The rubber boot on the spark plug cap seals out water.  If you have to ride in the rain......the front wheel throws water everywhere, and most likely your spark plug will stop working without that rubber seal.

Have you checked to see if any fuel is getting to the carb?  Did you try moving the petcock lever to PRI?  Fuel in the air box is very often caused when the diaphragm fails in the stock vacuum operated petcock.  Pull the vacuum line that operates the petcock, and see if there is any fuel in it - it is supposed to be dry.

Here's the photos of the spark plug boot and cap

If you can feel the wire slipping over the threads on the plug ,that should give you a firm connection,Yes the boot goes all the way down the plug,the part in the center of your hand has the rubber that seals around the outside of the plug and prevents any water from entering, I don't know what the piece is between your finger and thumb ,but I think it may belong up inside the boot you may have to try taking off the outside seal and reinserting it . I don't believe the front tire will throw water that high, and even if it does I' ve never seen water run uphill (the plug connection should stay dry it's up inside the cap).      Assumeing your raptor petcock to be good ,the problem with your carb is, float valve hung up,or leaking by,float leaking(sinking),float level set too high,float installed upside down. all of which causes the level to be to high or the valve not to fully close or close to late,at which point gas flows out the carb one of two ways,into your air cleaner or into your oil (or both!) P.S. in the first pic. your decomp. cable looks bone tight, there needs to a bit of play in it ,I'd check the adjustment.

Arty Dodger wrote on 04/16/17 at 21:56:41:



Based on past reports here of "Professional" work done on our simple little carburetor, I would not bet on it being cleaned properly and assembled correctly.  It is possible that it was done correctly but ......... ??

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 04/17/17 at 06:26:02:

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If ya want something done right, gotta do it yourself!  Guess I'll be taking the thing apart.

Arty Dodger wrote on 04/16/17 at 21:56:41:

 I think that rubber boot went to my spark plug wrench.

Good news for me...I don't have to go track down a part that doesn't exist.

Let us know how the carb works. A cleaning and a reset of the float height should be within the capability of a "pro" mechanic...and perhaps yourself. Don't be afraid to tackle this one next time.

batman wrote on 04/16/17 at 16:35:02:

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Thanks!  I'll check on that cable and see.  How would I know the optimal cable slack?