97 vfr 750f fuel trouble

so for a couple days now ive been smelling the odd hint of gas around my bike but unable to find any leaks or puddles. Then the other morning i was warming it up and there was a puddle forming under it , yes it was gas, took the plastics off looked around couldnt see anything fired the bike back up and i could see the gas streaming down off the right hand side forward carb but couldnt excactly tell where from, so i took the tank off pulled the air box but ran into trouble getting that aluminium plate on the top of carbs off (stupid phillips head screws) so i left it and tried to take another look with the bike running because it doesnt leak unless its running, ran it for a bit and no leak checked the fuel pump and no noise my pump isnt workin anymore and theres no power goin to it, so i got no leak but no fuel either the bikes just running off whats left in the carbs, the fuses are all good and im not sure what to do next, ive got an impact driver so i might be able to get that plate off but then what about the pump without pressure theres no leak to see, if anybody can help at all it would be great the season is almost up id like to get some more rides in and im too poor to take it to a shop.

 

NEVER, NEVER remove the airbox bottom from the carbs as several springs will pop out and get lost. It's almost never necessary to separate carbs from airbox ......even for extreme cleaning.

You likely have a leaky float needle or leaky float bowl gasket, but also check the fuel line from pump to carbs for cuts, cracks, or holes.

Check your exhaust headers for heat and if there's a bad float needle the flooding cylinder will have a cooler feel and the sparkplug will be wettish and black.

Also remove airfilter and look down carb throats with engine running because a flooding carb will usually show fuel wetting the area.

 

im glad i asked ...I hate losing springs, however im still faced with the non funtioning fuel pump, and i know excactly wich carb would be leaking, im pretty sure its a stuck needle vavle too. but i cant even cheak all of my fuel hoses since they disapear under the airbox bottom guess ill just pull that carb bottem and hope its not a hose afterall

 

Squirrel is spot on with this.....tricky job on the bench...on the bike it is hopeless..locate the leak at all costs....mirror and flashlight....and repair as needed , do not cut corners over cost as it will cost you more time and money in the end.

 

Thank you for all the help guys i really appreciate it. I was able to recreate the leak the fuel pump seems to be working again the gas is actually pooring off two or the carbs the front two and seems to be coming from above, so im really thinking it is a fuel line problem. will have to get a mirror and try to locate it but damed if i know how im goin to fix it without pulling the carbs.

 

Yes, you'll need to remove the carbs.......

 

So i pulled the carbs, i couldnt locate the source of leak with them on bike. I then hooked the carbs to the fuel system on my scirocco with dual webbers, turn the pessure down to 3psi, turned the pump on and waited, soon i was able to locate the leak, its both the plastic T fittings that are pressed into the carbs both are leaking at opposite ends right were they enter the carbs, so this means i gotta seperate the carbs and replace those seals i guess. Im thinking maybe its time to send these carbs away to be cleaned and rebuilt, i dont think they have ever been off the bike before, maybe a jet kit while im at it, either way my riding season is done atleast on that bike anyway.

 

Yep the orings tend to leak at the carb connectors. Mine will do that if it is not driven for awhile and the seals shrink up. No leaks if I drive it at least once a month.

 

yeah i drive it every day in the summer, was using it to get to work