vent hose has fluid dripping?

[j_berg]

I have 2008 rsv the carbetator air vent hose on the drivers side has some fluid dripping out from it. is this something that should be covered under warrenty?

[slick97spirit]

Have you identified the fluid? That would be your first step.

[j_berg]

no I have not it doesn't smell like gas. but what else would come out of there. I did just have the lower cowling replaced cause what ever leaked out eat the back of the cowling and that was covered under warrent. But it wasnt leaking at the time they replaced that so they extended the hose to the bottom off the cowling so it wouldn't wreck it again.

[Rick Butler]

If the fluid is coming from the tubes coming out the bottom of the bike next to the rear shock, it's oil from the crankcase breather. If your oil level is at the top mark of the sight glass, the engine at higher rpms will blow oil up into the air box and then will drain into these tubes located at the rear of the air box.

 

Just don't fill it to the top mark of the oil sight glass and you won't have this problem.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

[gibvel]

If the fluid is coming from the tubes coming out the bottom of the bike next to the rear shock, it's oil from the crankcase breather. If your oil level is at the top mark of the sight glass, the engine at higher rpms will blow oil up into the air box and then will drain into these tubes located at the rear of the air box.

 

Just don't fill it to the top mark of the oil sight glass and you won't have this problem.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

 

That was my first thought too, Rick. After a re-read I decided he was talking about the two tubes that come out under the front cowlings. The ones that pass through the holders on the air filter housings. I know those are carb vents and wasn't sure where they connected to, back on the carbs, so I was going to let someone wiser than I expound on those tubes.

[j_berg]

talked to the dealer today they think it is dirty carbs and something stuck in there or a defect part in the carbs. wouldn't know without pulling it apart.

[Scooter Bob]

Did they extend this hose down and out the bottom of the lower fairing and pointed back? Could be air flow drawing a vacuum on the hose then, not what was intended for.

 

At any rate, should all be warranty stuff, let them fix it for you. Which dealer, FDL?

 

Could always try some sea foam in the fuel tank to clean the carbs a bit if the shop can't get to it for a while.

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[V7Goose]

This has been discussed in several other fairly recent threads - I'd put a decent sized bet that your problem is the floats set way too high. I find it interesting that they would make a modification to the bike (extending the vent hose) instead of actually caring to find and cure the problem. But I guess the easy way out is the common solution these days.

 

The bottom line is that every single one of these bikes comes with the carb floats set WAY above the spec, and that causes some gas fumes or liquid overflow in the front vent hoses. It will not be fixed unless they have the basic mechanical understanding to actually set the floats correctly. It should be covered under warranty, but I personally would have ZERO trust in a shop that would try to hide the problem instead of fix it in the first place. Good luck,

Goose

[Traveller]

Happened to me last month,first time in six years. Mine was gas. Had choke on to start,backed out of shed, put on antennas, closed choke. Drove out front and gas was running off the bottom of the cowling by radiator. Then saw gas track lines down the right inside cowling for air breather. Turned off, restarted and blipped throttle hard a couple of times and dripping stopped. Have driven daily almost since then and no recurrences. When having new tires mounted talked to service manager and he also said probably just something in the carbs that flooded and then cleared out with hard throttle. Had a new fuel filter put on last year during valve clearance check. I'd keep my eye on it before letting shop search for something that might not occur again.