Tank Venting Update?

[Cougar]

no drilling BOOM !

[SilvrT]

 

KIDDING... of course. Otherwise one might lose all of their hair

 

:rasberry:

 

I ain't talkin about how I lost mine neither!

[Cougar]

Now that we have the right way to vent with saftey in mind..

Lets get back on the topic.. HOW have some of YOU

noticed the change or did it do anything at all for you?

Notice a differance? yadda, yadda, yadda .....

[Dave77459]

Now that we have the right way to vent with saftey in mind..

Lets get back on the topic.. HOW have some of YOU

noticed the change or did it do anything at all for you?

Notice a differance? yadda, yadda, yadda .....

It has increased my range by 1/2 gallon or so, which is a good thing since I don't get the greatest gas economy.

 

It has also increased the number of puddles under my bike and concerned comments when I fill up first on a group ride and they make me wait to take off. The expanding gas overflows.

 

Dave

[OB-1]

It has increased my range by 1/2 gallon or so, which is a good thing since I don't get the greatest gas economy.

 

It has also increased the number of puddles under my bike and concerned comments when I fill up first on a group ride and they make me wait to take off. The expanding gas overflows.

 

Dave

 

I have the same results. I try not to get a truely full tank unless we're ready to ride as soon as refueling is completed.

[Condor]

This whole process had me a bit confoosed as we don't have that problem with 1stGens. Then my evil little mind went to work and from what I can gather the inside tube extends down a few inches into the 2ndGen tank, letting it build presure once the fuel reaches the bottom of the tube, until it wants to relieve itself. So I got it.... Now the question is why do many holes? One on the high side when the bike is leaning aught to do it???

[StarFan]

I and Skydoc_1 (Earl Harrell) did this on my 1998 Royal star last summer. We filled the tank completely with gasoline and we put a rag on top of the opening to prevent fuel spitting up from the top by the blow. If I remember right we punched four holes. No sparks or any kind of damage/danger. Guess Earl had forgotten all about the wax paper method when we did this but there should not be any danger if the tank is full. The gasoline itself will not ignite - but the fumes might if the tank is not full. This is easy to do - just take care not to bang up your tank ;>) I have done this to my Royal Star in Iceland as well and used the same method without any trouble at all. Now I am able to fill the tank completely so I get more miles per tank.

[Cougar]

I am wondering if it will make any difference for me as my bike is triked and stays level all the time. OR is it just in HOT conditions that this happens?

[LilBeaver]

I am wondering if it will make any difference for me as my bike is triked and stays level all the time. OR is it just in HOT conditions that this happens?

 

Maybe I shouldn't respond to this since I have not personally experienced it BUT someone will sure correct if I am wrong. So since I have my disclaimer in here is my thought:

 

I suspect that it is a factor of heat only (that is the fuel, upon residing in the tank heats up - ie. expands then under the pressure works its way out the vent hose, condenses and hence puddles under the bike). Since the vent on the fuel tank (is where I presume the leakage comes from) is on the RIGHT side of the tank if the leakage was caused by overfilling and leaning the bike over then your trike would 'leak' before someone's bike on a side-stand would.

 

This does not occur (very often) on an un-modded tank because of the 'extra' air space that is left in the fuel tank as is. Under intense heat, the fuel expands but there is enough air space that there is not a significant amount of leakage under these conditions.

 

Just a thought though.

[Cougar]

Makes perfect since to me. time will tell , I will report back in the summer, if that ever happens around here

[Cougar]

LilBeaver, you were Absolutely correct,, being my bike is triked and the tank sits more level. and when it is cold I filled it up no leaks, after a long ride I filled up again and got home and watched the gas pour out of the vent tube all over the ground.

bike cooled down and it stopped. I wish I never did this mod. I am thinking of using JB weld to re-cover the punched holes now. Or just make sure before riding fill it while cold and go for that long ride I guess, if I have to refill I will just watch how much I put in now.

