Fuel leak from sender?

[superdave]

I am noticing a little bit of fuel dripping out of the long tube that comes from the gas tank's cover on the fuel level sender.

Is it a safe assumption this simply means that large o-ring is leaking? I can't see any other place for the fuel to come from that would cause it to eventually drip from this long tube but just wanted to double-check.

Thanks!

Dave

[Steve]

It's an assumption, not sure I would call it "safe", though.

Besides the obvious fact that you have fuel leaking over your engine, it might be from somwhere around the sender area,
and just happens to be caught by the safety funnel.

I would still put my money on the sender gasket, though.

.

[chuck hahn]

check all the posiblities. Gas over engine = BOMB. Wouldnt want to be going down the road and have it let loose.. I would post it on you tube in a hot minute though!!

[tkent02]

I would post it on you tube in a hot minute though!!

Very hot minute!!!

[chuck hahn]

roasting biker nuts on an open fire..flames lapping at your legs..

[tkent02]

I'm just picturing this guy going down the highway at night looking like Halley's Comet....
Good stuff.

[Redman]

...
....Is it a safe assumption this simply means that large o-ring is leaking? ....
....
....

On the 850G and 1100G it is a gasket.
But you got the general idea.
(I understand that the 650s have somethings different than other models. Maybe this is one of them.)

Such a possible leak is why that cover and drain tube is there, at least it drips out underneath bike rather than on head or exhaust.

[Redman]

I tried to look up the fuel guage sender (and gasket) on a couple different online parts suppliers. The sender is not shown on the sheet for the tank, and I think I remember there being a seperate sheet just for the fuel guage sender (and float and gasket and such), but not finding such a sheet. ANd I know that the online suppliers remove the sheets if there no longer is any parts on that sheet available.

Let us know what more you find.
Maybe ther is some rust on the mating surface that can be cleaned up, and sealed with some gasket sealer.

.

[twr1776]

The unit is shown with the petcock fiche. # 9 & # 13 are the only gaskets on your sending unit and look to be still available. There also is a bead of OEM sealer where the plastic and the steel in the center of the sending unit meet that can leak. I have it on my "winter list" of projects. I tried the Hylomar to seal it since they are different surfaces and it held up for a couple of weeks but ended up leaking slightly.

http://www.maximpowersports.com/fiche_section_detail.asp?section=94313&category=Motorcycles&make=SUZUKI&year=1981&fveh=2127

[BassCliff]

Hi,

This movie already has a sequel in the works.



No need to audition. Nicolas Cage has the part wrapped up.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff

[Ranger]

Is it leaking from the little half circle that has a slit into the breather port under the sender units gasket? I put mine back on today and its leaking as well, not sure if its supposed to sit a certain way but maybe yours could be doing the same. If someone could put a picture up that might help.

[superdave]

I had it apart a few weeks ago trying to make the sender work (and I did) and I couldn't see any breather ports in the tank leading to that area.

As far as I could see, it looks like that little half-cover with the tube is simply in case the sender gasket leaks; to keep gasoline from dripping onto the engine.

I just wanted to verify my suspicions. I will probably try some silicone sealant this weekend.

[superdave]

I popped the tank off and had a look. The fuel is definately coming from that tube attached to the cover. Funny thing was that at the cover, there was some dirt and dust but they weren't wet. But I cannot see any possible way for gasoline to make it to that tube than from the cover. Really strange.

Anyway, I bought some sealant (I had to read several packages before finding one that said it resisted gasoline and also didn't have a small print warning saying to avoid gas on the back) and smeared it on either side of the gasket. I guess we'll see what happens. Hopefully I stop having leaks!

[superdave]

Yikes! I put the tank back on , and had a closer look at things... I had forgotten that there is also a drain hose for the airbox, and I think that this is actually where the gas was dripping.

The carbs also had a bit of gas on the outside, but it was on the left side and roughly under the cover I was asking about, so I thought maybe that the crud that was blocking the hold simply had caused some gas to drip on to the carbs.

Now I'm thinking that gas is actually leaking from the carbs themselves, running back to the airbox, and then dripping out of the drain.

So what do you think is going on here? Think a float valve is sticking open? It isn't a whole lot of gas, and the petcock is stopping flow like it should when the engine is off, but that doesn't mean a little bit of gas that is in the lines couldn't drain.

Anything else to look at?

[brewmister]

same thing happened with my 82 750e thought it was the gasket but later found out it was actually leaking from around the white plastic where the one wire is attachted on the outside of the sending unit.