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gas smell?


Scarecrow

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I haven't been able to ride my bike (2004 R1150RT) since the end of last August when I broke my leg. It's been sitting in the garage since then. I use a battery tender periodically to keep it full of electrons and that seems to work fine; at least when I charge it, the little green light will come on after some number of hours.

 

So last weekend, I decided it would be a good idea to actually start it up for a few minutes and make sure it still runs. I turned the key, hit the starter and nothing happened. Oh no!! Then I realized it was in 1st gear so naturally it wouldn't start. OK, kicked it into neutral and hit the starter switch again. Cranked it and after 10-15 seconds, it turned over. Reassuring. I turned it off after letting it run for about 5 minutes and went back inside. Much later, my wife said she smelled gas in the garage. She saw a little bit on the ground and wiped it up, unfortunately before I could see how much may have leaked. Smell lingered for a long time. But by the next day, I saw nothing more leaking and the smell had dissipated. No more evidence of leaks or smells.

 

What are your thoughts? Was it because I hadn't turned it over in months? By the way, I had replaced the quick disconnects with chrome plated brass ones back in 2009 and I don't think those are the problem. I haven't removed the Tupperware to check though (still have some mobility issues with the leg).

 

So, do you think this is kind of normal for a bike that has sat for so long without running? Or should I be looking for something specific?

 

Thanks for the help,

S.

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I haven't been able to ride my bike (2004 R1150RT) since the end of last August when I broke my leg. It's been sitting in the garage since then. I use a battery tender periodically to keep it full of electrons and that seems to work fine; at least when I charge it, the little green light will come on after some number of hours.

 

So last weekend, I decided it would be a good idea to actually start it up for a few minutes and make sure it still runs. I turned the key, hit the starter and nothing happened. Oh no!! Then I realized it was in 1st gear so naturally it wouldn't start. OK, kicked it into neutral and hit the starter switch again. Cranked it and after 10-15 seconds, it turned over. Reassuring. I turned it off after letting it run for about 5 minutes and went back inside. Much later, my wife said she smelled gas in the garage. She saw a little bit on the ground and wiped it up, unfortunately before I could see how much may have leaked. Smell lingered for a long time. But by the next day, I saw nothing more leaking and the smell had dissipated. No more evidence of leaks or smells.

 

What are your thoughts? Was it because I hadn't turned it over in months? By the way, I had replaced the quick disconnects with chrome plated brass ones back in 2009 and I don't think those are the problem. I haven't removed the Tupperware to check though (still have some mobility issues with the leg).

 

So, do you think this is kind of normal for a bike that has sat for so long without running? Or should I be looking for something specific?

 

Thanks for the help,

S.

 

 

Evening Scarecrow

 

Probably a seeping "O" ring in one of the fuel line quick disconnects (when a bike sits the "O" rings can get hard & the negative pressure (vacuum) in the fuel tank then slightly unseats an "O" ring.

 

The problem might not come back after you start using the bike but if it does you will probably have to install new "O" rings in the quick disconnects.

 

The other possibility is that the fuel tank vent system might have trapped some fuel vapors that turned to liquid so when you started the engine & ran it those fuel vapor liquids were pushed out by the (heated) expanding air in the fuel tank & caused your fuel smell & spot.

 

 

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You left it running for 5 minutes. That is the problem :D

 

Dan.

 

Scarecrow, all joking aside, I realise (hope) you were with the bike while it was running. If you search the internet, you will find pictures of these bikes burnt out due to similar things to what you did. The exhausts WILL melt the plastic of the fairing and then if it deforms onto the exhaust, the next stage is fire. It isn't that your bike gets burnt out, it is everything you have in your garage and associated area.

 

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DR - thanks. I was thinking it might be something like that; the o rings drying out. It's why I decided to start up the bike even though I won't be able to ride it for at least a few more months. Right now I can't even get it off the center stand. I hadn't thought about fuel vapors condensing at all. I'll run it again this weekend and see if the same thing happens. I'm hoping for the best.

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AndyS - I was right beside the bike the entire time. It's why I only let it run for 5 minutes; I didn't want to take any chances with it over heating and melting anything! Thanks for the warning though.

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Leaking fuel in the garage is not a good thing. I would not start the bike in the garage again until I verified it is not leaking. Have a friend move the bike outside before checking it. Arm yourself with a good flashlight and look over all the fuel lines for leaks. You can pressurize the system without starting the bike first and check lines. You can look thru the front and see the lines coming from the tank. Easy to see the quick connects from the right side and gas dripping to ground should be easy to spot. Garage fires usually get out of the garage and burn the house too, so personally I would not take that chance. Mike

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Hi Scarecrow. I have had a leak on the hoses which attach to the fuel plate on the side of the tank. They seeped (ever such a little) then sealed and have stayed that way ever since. However when shining a torch (flashlight) up from the front of the bike and looking where they attach to the plate, you could definitely see the damp part.

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Mike / Andy - thanks; I do keep a fire extinguisher next to the bike. I think turning the key to power up will pressurize the system, right? I can do that next time around and then check with a flashlight and look at the lines to see if I spot any seepage. I don't think I can see the disconnects without removing the tupperware though. But I'll check that out and see if I can spot them from the front.

