Water leaking on floor from hole where float needle sits

float is stuck, check the needle valve, tap the float bowl lightly

Ifyour carb is leaking fuel then I would suggest that the carb float needle has got stuck open.

To fix this you need to:

1. Remove the carb bowl taking note which direction it faces (I usually mark a line from top of the carb and down the bowl with a marker to make this easy.)
2. Check the state of the fuel and residue left in the bowl.
3. Slide the pin out from the float hinge (be careful not to lose any springs that might be seating the float needle.
4. Inspect the float needle tip. It should be smooth with not scratches etc. (if yours has rubber on the tip, also be sure this has not perished.)
5. Clean the float needle and clean the jet hole it sits in.
6. If there was a "gunk" or dirt in the carb bowl when you took it off, remove and clean all the other removable components.
7. Re-assemble. Making sure the air screw (brass with a spring) is set a 1.5 turns un-done from lightly done up.

If you find that the carb is still leaking, this could be due to the ethanol in the fuel, eating away the components. We do sell both Carb Repair Kits and Carbs for your Generator. You can purchase them here: http://www.generatorguru.com/dewalt/

I hope this is of assistance to you. If you have any questions we are always happy to help.

Regards,
http://GeneratorGuru.com

the gasket is not seated right . also the needle is above the float take the pin out that holds the float in clean it out put the float back in right make sure the needle seats right liftthe floa up and down to make sure it closes right , should not extend to far that is why it will stick on and leak fuel ,

The carb float valve is stuck, or the float needs to be replaced. The oil you see is probably being rinsed off the case by the fuel. Remove the carbs and inspect the condition of the float needle and seat.I would just replace it given the age of the bike. Check the float-if it's brass, shake it to make sure there is no gas in it. If there is, replace it. If it's plastic, put it in a cup of gas and make sure it floats. They do get saturated over time and need to be replaced. When putting it together, consult the factory specs for float level, set it and you should be back on the road. Good luck!

Hi and welcome to FixYa, I am Kelly.


You can fix this yourself.
(Turn off the fuel selector)
Remove the carb float bowl nut and bowl. Note the gaskets upper and lower. Remove the float pin retaining the float and drop the float and float needle together.
Briefly turn on the fuel selector and then back off. You are flushing debris from the float needle seat. It is a good idea to use carb cleaner to ensure that the float needle seat area is clean.
ALSO spray carb cleaner into the threaded area where the bowl nut attaches. Your cleaning off the metering jet orifice up inside the threaded area.
INSPECT the float needle itself. The rubber tip should be tapered and pliable. If there are any nicks cuts or debris on the end of the needle first wipe it off and determine if you need a replacement float needle.

Reinstall float and needle ensuring you have the float pin properly installed.
CLEAN the bowl NUT along with the float bowl. Then reinstall the the float bowl. 2 gaskets upper and lower must be properly seated.

Turn on the fuel selector...
Test for leaks.

This should fix the leak but... if you still have the problem and did not change the float needle and seat. Change them. The float needle seat can be difficult to remove. I find that air in the fuel supply manifold fitting will blast most of them out but... sometimes I have to use a drill bit the size of the hole to cut the rubber material and then dig it out with a scribe or jewelers screwdriver. Just make sure to clean the hole with carb cleaner before installing the new seat. To install the new seat... reverse the drill bit using the flat chuck driven end and press it into place. Works great!

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly

The float should be free on the hinge pin. Clean the pin and be sure it is not bent. Is the float mounted upside down? Check to be sure the float still floats > If a pin hole , crack or corroded solder seal lets fuel into the float then the bowl will overfill and leak. The float needle is in place isn't it? Please rate my answer. Thanks.

there is a small hole in the gas cap so be careful when mowing up hill or down hill..good luck

Carburetors have a Float Bowl on the bottom. This float bowl has a small amount of fuel, that the carburetor uses. (The float bowl's amount of fuel, is replenished from the gas tank. The fuel is gravity fed from the gas tank, through the Fuel Line)

The float bowl has a Float Needle inside. The float needle is attached to the Float. The Float resembles a thick doughnut. On one end of this doughnut, is a flat piece of metal shaped like a U on the end. Looking at this -> U shape, there are two holes at the top. There is a metal pin that goes through these holes, and the pin is attached on it's end's, by the main body of the carburetor.

The flat metal U shape, and the metal pin, works together to form a type of hinge, allowing the float to pivot on it.
Where the U shaped hinge is attached, the float needle, clips to it.

The float needle has a tapered neoprene tip, and sits in a Float Needle Seat. This seat is a barrel shaped piece of brass, and has a tapered hole at the bottom. Fuel comes up through this seat, and the float needle regulates how much fuel can come in.

As the float drops down, it draws the float needle out of the float needle seat, and fuel comes in. As the float bowl fills with fuel, the float rises, and pushes the float back up, also pushing the float needle back into the float needle seat, cutting off the flow of fuel.

There is a specified height of the float, in relation to where the float sits in the float bowl. If the float sits too high, the float bowl fills up with fuel, and overflows. This overflow goes through an Overflow Tube, on the carburetor.
(If the float sits too low, the engine starves for gas)

A LOT of times, crud builds up in the gas tank, makes it's way through the fuel line, and gets into the float bowl. It can get in-between the float needle, and the float seat, thereby flooding the carburetor out, and fuel comes out of the overflow tube.

The float bowl is also attached to the carburetor with a brass main jet nut. At the bottom of the float bowl, this will look like a brass head of a bolt. Under the brass head is a small O-ring. This can leak. First step is too insure this is tight. (Do Not Over tighten! This is part of the main jet, and is expensive! It's Brass)

Where the outer part of the float bowl itself, attaches to the carburetor, there is another O-ring.
A large one. This O-ring, like the main jet O-ring, can deteriorate over time. Additives that gasoline has in it, heat from the engine, and heat from the sun does this. Plus just age. Neoprene breaks down after time.

It could also be that the neoprene tip of the float needle has broken down.

You indicated you adjusted screws on the bottom.
These are the Main Jet, and Idle Jet -> Air Mixture screws. All they adjust is how much air goes through these jets.
The amount of fuel going through, is predetermined by specific passageways, that are drilled through the main body of the carburetor.

This only comes into play when the engine is running. With the engine off, and fuel leaking out, you have crud under the float needle, or one or more of those O-rings has deteriorated.

The float may have a hole in it causing it to sink and not seal the needle. Look at the float and check it for holes. You can shake it and listen for gas inside it. if so replace float.

Fuel comming from the over flow is due to the float needle not sealing.
causes, dirt in the seat, worn needle, float is leaking and sinking or tang is broken.

If the bike has been sitting for a few weeks try draining the fuel bowl and once it starts to flow again tap float bowl.

then try dirt in bowl.

is the fuel only leaking when running or starting? or just sitting.
if it just sitting and its laeking the fuel vac tap is faulty..