Fuel in air filter box (atv)?

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

First off, I am no mechanic. I can manage to change a filter here and there, but that is about the extent of it.

Started having issue w/ Yamaha 2008 Big Bear 400 cranking. There was a clicking noise that would happen from time to time w the starter solenoid. Most times it would eventually crank. Well, a couple months ago, it stopped cranking and I finally got around to changing out the solenoid, but battery was dead. Charged battery and tried to crank it. Liquid came out of air filter box. Removed cover and found the box about half full of gas. Drained and letting everything dry off before attempting to crank again.

Any idea, why?? Did the carb leak that much fuel into the box? Was if from many, many, many attempts to crank w/ the bad solenoid and fuel just passing through the carb w/o burning off. I am at a loss...

 

[Greybeard]

Needle stuck in carb and back flowed into your air box.
Or
might be you left the key on (electric shutoff on carb) and back flowed into air box.
Might want to check your oil for fuel. This is pretty common with 10/15% alcohol gas, it messes up plastic parts in your carb

 

[lftd&pwrstrok'n]

Needle stuck in carb and back flowed into your air box.
Or
might be you left the key on (electric shutoff on carb) and back flowed into air box.
Might want to check your oil for fuel. This is pretty common with 10/15% alcohol gas, it messes up plastic parts in your carb

Well, I forgot to check for gas in the oil until after I had cranked it. No fuel going in to the air box, but the overflow (?) coming off the top of the carb (it was snorkled and all this before I bought it) was shooting out a muddy liquid that smelled like gas, but other than smoking, it was idling fine. Goosed it a few times and the overflow was spouting out fluid. Remembered to check the oil. It poured out and smells like gas. What now? Is it even worth taking to someone to fix?

 

[24on48hunting]

Needle stuck in carb and back flowed into your air box.
Or
might be you left the key on (electric shutoff on carb) and back flowed into air box.
Might want to check your oil for fuel. This is pretty common with 10/15% alcohol gas, it messes up plastic parts in your carb

Had a Big Bear do the same thing. Needle probably has trash stuck in there.

 

[Rolling_trip]

Glad you posted this question. I got a generator that had been sitting for a while doing this. I mixed sea foam in the tank and let it sit for a while, then drained the old, stinky gas. It ran like a top, just leaks gas out of the carb when it's not running, and I forget to turn off the gas valve.

 

[poopdaddy]

yea,fix it. your carb just flooded. its common for them when they sit up. it only takes about a month or a month in a half for the ethanol gas to go bad. change your oil and filter and clean the carb.
take it to a local shop. i am in Griffin, but i am not working on quads now. i am still packed out with street bikes. my buddy Wade own nitro motorsports up the road from me. he is a stand up guy and does great work. if you cant find anyone local that you can trust. pm me and i will get you Wades contact info...

 

[DinkyDau]

Be it an outboard, a wheeler, or Generator always when you are putting it up for awhile, turn the fuel off and let it run out of fuel!

 

[poopdaddy]

Be it an outboard, a wheeler, or Generator always when you are putting it up for awhile, turn the fuel off and let it run out of fuel!

add fuel stabilizer and use only non ethanol fuel ( if it has ethanol fuel in it. drain it out and run non ethanol thru it..).. stay away from seafoam, if you use a cleaner additive use marvel mystery oil. its oil based and wont lean out you fuel and potentially burn valves or pistons...

 

[DinkyDau]

add fuel stabilizer and use only non ethanol fuel ( if it has ethanol fuel in it. drain it out and run non ethanol thru it..).. stay away from seafoam, if you use a cleaner additive use marvel mystery oil. its oil based and wont lean out you fuel and potentially burn valves or pistons...

I have been using Marvel since before I can remember. I store 25 gals of ethanol free regular, treated the same way.

 

[Greybeard]

Yea I am am a firm believer in stabilizer and non ethanol gas for anything but the car and truck. I also use marvels mystery oil in my tractor, good stuff.

It's worth fixing, take it to a good shop or do it yourself.