I recently cleaned my carb, the stock one for the 1987 sportster- and now the fuel valve will not close- just overflows. I have tried adjusting the tab on the float but it didn't seem to help- just pee'd more gas on my boot. could it be that I need a new float or is it just an adjustment

 

If the float were bad, then it would fill with fuel and sink to the bottom of the bowl, which would keep the bowl from filling up. When you "cleaned" it, did you use a rebuild kit? It's always a good idea to rebuild the carb if you take it apart for any reason. Kits are cheap.

There's either some debris in between the needle and seat, or the needle or seat are damaged. That's the only thing that would cause fuel to keep pouring out of the carb when it's not running. Take it apart and clean and inspect it. Make sure you didn't leave anything out or didn't install something correctly. Hope you were following the instructions carefully....

 

I pulled it back apart and checked it all over, adjusted the tab a little more and it now isn't making a mess, though as it won't start and the battery is down I dont know if the bowl is filling. I am gonna get the carb kit (was meaning to anyway, but I am better at putting things off than fixing them) and maybe that will cure a few of the ills of this old beater.