Help me match up these fuel lines!!!!!

[Halon]

Hey guys,
Really need some help here! Half of these lines weren't connected when I got the bike, and I have no idea where they're supposed to go. I have assigned letters to the inlets on the carburetors, and numbers to the inlets on the tank and the one under the battery. Let me know if I missed any!
Thanks so much!




I know B and D are the same line (think air), but do I need to connect them with a T-connector? Or do they go to two different places?




This one is right under the battery.

TYLER

[t3rmin]

B&D are float bowl vent tubes. They should be open to atmosphere and routed somewhere under the seat/sidecovers away from cross air currents when you're riding. No T or Y, just two open hoses.

C in middle of carbs is fuel input. Connect to 3 on petcock.

2 is vacuum actuation for petcock. Connect to A vacuum fitting on top/front of #2 carb.

1 is just an emergency catch drain for the fuel level sender. Should be routed under the seat and pointed at the ground.

4 is battery overflow drain. Point at ground.

[t3rmin]

Fuel line is 5/16", vacuum line is whatever fits (1/4"???).

[tkent02]

1 is the drain from the fuel gauge sender, in case it starts leaking it won't be onto the engine, goes under the bike someplace...
A is the vacuum to control the petcock, goes to 2 on the petcock pic...
C is the fuel supply, comes from number 3 on the petcock...
B and D are vent lines, up and over the airbox on some models, they don't hook up to anything...

[t3rmin]

1 is the drain from the fuel gauge sender, in case it starts leaking it won't be onto the engine, goes under the bike someplace...
A is the vacuum to control the petcock, goes to 2 on the petcock pic...
C is the fuel supply, comes from number 3 on the petcock...
B and D are vent lines, up and over the airbox on some models, they don't hook up to anything...

Hah! Totally beat you to it! \\/

[rockford]

Drain

I believe #4 is the drain hose on the bottom of the airbox. I realize it wouldn't be directly under the battery but it would be close...and it sure looks like an airbox hose.

[Halon]

Thanks for the help!
Apparently the guys at the shop my bike was at ordered the wrong carb runner boots, because instead of being angled in they're straight, and they don't line up with the carbs at all! So I've gotta order new boots before I do anything else. I compared them to my old boots and you can definitely tell the difference. Maybe they ordered for the wrong size engine or wrong year or something.


TYLER

[tkent02]

Hah! Totally beat you to it! \\/

I still type too slowly.
Working on it.

[Nessism]

Fuel line is 5/16", vacuum line is whatever fits (1/4"???).

The factory fuel line has a 6mm inside diameter which is just a smig smaller than 1/4". 5/16" fuel line will usually work but it fits loosely on the nipples and may leak depending on the brand of the fuel line.

[t3rmin]

*shrug* All my GSes have had 5/16" when I got 'em, and I've always used 5/16" in maintenance, so it seems to work pretty well. I rarely even use clamps.

[bwringer]

The factory fuel line has a 6mm inside diameter which is just a smig smaller than 1/4". 5/16" fuel line will usually work but it fits loosely on the nipples and may leak depending on the brand of the fuel line.

Some bikes (like my GS850) used 8mm fuel line. 5/16" is actually microscopically smaller than 8mm (5/16" = 7.93mm), so 5/16 fuel line works quite well in its place.

Some smaller bikes used 6mm fuel line and/or vacuum line. As you noted, 1/4" is a bit larger than 6mm, (1/4" = 6.35mm) so quite often 1/4" fuel line is too big. In this case, you just have to try a different brand of 1/4" fuel line -- some fit tighter than others.


< rant >
All our cars have been metric for 30 years -- I can't begin to fathom why it's still so effing difficult to get metric tools, hardware, and basic supplies here in the US.

The only things that still use inches are vintage cars, Harleys, and lawn mowers. And I'm sure dealing with %$#@! fractions and inches will be causing massive errors in carpentry for decades to come.
</ rant >

[rockford]

Sheeeesh!

The factory fuel line has a 6mm inside diameter which is just a smig smaller than 1/4". 5/16" fuel line will usually work but it fits loosely on the nipples and may leak depending on the brand of the fuel line.

That's exactly correct for my bike. As you may remember from my posts the other day, I discovered it the hard way (my usual way). It almost seems like 1/4 inch is too small...but 5/16 is too big.8-[

[Halon]

That's exactly correct for my bike. As you may remember from my posts the other day, I discovered it the hard way (my usual way). It almost seems like 1/4 inch is too small...but 5/16 is too big.8-[

Little bitty zip ties around the nipples should work!


TYLER

[rockford]

Oh!

I don't know, Tyler..... gas leaks can get really ugly...really fast! (Just today, I saw a car on fire along side of the road.)

[Halon]

You're right. I guess leaking gas is a bit worse than say water or air. I have this really nice, super-flexible silicone tubing for my R/C cars, and I wish I could get something like it in a bigger size for my bike!


TYLER