Leaking petrol.

[dizzyblonde]

I've had a leak of some description for a while(read months and many miles) that I thought was oil getting from somewhere. Everytime I looked at the left side of the cylinder head there was staining down it(but dry). Always thought I'd overdone it with WD/ACF, cleaned it up, in the hope thats all it is). Never been able to find the cause..until Friday at work.
It seems there is petrol leaking from the carbs. It took a good bit of peeping to find it dripping. Shes sat in the garage and I am not moving her, as this has gone on for a while by the looks, and I may have just pulled it short of another prob.
What is the likelyhood of me getting fuel in the engine(as in oil)? I've had a bit of a sniff where the oil goes, but all I can smell is petrol everywhere now! Would there be a good wiff of petrol in there? What are the consequences of getting fuel in the oil(no matter how small or large), and what symptoms would be shown i.e performance, noises, smoke? fire?

http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=130875

I've linked this thread, as I've had a dubious ticking thats appeared about a week or two ago, just slight, but irritating...rather than cam chains, could this be a plausible cause? (hence why I ain't moving it anywhere and the nightshift is turning expensive with taxi fare)

I would have thought that if it is leaking from the carbs then it is unlikely it will get into the engine oil unless it is leaking directly over a direct entry into the engine casing (the oil filler hole).

It sounds more like either a pipe or a gasket on the carbs is shot.

Biggest danger is it going up in a puff of smoke when the engine gets too hot - don't move it until you have sorted it

[dirtydog]

what's wrong with the other SV that you cant use that either? Or have I missed something?

[Red Herring]

Petrol can get into the engine via a leaky carb, basically if the needle leaks petrol overflows the float chamber and goes down the inlet manifold past the valves and into the cylinder, seeps past the rings and dilutes the oil. It's not that common, normally the petrol comes out of the float chamber overflow pipe like it's supposed to, but sometimes these get blocked, especially if they are hanging down by the front sprocket/sidestand area where they get all the crud from the chain.

Are you sure it is petrol? Brown staining on the side of a cylinder could easily be a weeping cam cover gasket. They're made of rubber and sometimes don't quite seal after they've been off, really easy fix with just a smidgen of gasket goo....

[fizzwheel]

Check your fuel tap isnt broken as well. Mine broke and it was letting fuel through with the engine off, it filled the carbs and then it also filled the sump with fuel as well.

Whole bike stunk of petrol and it leaked out down the side of the engine and onto the floor at one point as well.

Petrol wil thin the oil, ( it turned my oil so thin it ran out the sump like water would ) and then obviously it wont lubricate the bits and pieces as it should.

Its easy to check the fuel tap and I'd also lift the tank and have a look in your airbox for liquid.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by dirtydog

what's wrong with the other SV that you cant use that either? Or have I missed something?

Nowt wrong with it. Unfortunately I was a bit short with the pennies last month, insurance was due on both, and I didn't have enough to MOT that one as well. WAsn't counting on this one trying to blow another engine

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by Red Herring

Are you sure it is petrol? ....

OHHHHH yes! Got a long long screw driver, wound some kitchen roll round the end and put it through the frame(right under the carbs) and wiped off what I saw....pooooo petrol

Originally Posted by rick0361

I would have thought that if it is leaking from the carbs then it is unlikely it will get into the engine oil unless it is leaking directly over a direct entry into the engine casing (the oil filler hole).

It sounds more like either a pipe or a gasket on the carbs is shot.

Biggest danger is it going up in a puff of smoke when the engine gets too hot - don't move it until you have sorted it

The minimum temperature required for petroleum to ignite with out a spark is 400c, I doubt that the engine with ever be that temperature so I wouldnt worry about it going up in flames because of petrol getting onto the casings. Same thing with my dad saying not to sit on the bike when I'm filling it in case it spills and we burst into flames :\

[dizzyblonde]

well it ain't burst into flames yet, and its been at it for ooooo a few hundred miles, without me knowing. I think I've only got to know about it now, as its been a hint before, and now its a big drip.

As for dying in a firey ball of death, in one respect I'm lucky it hasn't done anything like that whilst riding....but in another way, not lucky it hasn't gone boom when Im Indoors has had a fag hanging out of his gob, when hes eventually gone and looked at it

would have been much better if he'd have listened to me telling him theres something wrong, instead of ignoring me, and telling me hes has other things to do. Then I wouldn't have to ask my young friend YC to get blown up instead(with fag hanging out of mouth)

[dirtydog]

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

Nowt wrong with it. Unfortunately I was a bit short with the pennies last month, insurance was due on both, and I didn't have enough to MOT that one as well. WAsn't counting on this one trying to blow another engine

Ah right, in that case can you not swap bits from one to the other?

Originally Posted by dizzyblonde

would have been much better if he'd have listened to me telling him theres something wrong, instead of ignoring me, and telling me hes has other things to do. Then I wouldn't have to ask my young friend YC to get blown up instead(with fag hanging out of mouth)

that reminds me, really need to finish sorting the back brake on the Rap