650 Leaking Fuel and Running Rough

[WyoUltra]

So my 1990 650 SKS is leaking fuel.. Lots of fuel. At first I thought it was my needles and seats sticking open in the carbs, (so I trouble shooted that by just shutting the gas off on the sled when the sled is shut off for periods of time longer then 5 mins.) Worked just fine until I could still only get maybe 50 miles to a full tank of fuel. Then it started to run really really rough, and this is the first time it's done it in the since I've owned it (ridden 5 times this winter,) and other then that it's been running like a raped ape. Sled has PSI Pipes, (old style) and the air box is completely gutted. Pulled the plugs, they were really rich, and I believe only the middle was fouled. Then upon further inspection I noticed fuel flowing (literally could see it running) out from what looked like between the jug and the crank case on the mag side of the sled. Is the fuel leak just a gasket problem? Could my drain plug not be tightened all the way?
Should I run a set of leaner jets?

 

[Jay]

Fuel can't leak from between the jug and cases, if there was a hole that big there it would burn down real fast. Your fuel line to the pto carb is right there, I would have a good look at that line, all of them really. If you can see fuel flowing down the engine you have a major leak that can only come from a large source of fuel, like a line, the tank, the bottom of the carb water traps, something like that.

 

[Jay]

Sorry, I had pto side in my head, you said the mag side, your fuel pump and ALL the fuel lines are right there, sounds like you have a leaking line somewhere in there or the pump is leaking.

 

[WyoUltra]

It's weird... but it was coming off of the back of the motor... flowing right onto the motor mount and I have no idea as to how I should diagnose this. When I first noticed it leaking I did check all of the fuel lines, and they are all in decent condition... My fuel pump looked like it had some moisture on it too (this last time) so I have yet to inspect it further..

 

[Jay]

Check your water traps, maybe those lines are rotten. Check you have the o ring in the float bowl drain plug. Might have lost one of those?

 

[WyoUltra]

Water traps? I noticed the lines coming off of the float bowl's have like a small inline filter on them, and I'm not sure whether it's an actual plug or if it really allows the fuel to flow through it.. I guess I'll need to pull one off and see if I can blow air through it?

 

[Jay]

It's a short piece of fuel line on the bottom of the float bowl. It goes on the float bowl drain plug that you would take off to change your jets. It's meant to give water a place to collect other than in the float bowl if you have a little in the gas, water is heavier than gas so it goes to the lowest spot. It shouldn't leak but if it is gas from the carb can just run out.

 

[WyoUltra]

I will have to check this out but from the looks of it I can't start looking at the sled until later next week soonest because I have to go out of town.

 

[brushfit]

Check your water traps, maybe those lines are rotten. Check you have the o ring in the float bowl drain plug. Might have lost one of those?

Tried to add some reps Jay, but the rep police shot me down....Like Jay says, this ethanol gas reaks hell with everything..including fuel lines...I have seen them rotten to the point of crumbling