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Greetings from new member.

R

rickburres9698

Member
Member
Hello all!

Bought my 2nd Concours C10 about 6 months ago. This one is an 02 C10 owned by a long time Connie rider. She has 53,000 miles on the clock and has had most all of the usual farkles and upgrades done. I have been busy riding her and had no issues until last week.

I commute year round if temps are above freezing for my 11p.m. nightly ride home.
She was warming up in the driveway for the ride to work when fuel began a fast drip out of my airbox after she came up to temp. I put her in 1st gear and just happened to look down and see a growing wet spot. I shut it down immediately.

The carbs have overflow tubes installed but no fuel came through them. It all came from the top of the airbox. I'm guessing there is crud around 1 or more float valves. I need to do a thorough under the plastic cleaning anyway as I have done nothing but change the oil and ride the snot out her since she came home with me. I removed all the plastic needed and pulled the carbs.

The bike had done some sitting around the last few years the PO owned it. He got a very big beautiful BMW touring bike and Connie got lonely. I adopted her. She likes living at my house better though cause she gets ridden.

I finally got around to joining COG and wanted to say hello from Kentucky Lake. Looking forward to participating in some COG rides and meeting the folks.
 
Welcome Rick,
Wow...sounds like a good thing you had the overflow tube's, that could've gone differently.
I had a 2005 C10 from Nov 2009 until Sept 2016, when I killed it. Now have a 2012 C14. Both great bikes! Different personalities, but both great.
You live in beautiful surroundings. We spent a week on the lake some years ago; still have fond memories. Not actually ON the lake, but in a very small "resort " on US68, just West of the lake.
I'm near Anderson IN, about 40 miles NE of Indy.
Hope you get the fuel issue sorted out. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks here that can probably give you hints, maybe even some useful ones!
 
Thanks Jorge!

I think I just need to bite the bullet and switch out my fuel tank. The bike came with an extra, which is much cleaner than the one it was born with. Then clean the carbs and replace the float needles maybe. I run a fuel filter and there are tiny bits of rust in it but maybe some stuff got through. We shall see. Only removed two float bowls so far. They did not look all that bad. I haver never seen a carb bike exhibit the, "peeing out of the air box while running symptom?"

Thanks again for the welcome. If you get down this way I know some very nice roads to ride. Give me a shout .....
 
Murph said:
Thats interesting, sure the fuel petcock isn't dumping fuel?

Where ya live at the lake?
Click to expand...
Murph said:
Thats interesting, sure the fuel petcock isn't dumping fuel?

Where ya live at the lake?
Click to expand...
Hello Murph!

I live outside Murray on Blood River.

Thanks again for the MAM (Murph's Air Mail) delivery of my new tip over bars last August! Never have I had such service and great conversation. Have not had to use the tip over protection but they look great and I like them very much. Hope the crosswinds were kinder upon your departure from the airport than on arrival...lol.... nothing a smoothie won't cure.....

I think the petcock is fine. I have a new one though, acquired with the bike, and will be ordering the manual conversion kit and carb kit as soon as I finish inspecting the carbs.

Yes, interesting. Bike running, overflow tubes in but no fuel out of them, fuel running down tube in airbox then out side cover. See attached pic.

And since the engine is running there is vacuum pulling on the petcock so it should be releasing fuel.....and the bike was idling super smooth, as usual, while peeing fuel.....

There was no fuel in the cylinders when I pulled the plugs. I did the, "Bent rod test" for the heck of it and everything ckecked good. I knew it would. Plugs are prestine. The old plugs were as well. The PO put love into her until the Beemer seduced him.

Plan of action is clean and seal fuel tank, new fuel filter, carb kit, clean carbs, though they really do not look that bad to my eye, and put it back together. Then I'll ride the snot out of her and see what happens. Sound like a reasonable plan of action sir?





20250317_171511.jpg
 
You have something else going on.
If you have overflow tubes, fuel would have to come out of them before they would come out of an overflowing carb.

I suspect;
1) you don't have working overflow tubes
or 2) the diaphragm on the petcock is leaking fuel.

