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    #1

    Strong smell of gas...

    I feel weird asking about this but... here goes:

    My 1982 GS850G smells like gas and I am wondering if it is normal.

    I have TWO bikes in my garage; a 2008 Vulcan 900 and the above mentioned 1982 GS850G. I do not believe either bike leaks any liquid gas. I think I would notice, as the garage floor is a clean concrete.

    When my Vulcan is alone in the garage and the garage door is down there is a minimal smell of gas in the garage. I can enter the garage in the morning and it's fine to go in and to be in there with the door closed - I do not need to air the place out.

    If the GS 850G is in the garage overnight then the small of gas fumes in the garage in the morning is overwhelming and I have to air the place out. I am also worried because my bedroom is right above my garage, and though I can't notice any fumes... well... that doesn't mean they are not there.

    Is it normal to have this kind of evaporation? Can I reduce / eliminate it?

    *** note ***
    I eliminated the possibility of the vapors coming from anything else this weekend - I did a full clean out of the place - GS850 in the garage = smell of gas. GS850 out of the garage = no small of gas.
    AND:
    My engine runs great - lots of power and no missing or troubles starting. It takes about 2 or 3 minutes to warm up - and is a bit weak until warm.
    Last edited by Guest; 05-17-2010, 08:39 AM.
    Tags: None
    #2
    How are the float needles and petcock? If the carbs are overflowing a little, the gas could be getting caught by the airbox (like it should) so you won't see gas on the ground. Checking the carbs with a fuel height gauge is worth the trouble too so make sure everything is as it should be.
    Ed

    To measure is to know.

    Mikuni O-ring Kits For Sale...https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...ts#post1703182

    Top Newbie Mistakes thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...d.php?t=171846

    Carb rebuild tutorial...https://gsarchive.bwringer.com/mtsac...d_Tutorial.pdf

    KZ750E Rebuild Thread...http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...0-Resurrection

    Comment

      #3
      Originally posted by Nessism View Post
      How are the float needles and petcock? If the carbs are overflowing a little, the gas could be getting caught by the airbox (like it should) so you won't see gas on the ground. Checking the carbs with a fuel height gauge is worth the trouble too so make sure everything is as it should be.
      Sounds like I'm about to learn something about carburettors! This will be a part of the carb sync and fuel mixture work that JHillier and I will be doing on our bikes very soon! Now it will be syncing the carbs, adjusting the fuel mixture, and checking the carbs for the proper fuel height, and inspecting the petcock.

      I'm off to the search function!

      Comment

        #4
        No worries mate, we can have a go at that. As a precautionary measure I would order a set of O rings from Robert Barr, including the large ones that go on the intake side of the cylinder head. You never know if the carbs have been properly cleaned and overhauled until you pull them apart. I'll let you know as soon as my carb tune arrives.

        Comment

          #5
          Originally posted by jhillier449 View Post
          No worries mate, we can have a go at that. As a precautionary measure I would order a set of O rings from Robert Barr, including the large ones that go on the intake side of the cylinder head. You never know if the carbs have been properly cleaned and overhauled until you pull them apart. I'll let you know as soon as my carb tune arrives.
          Ordered and on their way!

          Comment

            #6
            It's not the carburetors, it's the petcock. There should be no fuel getting past the petcock at all when the engine is not running. With a good petcock there can be no smell of gas no matter how bad the hoses, floats, valves and gaskets are.

            The floats are designed only to control the level of fuel in the carbs as the engine runs, the petcock is designed to shut it off completely when it's not running.

            You could also have leakage from rust holes, the seal where the petcock mounts, a leaky sending unit, or a crack in a weld on the tank.

            Park the bike outside until you fix it, that smelly garage is a huge bomb under your bedroom.
            http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

            Life is too short to ride an L.

            Comment

              #7
              Originally posted by tkent02 View Post
              It's not the carburetors, it's the petcock. There should be no fuel getting past the petcock at all when the engine is not running. With a good petcock there can be no smell of gas no matter how bad the hoses, floats, valves and gaskets are.

              The floats are designed only to control the level of fuel in the carbs as the engine runs, the petcock is designed to shut it off completely when it's not running.

              You could also have leakage from rust holes, the seal where the petcock mounts, a leaky sending unit, or a crack in a weld on the tank.

              Park the bike outside until you fix it, that smelly garage is a huge bomb under your bedroom.
              The bike is outside now - and will remain there until I have a fix.

              I don't want to rebuild the petcock - it's too important a piece... I am going to buy a replacement petcock, or something... maybe an inline valve to open and close the line... suggestions?

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by legaleli View Post
                The bike is outside now - and will remain there until I have a fix.

                I don't want to rebuild the petcock - it's too important a piece... I am going to buy a replacement petcock, or something... maybe an inline valve to open and close the line... suggestions?
                You can get a Briggs and Stratton shut off in line valve at your local small engine shop, hardware store or big box store. Works on mine, I have a seeping petcock and one carb (after rebuilds) that has a leaky float valve. No more gas smell over night when the valve is closed.

                Comment

                  #9
                  Spend the money for a NEW petcock. A fuel shut off is a great way to ensure that you will leave it on, at some point.

                  PETCOCK, PETCOCK, PETCOCK.

                  Get the idea?

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Hey! Buy a new petcock.
                    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                    Life is too short to ride an L.

                    Comment

                      #11
                      Originally posted by tkent02 View Post
                      Hey! Buy a new petcock.
                      I'm getting the feeling that I should buy a new petcock.

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Ding, Ding, Ding! A winner!
                        http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v5...tatesMap-1.jpg

                        Life is too short to ride an L.

                        Comment

                          #13
                          On closer inspection...

                          So all this "gas in the airbox" talk ended in me pulling the airbox cover last night - which I will need to seal again as the weather stripping didn't go on the way I thought it would - but as for the air filter - no gas smell - pretty much odor free.

                          So I start looking more closely at my fuel system. Gas cap seal - needs to be replaced soon - but overall good rubber seal - though it has a tear in it there is no missing rubber. No rust or leaks around the petcock, or in the gas line to the carbs. So I need to look further down. Since what I know about carbs I could put between these two lines: | | I decided to start with a touch and smell approach. Touched #1 carb bowl on the bottom with my finger and it came up wet and smelling like gas. Bingo! So I look more closely and find that the bottom of the carb, at what looks like a drain screw, is wet with gas. There is nothing leaking down, but it's soaked. Then, just out of instinct, I try to unscrew the "drain screw" of #1 carb and it actually unscrews with just finger pressure. The other three are fine - no leaks (though not torqued in with anything near a firm torque).

                          So I "think" I found my problem. I am also glad I found this one because the drain screw would most certainly have backed off on its own - and If I was on a drive at the time I would have poured a full tank of gas on the road, through my bike.

                          I will hold off on petcock replacement and see if this fixes the issue.

                          Comment

                            #14
                            Good find. You just tightened it up, right? It should be fine unless the gasket is damaged.

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Don-lo View Post
                              Good find. You just tightened it up, right? It should be fine unless the gasket is damaged.
                              Absolutely - I was a little worried about torquing it too much - I am only starting to get a feel for motorcycle screws. I'll know more when I get home today - and it's starting to look like a riding day too!

                              It's scary - when you think about it - the last guy who was working on this bike... what else did he leave loose?

                              Comment

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