KDXRIDER.NET

Aloha guys... new owner here of a 2000 220R purchased this week.

Gas overflows from the carb overflow tube... yes, I've read a lot of threads on this problem and see it's quite common. I've cleaned the carb, reset the float level by adjusting the float to be parallel to the mating surface and frankly, that made it worse. I reset the level so the arm was just a bit lower (greater distance) and that has helped. However, I still have a slight leak out the overflow tube when I lean the bike to the left a bit more than it is when on the sidestand and stand it back up... like gas is sloshing around in the bowl and coming out the overflow tube. It doesn't do this when i tip the bike to the right. Float needle looks good with no obvious flaws.

Do I keep on lowering the float needle tang till I get it to stop pissing or can there be another cause of this problem or can this be considered normal behavior?

I have a new float and float needle on order, but I'm trying to see if I've missed something.

I've cleaned the needle seat and made sure the carb is aligned properly when it's reinstalled on the bike.

Help?

Burnish the seat of the needle valve. Adjust the float height according to the manual. +-16mm

You can get it... just takes a little patience....

I did clean up/burnish the float valve seat with some 1500 sandpaper. The 16mm measurement seems like it would set the float closer to parallel to the mating surface than it is now. I'm assuming that when the float is parallel, that would be the 16mm measurement, correct? If so, that setting made the leaking worse.

Since I've readjusted it so there's less fuel in the bowl, the overflow has gotten less, but it still spills a few drops out when I lean the bike to the left and bring it back upright. I can only imagine that would happen in every left turn I take and would lose a lot of fuel due to this leaking. Riding range would suck.

are you saying to continue increasing the float level measurement till the pissing stops?

on a related note... why does this carb do this? I've never had a bike that float level was so critical to stop it from overflowing.

sometimes the needle can wear over time depends on how the motorcycle has been used & no adjustment of the float will cure the leak .....you cant often really tell by the human eye if it is worn...new needle valve would deffo help as would a new float (these are set at the factory so usually no adjustment is nesessary,just plug & play..floats dont like to be played with too much..only a slight tweek here & there is enough..if you tweek it so the fuel doesnt leek then you could end up starving the motor of fuel...replace the float & valve & take it from there..the parts shouldnt be too expensive ...floats are set hi on `off road/competition` bikes so there`s plenty of fuel in the float bowl as to 1.. feed the motor with plenty of fuel when riding over rough ground preventing fuel starvation by float shut off & 2.. prevent the float from beating its self to death & wearing unnessessary inside the bowl..i owned a ktm before & it always leaked fuel when on its side stand & never when sat upright..i was told that most comp bikes leak fuel when the bike is sat at the `10 o clock position....which my kdx 220 does.

16mm is dropped a bit...

It is kinda tricky setting it.... You have to angle the carb at an angle to where the needle is just closed and then the 16mm measurement is 16mm from the mating surface at the furthest part.

I use 17mm since you have a + or - of 2mm.

BTW... I have to adjust mine at least once a year if not twice.....

The guys I ride with have a joke that "If it's not leaking than there is something wrong with it." That is saying that as long as it isn't leaking while running you should be ok. My last two KDX's have had a tendency to leak a little when on the side stand from time to time but usually just turning the bars or shaking the bike would stop it.

I gave up on mine a long time ago. All I have to do is THINK about looking at the bike and it starts peeing