Jeff

[Kregerdoodle]

Good info.....don`t think I will do mine..

 

Thanks

 

 

LilBeaver, you were Absolutely correct,, being my bike is triked and the tank sits more level. and when it is cold I filled it up no leaks, after a long ride I filled up again and got home and watched the gas pour out of the vent tube all over the ground.

bike cooled down and it stopped. I wish I never did this mod. I am thinking of using JB weld to re-cover the punched holes now. Or just make sure before riding fill it while cold and go for that long ride I guess, if I have to refill I will just watch how much I put in now.

Jeff

[Dave77459]

LilBeaver, you were Absolutely correct,, being my bike is triked and the tank sits more level. and when it is cold I filled it up no leaks, after a long ride I filled up again and got home and watched the gas pour out of the vent tube all over the ground.

bike cooled down and it stopped. I wish I never did this mod. I am thinking of using JB weld to re-cover the punched holes now. Or just make sure before riding fill it while cold and go for that long ride I guess, if I have to refill I will just watch how much I put in now.

Jeff

I rarely fill up before getting home. But when I do, I don't fill it up like I do when I am leaving. The gas expands as it warms, so the 5.55 gallons that fills my tank becomes 5.65 gallons or something, the excess of which drips on the ground. I like the mod, since I can get more than 5.4 gallons in my tank like I did before the mod. Every wee bit helps.

 

Dave

[BEER30]

Take a larger rubber hose like on a shop-vac. Connect to the scoots exhaust or a cage exhaust while running . Take the other end and hold over the filler tube . The carbon monoxide will push any oxygen away and prevent BOOM . I have witnessed welders fixing leaking fuel tanks full of fuel doing this when I worked in the oilfields .

If you do this , make sure you are in a well ventilated area . Outside might be best . Say your prayers in advanced as well .

 

 

BEER30

[V7Goose]

LilBeaver, you were Absolutely correct,, being my bike is triked and the tank sits more level. and when it is cold I filled it up no leaks, after a long ride I filled up again and got home and watched the gas pour out of the vent tube all over the ground.

bike cooled down and it stopped. I wish I never did this mod. I am thinking of using JB weld to re-cover the punched holes now. Or just make sure before riding fill it while cold and go for that long ride I guess, if I have to refill I will just watch how much I put in now.

Jeff

I gues I'm just dense, but I fail to understand why you would care about the mod at all??

 

Think about it - without the mod, you can't fully fill the tank, even if you want to (at least not without LOTS of parting around). With the mod, you personally get the choice how full you want to fill it. It takes no effort at all to stop filling the tank at the bottom of the filler neck (where you would have been forced to stop filling before the mod), so if you over fill it, you do so by choice. This would be particularly appropriate if you were on the road in the middle of the day and specifically wanted to get as far as you could on the next tank of gas. But the point here is that you have a choice. And even with the vent holes, it still bubbles and chokes as it gets to the bottom of the filler neck, so it is not particularly easy to accidentally overfill the tank, you must want to do it. Why would you be upset in giving yourself that choice?

 

Like I said, I'm dense . . .

Goose

[Cougar]

No your not dense. I am. I just have to learn how to fill my tank now with a different method in mind. remember I am new at this

 

like you say. just a learning curve I guess. I need to learn how much to put in when. I never was able to fill up all the way before, and I happen to do this while the tank was warm. and watched all my gas leak onto the ground. I really think that with my tank at a different angle now I will really have to be more careful when doing so, I did not think of that when I wanted to do this mod.

[Seaking]

the pros and cons.. ouch.. I had thought of doing this for my Venture as I get lousy gas mileage on my bike and the extra litre or so of fuel would really make a difference for me.. BUT, the other year I had modded my VStar and actually had the filler neck shortened when I had a flush mount cap installed..

