need help

[RJD]

we are in michigan for the weekend and twice yesterday a vacuum built up in the gas tank and the bike quit while going down the road. I pulled the rubber vent hose off the top of the tank and blew through it and it is not plugged. trying to blow through the nipple on the top of the tank does not seem to be letting air in but the hole is very small. I can't say for sure if it is plugged and can't find anything small enough to push through the hole. any suggestions. got lucky yestday and the bike did not shut off going down 75.

 

if anyone has any suggestions on how to check the vent let me know.

[FuzzyRSTD]

Sounds like a possible fuel pump problem to me. I am not one of the mechanical gooroos, but from what I have read, this could be the problem. If you get hung out around my area, give me a call at my cell phone if I can help in some way. Ooops, just noticed you are going north, sorry.There are some good mechanics here on the Venture site from that area.

 

Fuzzy

Edited October 1, 2011 by FuzzyRSTD
North

[V7Goose]

Obviously the most likely thing that needs to be done is to clear the vent. There are a number of things I would do to check the vent, but on the road most of that is probably difficult (and it requires a compressor). One thing you can easily do is buy a can of spray carb cleaner at any auto parts store and use the red nozzle hose to try and clear the vent. If you hold it carefully on the vent hole you can get a decent seal, and the can pressure plus the solvent might clear things up for you.

Goose

[flb_78]

If it is the vent nipple itself on the tank, a piece of stiffer wire should clear it right out.

 

Remember to leave the cap off at night so that the difference in temps doesn't cause a vacuum in the tank and cause it to collapse if you don't have it fixed by bedtime.

[flb_78]

I just reread it and realized you mentioned you didn't have access to anything small enough to push through.

 

Your best best would be as Goose mentioned. You could probably just use the red tube itself to push through vent.

[Dragonslayer]

Stop at a bar, Have a drink which will lessen your frustration. then use the drink straw to clear the vent. DAHHHHHHHHHHHHH

[flb_78]

How do you know it's pulling a vacuum?

 

When it stops, are you having to pull the cap open and getting a "whoosh" noise when the seal finally breaks?

[FuzzyRSTD]

How do you know it's pulling a vacuum?

 

When it stops, are you having to pull the cap open and getting a "whoosh" noise when the seal finally breaks?

 

Ya that fib, wondering the same thing. Maybe he got it fixed if that is all it was.

[RJD]

yes it is building a vacuum and the bike runs again as soon as I remove the cap. The hole in the vent is very small. I have a very small allen wrench with me and even it is too big. I will stop by a parts store tomorrow and try the blaster ore some kind of cleaner.

 

THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE SUGGESTIONS.

 

BOB

[straycatt]

Where are you at, Bob?

If you're around Flint, I've got a garage and a tool or two.

[RJD]

we are in Mackinaw and I always carry a bag of tools in the trailers. I do appreciate the offer. So far the spray cleaner seems like the best Idea.

 

Bob

[reddevilmedic]

after reading this post last night, i had a dream about this...except, i was relieving pressure off my battery! weird...

[Cougar]

This happend to me 5 years ago, went CRAZY, only could ride with the cap off to get home. vent was rusted closed. could not get any type of wire through it. so I took a chance and very carefully bent the vent strieght up and then took a 16th size drill bit

and drilled a new hole down the vent tube. then bent the vent tube back in place

it has never been a problem since. the vent tube seems to be very strong. with a little larger size hole in it now I guess I could get a wire through it with out a proplem now.

but the size that is in it from the factory was way to small to put anything through it

and with the rust and the curve it was impossable.

 

Warning:: I had the tank off the bike ,,, drianed and it sat for about a week

before I did any drilling. also used compressed air to make sure all of the gas

was removed and no fumes.

 

I also tried all of the above and even had a tube to the vent with carb cleaner to the vent

for about 3 days nothing would clear it out. feel free to call me about this.

 

Good Luck,

Jeff

[1 - UP]

I know nothing about these things, but reading what has been said, could you use a can of compressed air on the tube. The kind that you use to blow the dust off your computer key board. You could probably get it at Wal Mart, or Office Supply store. It also has a red tube that you could put into the hose.

Ken:bang head:

[ragtop69gs]

we are in Mackinaw and I always carry a bag of tools in the trailers. I do appreciate the offer. So far the spray cleaner seems like the best Idea.

 

Bob

 

I'm in the Detroit area, if you have not solved the problem by the time you head south give me a call and we'll see what we can do to get it fixed. I have a garage and any tools you may need. Contact info is in VR assistance.

[Cougar]

I used compressed air from my garage compressor and a hose with a hose clamp on the vent and it would blow off the vent tube, that hole is extremely small. even piano wire would not get in there and go through. the curve is the problem. took all of 2 secs after I had the tube straight up and down to clear it.

[FuzzyRSTD]

Mmmmm, learn something every time I get involved in these posts. I will now know what to look for if I have this problem. Keep us posted of your solution RJD.

 

Fuzzy:thumbsup2:

[painterman67]

what about stopping at a home depot or lowes and getting a cheap wire brush from the paint section. The type used to clean brushes and such. Pull one piece of the wire bristle and try it . We use it to clean out spray tips and some of those have wholes smaller than you can see through......................Just an idea

 

 

David

[Cougar]

The wire has to be at least 3 inches long and be able to push it through the curve

I hope his condition is not as bad as mine was. I myself could not push any type

of wire through the vent. my last resort was the drilling idea. and it worked. went

crazy for over two weeks trying to un-plug it with everything on earth. as I did not

want to take a chance on breaking the vent tube while bending it. but come to find

out it bent up real nice and bent right back with no problem. just all the time being

very careful and praying. bike would only run about 8 miles or so until I removed the cap, then tried placing it back on. it would run another 8 miles. so to get

home I just un-locked the cap and left it on the hole loose and road home.

[V7Goose]

I have done a little testing on my bike, and it seems like cleaning the vent tube is problematic. I can confirm that you should be able to easily blow air through the vent tube into the tank, so if you cannot, that is confirmed as the problem. It appears there are two separate orifice holes in the vent tube, the one in the very end of the tube, plus another down on the surface of the tank.

 

I used the wire from a cheese cutter (available for about $4 at most grocery stores) and could easily insert it through the end of the tube and down around the curve, but it is virtually impossible to find the little hole in the bottom of the tube where it passes into the tank. This means that you can forget about the idea of manually cleaning the vent if the problem is in that bottom hole. I think the spray carb cleaner, combined with a wire to verify the top hole is clear, is the only real option.

 

I would start by using the wire to ensure the end hole is clear, then leave that wire in the hole and thread the red spray nozzle hose over it. This will do two things - it will make certain the spray tube is actually centered over the hole, and the wire will act as a "guide" to let a small amount of the cleaning solvent dribble down into the inside of the tube. I would hold the nozzle hose as tight as I could up against the end of the vent and give the can 5 or 10 short bursts, about a minute or so apart. These multiple bursts are intended to let a tiny bit of solvent dribble down the wire repeatedly, enough to finally cover the bottom of the vent tube and work on the obstruction in the bottom orifice. Then let it sit overnight. The next morning, I would repeat the spray numerous times to see if the can pressure can clear the blockage.

 

If nothing else seems to work, bending the tube straight might allow the spring wire from the cheese cutter to be used to eventually poke through the bottom orifice (but make sure it is completely straight to improve the chances). You may have to fiddle with it for an hour or more, but chances are you could eventually do it.

Goose