The easiest thing to check is
; blow into the line that the 4 overflow lines are hooked to.
You should be able to blow thru the carbs and out the vent ports at the top.

Ride safe, Ted
 
rickburres9698 said:
Hello Murph!

I live outside Murray on Blood River.

Thanks again for the MAM (Murph's Air Mail) delivery of my new tip over bars last August! Never have I had such service and great conversation. Have not had to use the tip over protection but they look great and I like them very much. Hope the crosswinds were kinder upon your departure from the airport than on arrival...lol.... nothing a smoothie won't cure.....

I think the petcock is fine. I have a new one though, acquired with the bike, and will be ordering the manual conversion kit and carb kit as soon as I finish inspecting the carbs.

Yes, interesting. Bike running, overflow tubes in but no fuel out of them, fuel running down tube in airbox then out side cover. See attached pic.

And since the engine is running there is vacuum pulling on the petcock so it should be releasing fuel.....and the bike was idling super smooth, as usual, while peeing fuel.....

There was no fuel in the cylinders when I pulled the plugs. I did the, "Bent rod test" for the heck of it and everything ckecked good. I knew it would. Plugs are prestine. The old plugs were as well. The PO put love into her until the Beemer seduced him.

Plan of action is clean and seal fuel tank, new fuel filter, carb kit, clean carbs, though they really do not look that bad to my eye, and put it back together. Then I'll ride the snot out of her and see what happens. Sound like a reasonable plan of action sir?





View attachment 41105
Click to expand...

Jorge said:
Welcome Rick,
Wow...sounds like a good thing you had the overflow tube's, that could've gone differently.
I had a 2005 C10 from Nov 2009 until Sept 2016, when I killed it. Now have a 2012 C14. Both great bikes! Different personalities, but both great.
You live in beautiful surroundings. We spent a week on the lake some years ago; still have fond memories. Not actually ON the lake, but in a very small "resort " on US68, just West of the lake.
I'm near Anderson IN, about 40 miles NE of Indy.
Hope you get the fuel issue sorted out. There are a lot of knowledgeable folks here that can probably give you hints, maybe even some useful ones!
Click to expand...
Did the dreaded hydrolock kill it sir?
 
I have had the fuel running out of the air box. You can pull the air filter and see which carb float is stuck open with an inspection mirror. And the prime position. Fuel only when running means the petcock is working.
Running vacuum opens petcock, float not closing (stuck wide open) and fuel will run out into airbox. If you have overflow tubes it should be coming out of 1 of them also. With the hoses off the drain fittings 1 should be wet when prime is selected.

Hydro Lock requires both a bad petcock and a stuck float. Then enough time to fill a cylinder with fuel high enough to stop the piston from getting to TDC

This event was why I got overflow tubes.
 
Fuel running out of the airbox certainly sounds like a carb float stuck open (as that allows the fuel to overfill the bowl, and flow up through the air jets).

If your carbs have overflow tubes installed and plumbed correctly, however, they should drain the leaking fuel from a stuck float before it can get high enough to get into the airbox.

Ted's suggestion to blow into the hose on the drain nipples is an easy check for overflow tubes. If it does not have them, when the drain screw is closed, you can't blow into it, but if it does, you can.

It's also possible that the tubes and/or hose(s) off the drain nipples are plugged. Maybe you have a spider or insect that built a cozy home in it.
 
Thanks all for the input!

Finally got a minute to finish looking things over.

Yes to all. Much rust in tank. The fuel bowls for carbs at cylinders 1 and 2 have much rust. Suspect those floats were both sticking. The not OEM peacock has rust in it as well and is bad. The carb overflow tubes for cylinders 1 and 2 were a bit restricted.

Treatment for the patient will be as follows: clean and refresh fuel system.

Clean and seal tank with POR15. I ordered extra for Connie's big long range tank.

Replace fuel line and filter. Clean carbs, replace some carb screws and install Murph's carb kit. Install an OEM petcock from Murph's.

Planning an Iron Butt ride for the last week of April.

If I missed anything guys let me know please?

Gotta go to work. Have a great day!!!
 