 

And all I ended up with was a lot of trouble. I could put a heck of a lot more fuel in to my tank but it also meant it would spill out when you accelerated and any amount of heat to the tank (sunshine) would immediately expand the fuel and cause spillage.. out of the cap.. it's a vented cap.. Talk about doing a number on my custom paint job =(

 

Based on that, I decided not to even entertain the idea on the Venture.. but it had a vent hose.. Hmmm And you could cover up the holes with JB Weld afterwards.. and the last fuel job of the night before putting the bike away in a heated garage can be adjusted to filling just to the bottom of the filler neck.. .. ergh.. no.. stop.. don't do it.. Bah.. I dunno now.. Big road trip coming up in a couple of months.. Hmm

[txbearfly01]

Will I put couple of holes in my tank tonight. I found that a automatic center punch wrapped in tape. It took four or five punches and it went thru to side of the filler cap.

[OB-1]

the pros and cons.. ouch.. I had thought of doing this for my Venture as I get lousy gas mileage on my bike and the extra litre or so of fuel would really make a difference for me.. BUT, the other year I had modded my VStar and actually had the filler neck shortened when I had a flush mount cap installed..

 

And all I ended up with was a lot of trouble. I could put a heck of a lot more fuel in to my tank but it also meant it would spill out when you accelerated and any amount of heat to the tank (sunshine) would immediately expand the fuel and cause spillage.. out of the cap.. it's a vented cap.. Talk about doing a number on my custom paint job =(

 

Based on that, I decided not to even entertain the idea on the Venture.. but it had a vent hose.. Hmmm And you could cover up the holes with JB Weld afterwards.. and the last fuel job of the night before putting the bike away in a heated garage can be adjusted to filling just to the bottom of the filler neck.. .. ergh.. no.. stop.. don't do it.. Bah.. I dunno now.. Big road trip coming up in a couple of months.. Hmm

 

The only problem I've experienced is leaking fuel out of the vent after overfill and letting the bike sit in the sun. So, I fuel then ride instead of fueling and then going inside...

 

Fuel will not come out of the gas cap unless the cap isn't fully seated.

[wannarsv]

I put 6 holes in mine last fall. Used a very sharp punch and a big ball pean hammer. Be sure to cover the tank with something in case you slip and miss the punch. Oh yea, might be a good idea to wear gloves too!! Haven't got all my thumbnail back yet!

Now I can fill her all the way up and go farther between fillups. Before this was done I was going about 150-160 miles before having to go to reserve. Now I'm going about 180-200 miles before having to go to reserve. And yea, I was scared to death about getting a spark when doing this. Probably why I hit my thumb, TWICE!!!!!Funny now, wasn't funny then.

 

 

I was looking up info on this mod. But the most interesting thing is...That(I think) is the first time I have seen a attached thumbnail of a detached thumbnail......

 

Mel

[AKRefugee]

I did this mod because I was living in SoCal and would ride the desert a lot. Believe me out west there can be many a long distance without gas and every ounce can help.

Planned a ride one time and a station was out of business when I got there. Had to keep going because it was to far back to the last one. Went 208 miles and 61 miles of

that was with the reserve light on. (was riding "a bit fast" before the reserve light came on). I Put in 5.9 gallons when I got to a station. That mod made the difference of

getting to gas or being stuck out on the desert. This mod doesn't make your tank any bigger but it does allow you to use all of it easier.

 

Few items.

 

1) I did mine with the tank full full full to the top

2) I use to be a powderman so I still had my brass powder punches to use

DO NOT USE STEEL PUNCHES

3) I used a plastic head mallet as well.

4) Once you have done the mod don't fill it to the top and than park it. The fuel WILL expand and it WILL overflow.

 

Can you ignore all the advice when doing the mod?

Yeah, probably nothing will happen BUT, if something does happen, IT WILL BE BIG.

(and we will have to change your name to Richard Pryor)

[Cougar]

~

[Yammy]

After reading your thread I did the hole punch mod. Filled her up to the neck first and used a rubber handled awl. Sharpened it and put in four holes. Asked my wife if she wanted it done on her bike too. She said wait till I get in the house I think she has me insured.