[bobbyk3]

I just got a 2004 Foreman 450 with 157 miles on it from my father and it appears to SOMETIMES have a small gas leak coming from the front of the carb (see pic...red arrow). What's weird is that it doesn't always leak...just sometimes. Do I need to do a carb rebuild or will just putting some miles on it fix it? Thanks, ya'll!

 

[bobbyk3]

In this area. Hard to pinpoint where it's actually coming from though.

 

[mrbb]

I would pull the carb and do a GOOD cleaning and see what things look like inside, as with this low miles on this atv I am guessing it sat a LONG time
and ethanol fuel will coat parts with a varnish that will be HARD to clean
so a rebuilt kit on hand might make life easier to just replace some things over trying to get them cleaned?

I would also suggest draining the fuel out of the tank and replacing with new fuel, and if planning again to sit long, maybe BUY non ethanol fuel and treat it as well

 

[RemMax]

It sounds like maybe your getting small pieces of dirt under your needle (needle&seat)
Do you have a good fuel filter in your fuel line??
If not that's where I'd start

And remember Small fuel leaks make BIG Fires!!!
RemMax

 

[diyer]

Is it leaking from the brass fitting with the wires in it?
That is the carb heater and it's threaded with a gasket.

 

[LedFTed]

It sounds like maybe your getting small pieces of dirt under your needle (needle&seat)
Do you have a good fuel filter in your fuel line??
If not that's where I'd start

And remember Small fuel leaks make BIG Fires!!!
RemMax

if you should clean your needle seat, be very careful. take away a part of the aluminum in the seat, most likely, you get to buy a new OEM carb. also, there is a chance that it might be a bad gasket, around the float bowl.
2004 with 157 miles on it, needs to be gone through. things that sit, stagnate, like myself.