Jorge said:
I wish...no, my stupidity in the hills of Northern GA did. Beautiful views, wonderful roads, cocky rider, and the rest is history. šŸ˜Ŗ
Click to expand...
My heart is broken for her Jorge but at least she died in action, with courage in her heart doing what she and you loved to do. Hope ya didn't get to banged up. I have some some close calls of the same kind but unscathed so far.....
 
rickburres9698 said:
Thanks all for the input!

Finally got a minute to finish looking things over.

Yes to all. Much rust in tank. The fuel bowls for carbs at cylinders 1 and 2 have much rust. Suspect those floats were both sticking. The not OEM peacock has rust in it as well and is bad. The carb overflow tubes for cylinders 1 and 2 were a bit restricted.

Treatment for the patient will be as follows: clean and refresh fuel system.

Clean and seal tank with POR15. I ordered extra for Connie's big long range tank.

Replace fuel line and filter. Clean carbs, replace some carb screws and install Murph's carb kit. Install an OEM petcock from Murph's.

Planning an Iron Butt ride for the last week of April.

If I missed anything guys let me know please?

Gotta go to work. Have a great day!!!
Click to expand...
Sounds like you've made a proper diagnosis and have a good plan of treatment! Let us know how it goes!
 
Hey ya'll!

Just wanted to say thanks to all for the tips and thoughts.
Just got the bike all put back together last night.

Rebuilt/cleaned entire fuel system from tank to carbs. POR 15 tank clean, metal prep and coating, new fuel lines, filter, OEM petcock, all new stock size jets, o-rings, etc in carbs. Did a complete rebuild on the carbs and guess what, the bike is no longer, "cold natured."

The PO had a second stage kit in it, needles shimmed etc. Took all that goobly gook out and put new OEM parts from Murph's back in. In my opinion the bike I have has much better throttle response with the stock # 20 main jet and the #35 pilot jets in the carbs. Murph is right about that. I expect a noticeable improvement in fuel economy as well. The bike still hauls but. Plenty fast!!!

Two weeks and I am off to the Continental Divide in Colorado. Solo to the Rocky Mountains, Lord willing......
 
That sounds great! Glad to hear your good results!

I will say that after I got mine set up with basically stock carbs that were thoroughly cleaned and properly adjusted, I have been amazed at how smooth the fueling is and how much low-end grunt it has. To be fair, my other bikes have been higher-strung sport bikes, but I didn't expect an old carbed bike to be this smooth.
 
SethInIllinois said:
Ah, cool. A bit of a trek from up here, but shoot me a message if you ever make it up here to northern IL! As I like to say "it's cold and flat, but at least it's ugly!"

I am hoping to make it to this meetup near me:

[URL
SethInIllinois said:
That sounds great! Glad to hear your good results!

I will say that after I got mine set up with basically stock carbs that were thoroughly cleaned and properly adjusted, I have been amazed at how smooth the fueling is and how much low-end grunt it has. To be fair, my other bikes have been higher-strung sport bikes, but I didn't expect an old carbed bike to be this smooth.
Click to expand...
Yes sir. I agree. I have not had in issue with "the buzz." My bike is plenty smooth and I have owned many different bikes over the years, vstroms, Ninjas, cBR
Click to expand...

Jorge said:
Well done, and congratulations on getting her back in shape.
Click to expand...
Thank you sir! Now I can, Ride More!
 
SethInIllinois said:
That sounds great! Glad to hear your good results!

I will say that after I got mine set up with basically stock carbs that were thoroughly cleaned and properly adjusted, I have been amazed at how smooth the fueling is and how much low-end grunt it has. To be fair, my other bikes have been higher-strung sport bikes, but I didn't expect an old carbed bike to be this smooth.
Click to expand...
I agree Seth. My bike feels very smooth. I have owned many different types and brands of bikes over the years as well. Just something about the old C10 I really like.
 
Jorge said:
I wish...no, my stupidity in the hills of Northern GA did. Beautiful views, wonderful roads, cocky rider, and the rest is history. šŸ˜Ŗ
Click to expand...
Judt came back through Helen and Hiwasee on Sunday on the way down. Thought of our rides through there. Probably going back through Suches Friday.
 
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