so it drained a while. I didn't warm up the engine either time. Just pulled on the center stand and drained the oil.

That's all I did.

The sight glass is very reliable. Are you draining your oil by removing the TWO drain plugs or just the one drain plug?

You dont NEED the 2 stroke oil if you dont let it sit long but it cannot hurt to do it anyway. Long is about 1  to two weeks.

That is so strange.   3 quarts  should not go over the sight glass.   Are you on the center stand and on level ground? 
 

Are you checking the sight glass when it's cold in the morning?  Also, do you normally leave the bike on the side stand?  When I stop the bike and put it on the center stand, my oil level is very consistent when check about an hour later.  If I leave it on the side stand for any length of time, then put in on the center stand, it show high.  I assume additional oil from the top end of the engine is draining down to the pan.  Try running the bike on the center stand and then shut it off.  Check you level in 20 or 30 minutes.

Granted my ground is not the flattest but I find the flattest spot and use that. I also rock the bike back and forth to make sure no oil is left.

Since this past sunday was my second time changing oil I was careful to measure how much oil came out and it was 3 qts almost to the mark. But the sight was full beforehand and thereafter when I filled it to exactly 3 qt.

I do notice a few drops of oil leaking every few weeks down the hose under the air filter.

Again I have never filled it more than 3l max. This was it was 3qrt.

Jim, I never park the bike on the center stand. I share my parking spot with my car so a little lean to the left is good for driver entry in to the car.

This will be my first oil change since I got the bike a month ago.  The sight glass looks like it has a film on  the inside.  I just barely make out the level with a flashlight with new batteries.  I'm not sure what the PO used for oil, I'll be using the expensive Kawasaki 10W40, and I usually (on my 1991 Connie) change the filter at each oil change.  Yes, I'll remove both drain plugs and the filter too.  I just start refilling with 2.75qts and see if I can get a good read on the sight glass, adjusting as necessary to get it between the lines.

I'll also begin using the TC-W3 Outboard Motor oil in the gas tank as well.  So this won't affect the pollution control system and reduce HP, performance, or mileage?

LJ

 

I know there are many that go by the sight-glass, but if you drain properly and completely you should fill to the recommended volume stated in your manual.

And by the way, you don't have to buy Kawa oil, any good brand motor oil meeting the reqs will do.

if you have a gas station close enough that sells ethanol free fuel you can forget about having to use the 2 cycle oil trick.....

So I changed the oil tonight and sure enough out comes over 4 quarts of oil.  No wonder I couldn't see through the sight glass, too much oil.

The question now is:  So what happens to the engine when run with 1 more quart of oil than recommended?

I added only the 3 liters as recommended in the manual with filter change.

I'll be installing my heated grips tomorrow morning before I go riding anywhere, last two mornings were mid to low thirty degrees, burrrrr.

LJ

now how far up does the oil show in your sight glass?

Oil level is right at the top of the sight glass.  Heated grips are on and work well.

I bought some 220 ohm resisters to fix the fuel gauge issue.  To get 1 I had to buy 5 and I have 4 left over.
First four replies gets one.  Send me your name and address and I put one in the mail, no charge!

LJ