How do you measure your float tang heights and what is that measurement?

this is a rule of thumb for carbies where the float is pivoted from the top cover
with the float in position turn the top upside down and the float will now be in the position it is in when controlling the fuel
the float top should now be close to parallel to the top cover it is attached to
if you manage to get a measurement for that distance it is measured by the specified measurement as a twist drill and it is to move under the float as you roll it along the top cover
not to move it up or miss it but just touch it
adjustment is by bending the small tang that is connected to the needle
now if such a measurement is not available simply ask your service dealer what it is

My first guess would be the float bowl for the carburetor. The fuel level needs to be maintained at a specific height in the bowl. There's a float inside that activates a valve which allows fuel to fill the bowl - once the correct level is reached, the valve closes. On my old Virago there were simply two tangs inside as I recall that needed to be bent manually to make the adjustment. To check the level you would attach a piece of clear tubing to the drain port on the bottom of the bowl.....when the drain was opened the fuel would fill the tube to the same level as is in the bowl. You would need to find the correct spec for that level and adjust if necessary.

Sticking floats or worn float valve needles or incorrect float height, tap float bowls to see it overflow stops (sticky float), remove and clean float bowls and fuel inlet passage with carb cleaner and compressed air, check float valve for wear to the rubber tip. Reset float height by slightly bending the metal tab on the float to adjust the closing height of the valve measure from the carb bowl mating surface to the top of the float when fitted then re adjust 1mm at a time higher untill fuel doesnt over flow.

your float settings inside your carb are set wrong read my advice to resetting them and you should be ok
You'll need to first start off by removing your carb. Be sure to clean the surrounding area to the best of your ability to avoid dirt and debris falling into your carb; or worse, your engine. After you've removed your carb I would suggest a thorough cleaning using carb cleaner (or equivalent) and compressed air to ensure that all jets and passageways are spotless. Avoid using wire or other tools to clean orifices of jets; it's all too easy to alter their original designed dimensions.

After your carb is clean you can now set your float level. The picture below will allow you to become familiar with the parts that are responsible for maintaining the correct float level in your carb. There are four basic parts, the floats themselves (part of the float assembly), the float assembly tang, the fuel inlet needle valve, and the fuel inlet valve seat.


(Float assembly pivot pin not shown.)


It is always a good idea to remove the float assembly pivot pin (already shown removed) and extract the float assembly and the fuel inlet needle. The fuel inlet needle is a wearable part and over time can deteriorate. A worn fuel inlet needle can contribute to an irregular float level. Most fuel inlet needles consist of an internal spring loaded bumper (which contacts the float assembly tang) and a plastic or Viton (rubber) tip. Inspect the fuel inlet needle tip for wear and/or damage. To give you an idea, Eric Gorr recommends replacing the fuel inlet needle/seat assembly every two years. I've found that the average cost is around $15 for both parts.


(Fuel inlet needle shown with Viton (rubber) tip. The Viton is used to isolate the fuel inlet needle from vibration and to create a better seal against the fuel inlet valve seat.)

Now that you've made sure you aren't going to have any issues from worn parts you can reinstall your needle, float assembly and float assembly pivot pin and continue on to set your float level. The float level measurement is taken from the top of the floats (when the carb is positioned upside down) to the gasket surface of the float bowl as illustrated in the next picture. You can use an open-end wrench (sized per your spec), a small metric ruler, or a float level gauge. The tolerance for your float level is usually around +/- 0.50mm.




When setting the float level be aware that the spring loaded bumper on the fuel inlet needle valve may have a tendency to compress under the weight of the float assembly which will skew your measurement. Before you obtain your measurement you'll need to make sure that the float assembly tang just barely makes contact with the spring-loaded bumper. Sometimes it is easier to hold the carb body at a 45-degree angle to avoid compressing the spring in the fuel inlet needle.




If you find that your measurement does not match your float level spec then you can carefully bend the float assembly tang to achieve your desired measurement. Be sure to recheck your work, and if you feel confident that your float level is spot on then you can reinstall your carb and get back to riding.

the air screw gets turn in fully and the turned out 2 turns this will set it right for most bikes you might have to play with it either half a turn either way




When setting the float level be aware that the spring loaded bumper on the fuel inlet needle valve may have a tendency to compress under the weight of the float assembly which will skew your measurement. Before you obtain your measurement you'll need to make sure that the float assembly tang just barely makes contact with the spring-loaded bumper. Sometimes it is easier to hold the carb body at a 45-degree angle to avoid compressing the spring in the fuel inlet needle.




If you find that your measurement does not match your float level spec then you can carefully bend the float assembly tang to achieve your desired measurement. Be sure to recheck your work, and if you feel confident that your float level is spot on then you can reinstall your carb

hope this helps

john

the floats in the bottom of the carb need adjusting the are to low




When setting the float level be aware that the spring loaded bumper on the fuel inlet needle valve may have a tendency to compress under the weight of the float assembly which will skew your measurement. Before you obtain your measurement you'll need to make sure that the float assembly tang just barely makes contact with the spring-loaded bumper. Sometimes it is easier to hold the carb body at a 45-degree angle to avoid compressing the spring in the fuel inlet needle.




If you find that your measurement does not match your float level spec then you can carefully bend the float assembly tang to achieve your desired measurement. Be sure to recheck your work, and if you feel confident that your float level is spot on then you can reinstall your carb and get back to riding.

The float height when inverted for measuring should be 14.6mm plus or minus 1.00mm

hi, looking in my manual for that year of bike, there is no mention of the float level, however normaly the float height of a constant depresion carburettor such as this is 27mm, this can be checked by holding the carburetor vertical with the air filter side facing up then slowly invert it until the float is just resting on the needle and not compressing,it.measure the distance between the gasket face of the carburettor and the bottom of the float. the fuel level can also be checked by using a lengthh of clear fuel pipe fitted to the drain at the bottom of the float chamber, undoing the drrain screw with the fuel pipe turned upwards toward the slide the fuel will climb up the pipe and show the present level,

you put it on the float base and allow the float to drop down and read the gauge where the float is read the top of the oppiste side where the float is hinged.

Hi,
Your float levels should be 15.5 mm for the 83. This measurement is from the bottom of the carb base to the bottom of the float with the needle gently resting in the seat. I have found that tilting the carb assembly until the needles lightly seat works the best.
When adjusting the level height with the assembly completely inverted, there tends to be too much pressure from the weight of the float onto the needle resulting in an inaccurate measurement.
If you need any more help, let me know.