1996 Sportster 1200 leaking gas from filter/carb. Harley Sportster & Buell Discuss 1996 Sportster 1200 leaking gas from filter/carb. in the Motorcycles forums; 1996 Sportster 1200 leaking gas from filter/carb. Bike is all stock. Not my bike. Trying to help a friend. Just bought the bike 2 months ago. Bike is all stock. ...

[Pancho]

1996 Sportster 1200 leaking gas from filter/carb.
Bike is all stock.

Not my bike. Trying to help a friend.
Just bought the bike 2 months ago.
Bike is all stock.

I have an idea of what problem is,
but haven't worked on a Sportster before.

Any info. of this Sportster carb leak would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[48panshovel]

Got the same problem with my wife's 92 Sportster. Easiest fix is shut the gas off when you get off it. Sometimes she doesn't remember to do that so I'll be watching to see what others have for helpful tips.

[Buzz Kanter]

Since you din't give much info it's hard to say. But one thing to check would be a stuck or hung up float.

I know it sounds odd, but gently hit the float bowl with a piece of wood or the plastic handle of a screwdriver to see if that would free the stuck float.

[evoKENevo]

Hey,Pancho...welcome aboard

Shutting off the petcock at the end of the day is a REAL good idea. But even with the petcock left on, a leak/overflow is'nt likely to happen unless like Buzz said you have a sticky or maladjusted float,and/or a poorly seating float needle. Yeah,and,I've found that in most cases it's just a matter of a tiny bit of sediment that got into a float bowl and lodged itself between the float needle and it's seat.

Some if not most times just taping the carb like Buzz said will jar things loose and stop the leak...for now!! But IMO best bet is to pull the float bowl..clean it...check float level...replace the needle if it's showing any wear like a ring worn around/into it...put it all back together...and remember to shut your petcock off at the end of the day EVERY time.

NOTE: if/when your float bowl over-flows (especially with your bike leaning to the left on it's side stand) there's a likely chance that the over-flowing gas will also drain (un-noticed) into your engine case (via intake manifold etc) So you really should check for that too.

[shovelmike]

I grew up around an old 8N Ford tractor as well as motorcycles. We were taught the iron clad rule, with a gravity fed fuel system you close the petcock every time you park it.

[hotrodsporty]

On the old carbs, we use to periodicaly shut the petcock while riding to suck the needle down and clear the way, when it started to choke out then re open it.

[sportsterpaul]

For what its worth: a friend has an 1988 883, that had a leak. Ended up ,being a crack in the plastic elbow at the fuel inlet, the new one from the dealers was brass which tells me that on older models fatigue might come to bear hence the upgrade to brass.