Reared its ugly head yesterday after the kids parked it. The carburetor is dumping gas out of the "drain hose" for the bowl. Screw is tight so I was thinking bad seal, just plug the hose. plugged the hose and fuel then started to run out of the intake/aircleaner side!!!! Drained the gas, pulling the carbertooter and awaiting some wisdom on this....I was thinking it's just gunk in a jet or or a stuck float. I'll be peeing in the wind in the mean time.

 

Your float needle/seat valve in the carburetor is sticking open. You'll have to disassemble the carburetor and clean it up.

Do you have a fuel filter in the fuel line going to the carburetor? If not you should add one, or the next piece of crud from the gas tank will lodge in the float valve and you'll go through this again.

That hose the fusl came out of is the overflow hose. Since you plugged it up and had fuel running out the aircleaner, you also need to check your engine oil. Sometimes the fuel will also flow down the intake manifold, into the cylinder, past the rings and into the engine oil. Smell the dipstick for a gas odor. If your oil is contaminated then change it.

 

 

...for the confirmation. Since my OP i have rectified the issue...it was a bit dirty, but no pitting or other corrosion, which is good. I think it would be fairly impossible for the fuel to "run" into the engine due to the shape of the intake manifold...it makes a near vertical turn to a point higher than the carb body before turning back towards the engine head. now out to the local strip mine to let my daughter make some roost.