Leaking fuel screw
 

Hello everyone! Has anyone ever had a leaking fuel mixture screw from the front carb? At first I thought it was the petcock, took off the gas tank left it over night both close and opened, no leak. then I thought it was a float stuck, and that was not the case. Bike ran well after a few weeks of not riding it. Its been over a 8 years with no carb issues or any with my Hawk until now. I turned it on to see where the gas was coming out from and I see it drip from the front mixture screw hole. I am assuming the o ring is bad? I had order an extra set of carbs, glad I did, but don't want to change the setup it had from previous owner as it runs strong through all gears. I haven't removed the carbs completely as they are a pain to pry off. If I can unscrew the fuel screw out with out taking the carb out, that would be way better. Has anyone had this issues?

Replace the O ring......but are you sure it snot the bowl packing seal?

I am not 100% as I didn't see the gas leak from around the bowl, just came out of the hole. I am going to have to triple check again. Any best practices on prying the carbs off the intakes?

remove the choke pull bracket to get yourself some slack,
I loosen all four clamps, coolant lines then pull up on front or rear. Do not pull the assembly up too high as you need to unscrew the plastic nut choke plungers first.
I use a custom tool to unscrew the plastic (or brass on mine) choke valves from the bodies,

you can do it with a open end wrench but its not near as easy.

Or you can just remove the choke cable from the bracket on the frame and remove the whole thing as an assembly.
Then just remove the cables on the bench, if needed. It can be much easier then trying to screw the fittings in after the carbs are in place.

Mike, Ive tried that on several previously un worked on SH, and found it only works well if the choke cables have been re routed from the stock path... otherwise your as likely to break the plastic nut trying to get the cable pull, adjuster and bracket out under all the other stuff routed on top of the choke cables.

Removing the mount screw, and pushing the pull nob and bracket as far in as it will go, till it hits resistance gets you plenty of room to turn the carbs and get to the choke cable nuts .. a modified wrench as shown still works better then any normal open end I think, no open end wrench I have snap on to craftsmen fits in the limited space completely over the nut flats, only a modified open end does that for me.

Once the carbs are out, you can re route the cables, so next time, the carb assembly and cables can more easily be taken out as a set if you like.

Though I still prefer to unscrew the choke nuts with carbs on the bike......just too much of a chance at snagging that choke pull and breaking the plastic nut.
Yes, some will say they have had the carbs out more than a hundred times, with eyes closed and mittens on and never broken the plastic nut.. Good, glad it worked out for you, really i am.. But the other side of that is many others break them the first time...so why not do everything possible to avoid it..

Well I have had a completely different experience.
First there is a bit of confusion, you remove the 17mm plastic nut on the choke cable and remove it from the bracket. If the bracket to the frame is left in place this will not work.
Then it is very easy to take the cable out from the stock location. It is also easy to put it back in the stock location. I don't know why you say you can not do this.
You do have to work it past the overflow bottle but it is no big deal.

I have gone to this method because it is actually easier and quicker.
Yes I have done it the other way more times than I can count and still have the OEM plastic bits that are not broken. So I have no issues with removing the cables first.
It is just easier once figured out.

Then there is the plus of having less chance of breaking anything putting the cables in place on the bench with no special tools.

Mike I suppose this a is a perfect example of how the same operation is seen differently by different people.

I have no doubt your sure of what you just posted, and it is the best way for you to do the task.
As I am sure the way Im doing the task is best,most successful for me...
Why two vastly different opinions on how to do this? Likely just different people where the actions needed for one way are not perceived as "easy" by someone else, or that I work on this stuff every day and have found on many different model bikes in a month, Im predisposed to do things in a way that most often works across different bikes for ME, no matter that you working on your Superhawk routinely, your way clearly is a better idea for you. Perhaps its tools at hand..I have access to a lot of tools, and the ability in my garage to make just about anything needed...Doing this job how I do it with the simply made tool is so effortless....it just makes sense to me..
Clearly it does not to you.

And now readers have your method to try as well and see if it works best for them.
Bottom line, if it works, its not wrong.

I 'd guess there would not be such a large market for replacement choke nuts (OEM and custom made) if this job is as easy as you or I think it is:)

Update! Thank you everyone for your advice! I finally was able to work on it and get it back running. The fuel screw was leaking and the gasket from the carb bowl needed to be replaced. No more leaks! Problem was I had forgotten what the screw was set, thinking I would remember and I didn't! Should have written it down!
I believe the PO installed a jet kit as I ended up with 3 turns. 2 1/2 was bogging on deceleration and turning off, now running strong! Could also be I am running ethanol free gas now too. Thanks again everyone!