 

I plan to try again Saturday and will let everyone know the results.. .. ..

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Follow up. . .

 

Started the bike up this morning and let it run for 5 minutes again. No leaks I can see, no gas smell either. Looks like it is fine now. I'll run it for a few minutes periodically just to keep things running and will charge it regularly.

 

With any luck (well with a lot of leg strengthening exercise at least) I hope to be able to ride again by summer time.

 

Thanks for all your help,

S.

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  • 9 months later...

And so it has returned!

 

I stopped riding about 2 months ago when the weather changed. Well, first when there was an unhealthy amount of smoke in the air from major fires, and then rain. And then my leg started bothering me again. any way. . .

 

I have been keeping it (2004 R1105RT) charged up with a 'Tender and decided yesterday that it would be a good idea to start it up, remembering the last time it was idle for a length of time (see first post). Started it, ran great, and then I noticed gas dripping out. Couldn't see exactly where, just dripped from the bottom of the front nose of the Tupperware. Shut it down and opened all the garage doors to air out.

 

Haven't tried it again yet. I'm hoping it is like last time and will "heal" itself. If not, I'm thinking I'll have to have it towed to the shop (no, I am not handy enough to tear it apart and fix it myself, unfortunately). Don't think it would be safe to ride if its leaking gas, right?

 

I'll let you know what happens, probably tomorrow or Saturday.... :dopeslap:

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And so it has returned!

 

I stopped riding about 2 months ago when the weather changed. Well, first when there was an unhealthy amount of smoke in the air from major fires, and then rain. And then my leg started bothering me again. any way. . .

 

I have been keeping it (2004 R1105RT) charged up with a 'Tender and decided yesterday that it would be a good idea to start it up, remembering the last time it was idle for a length of time (see first post). Started it, ran great, and then I noticed gas dripping out. Couldn't see exactly where, just dripped from the bottom of the front nose of the Tupperware. Shut it down and opened all the garage doors to air out.

 

Haven't tried it again yet. I'm hoping it is like last time and will "heal" itself. If not, I'm thinking I'll have to have it towed to the shop (no, I am not handy enough to tear it apart and fix it myself, unfortunately). Don't think it would be safe to ride if its leaking gas, right?

 

I'll let you know what happens, probably tomorrow or Saturday.... :dopeslap:

 

Morning Scarecrow

 

For safety reasons you probably don't want to ride it if it is leaking gasoline but in a lot of cases on these seeping 1150 bikes they will stop leaking once started & warmed up a little (especially if the leak is due to old hard "O" rings).

 

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And so it has returned!

 

I stopped riding about 2 months ago when the weather changed. ............... decided yesterday that it would be a good idea to start it up, remembering the last time it was idle for a length of time (see first post). Started it, ran great, and then I noticed gas dripping out. Couldn't see exactly where, just dripped from the bottom of the front nose of the Tupperware. Shut it down and opened all the garage doors to air out.

 

Haven't tried it again yet. I'm hoping it is like last time and will "heal" itself. If not, I'm thinking I'll have to have it towed to the shop (no, I am not handy enough to tear it apart and fix it myself, unfortunately). Don't think it would be safe to ride if its leaking gas, right?

 

I'll let you know what happens, probably tomorrow or Saturday.... :dopeslap:

 

It could be hard O-Rings that will swell once they got some gas on them, or ...... in my case, the hose clamps (fuel injection type, not worm clamps) got a little loose over the miles and years. Gas was leaking from one of the hose connections to the quick disconnects. Snug up the clamps - all of them were a little loose - and the leak was gone. I will check them all again next time the fairing is off.

 

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Dirtrider - thanks; I always appreciate advice you give.

 

I turned it on again today. . . .

 

 

. . . . . and no gas leak! Hurray! ;-)

 

I'll continue to periodically start it up as well as charge it up so hopefully it doesn't happen again. And when I get it on the road again, I'll have a complete service done and make sure it includes new hoses, connectors, and O-rings.

 

thanks again,

s.

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Michaelr11: thank you for responding. I'm pretty sure it is the O-rings as when I started it up today, it didn't leak. Hurray!

 

Everything will get replaced on my next big service when I put it on the road again. . .

 

s.

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It is not fixed.

 

It is a potential combustion issue.

 

Please be very careful.

It is not fixed.

It will leak again.

When?

Your roll...

Best wishes.

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It is not fixed.

 

It is a potential combustion issue.

 

Please be very careful.

It is not fixed.

It will leak again.

When?

Your roll...

Best wishes.

 

tallman - thanks. I know it isn't really a done deal. At some point I'll bring it in to my service shop and have it done properly. I may try (with help from a friend who, unlike me, actually knows how to work with his hands) to change out the tubing and O-rings. but ultimately the plan is to bring it in to get it properly serviced.

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You can replace the QD's.

 

Heck, I did.

Ordered metal ones,

R & R.

Best wishes.

 

I actually have the metal QDs installed. I put them in a few years back. And when I say "I put them in" what that really means is my friend Jon, who is very mechanically adept put them in as I watched. ;-)

 

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