Smelling gasoline

[DD 430]

Folks, I rode into the garage the other day on my '99 RT (19,800 Miles) and, as I was climbing off, noticed the fairly pungent smell of gas. I figured that it was either a bad quick disconnect or a split gas line.

 

Yesterday I pulled off the fairing and took a look. The bike had never been retrofitted with QD's. The gas lines were all dry. I cycled the fuel pump a number of times and looked for the 'spray' and found nothing. The tank was only half full. I can't, for the life of me, figure out where the odor came from. Any ideas?

 

By the way, pulling the tank gave me the chance to bleed the anti-lock system so the day wasn't a total waste of time.

[GordonB]

Fuel filler cap "completely" closed?

Check where the two fuel lines connect at the fuel tank (visual from front between the fork tubes) sometimes the lines soften up and get loose and leak at the clamp, but then swell up and seal the leak. Look for staining on the end of the lines there.

[roughwaterjohn]

Fuel filler cap "completely" closed?.........

 

 

That's what it was on mine. I smelled fuel for a day, but the cap looked completely closed. Finding nothing else, I pushed it down, felt and heard the click, and the smell was gone. I like simple fixes like that.

 

[Rinkydink]

+1 on the fuel cap not closed completely...

[AndyS]

Folks, I rode into the garage the other day on my '99 RT (19,800 Miles) and, as I was climbing off, noticed the fairly pungent smell of gas. I figured that it was either a bad quick disconnect or a split gas line.

I have had an instance where after the bike had been into a dealers for a service, and for some reason they had removed the filler cap neck. In doing so, the O ring (which always expands a little because of the vapour) was not bedded correctly against the housing. I didn't see any particular leak, but I certainly kept getting dreadful fuel vapour smells.

So it could be the O ring, but as others have posted, it could be fuel cap.

Andy

[Bologna]

This happened to me so check those fuel lines. The ethanol in the fuel these days will dry out older fuel lines and cause this to happen.

[jshdc]

Here's an interesting clip. I have an idea that the cap wasn't closed tight. Haven't had any follow-up to it - have to ask the BMW dealer. One side note: The officer wasn't hurt as bad as the story states... his burns were mild and he fractured his elbow. I think he faired well, all things considered.

 

http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=news/local&id=7328233

[DD 430]

Well, today I looked through the fork tubes and didn't see any staining on the gaslines. Additionally, the cap was tight. (I've had the occasion of not having a tight cap and I have to say that high-test in the region of the 'privates' is painful!)

 

I rode the 120 mile round trip to Hartford, CT today at 70 - 80 MPH. No ball(s) of flames or suspicious odors. The bike is back safely in the garage cooling off. Guess that the search continues.

 

Thanks to all of you for your comments!

[Starfighter]

I'd check the quick disconnects on the right side of fuel tank.

If your bike has had a canasterectomy you will smell fumes thru the vent lines when garaged.

[DD 430]

The bike is stock - no quick disconnects and the canister remains. Again, after a 120 mile high speed trip yesterday - no odor. When I had the tank off on Tuesday all of the gas lines looked fine even when I cycled the fuel pump and pressurized the system. Still mystified.

[Edgar]

I have found that the hose clamps on the fuel lines over time seem to loosen and I have experienced intermittent gas smell on start up. I am aware of this happening, and do tighten the clamps when I do service on the tank, but it still happens. After I smell the gas I have removed the right side panel and have been able to tighten the clamp and the problem goes away.

[DD 430]

Edgar, Thanks for the comment. I tightened the clamps on the lines when I replaced the tank. Maybe that'll do the trick. By the way, good looking bike in your avatar. It looks like an old Norton, is it? I learned to ride on an old Norton 600 Dominator. Great old bikes. I sold my old BSA Goldstar a few years ago to a fellow in Ireland - my knees were too far gone to kick it over anymore. Drat! I find that I'm slipping into old fartdom!

[Edgar]

'72 Norton Commando Combat Interstate . It went to the BMWOA Nat'l rally in TX and ended up towing my R100RT. It was an odd site.

[ESokoloff]

The gas smell on my 03RT turned out to be the pressure regulator.

 

Fortunately it was still under warranty.