I recently purchased a 04 model Rancher 4x4 ES from a guy who had it and only used it for a couple of hunting season and let it sit up the rest of the time. The bike is imaculate and I really got it at a great price. However when I test drove the bike I could tell the gas was bad from the way it was running and that he told me it had been in the tank for about 8 months. So the problem I have is the bike is leaking gas from the overflow tube at the bottom of the carb. OK, these are the things I have done to try to eliminate the problem.
1. Removed carb, took apart and boiled in carb cleaner for 3 days. Reassembled and no leak until the 3rd day after running.
2. Removed carb and installed a weisco carb kit with new float valve. Same results, worked fine and started leaking again on the 3rd or 4th day.
3. Changed the float, same results
4. Bought a brand new out the box OEM Honda carb and installed and believe it or not I got the same results. Works fine for a few day and started leaking again.

I did shortly after purchasing the bike remove the tank and flushed and cleaned with gas which did have allot of gunk and rust that had built up on the fuel gauge float system. One other thing the petcock valve does not shut off the gas, it continues to flow in any position. SOMEBODY, please tell me whats wrong with this bike so I can stop changing perfectly good parts.

Thanks, and I appreciate any help I can get!!!!

 

Well the petcock certainly sounds like it should be replaced. Maybe the tank isnt venting? If the tank heats up and isnt venting then it could force fuel past the float in the carb.

 

I've even tried it with the gas cap off to eliminate pressure problems and had no luck. That was my intial thought as well but not the case. Thanks