Gasoline odor

[Guest BillMcEwen]

I filled up the tank for the first time, and the gas smell while I was riding was so strong that I pulled over thinking that I had a gas leak. There was nothing. Now 100 miles later the smell is still there, and I have to keep moving my head above the windscreen to get air that does not smell like gas.

 

I called the dealer and they said it was a clogged vent. That was not the case.

 

Has anyone else experienced this?

[BuddyRich]

Check on the inside of the lower fairings to see if its wet with gas. There's a overflow hose from the carbs that dumps out there. Maybe a stuck float.

[bongobobny]

I see you have a brand spanking new Venture by your public info. I would take it back to your dealer over and over or try a better dealership.

 

I'm thinking the possibility of a stuck needle valve not shutting off flooding the carb overflow, or as suggested an accumulation of gas from the overflow after filling up...

[Freebird]

There are so many places to look and none will be easy to find the problem because the gas evaporates so quickly that it's sometimes hard to see where it is leaking. Start with what has already been posted. Also check that the carbs are seated well in the rubber boots at the bottom AND top of the carbs. Also make sure that you are not leaking at the fuel petcock. The nipple there is just a press fit and I've seen them leak.

[Marcarl]

Next time put some Jack Daniels in the tank in stead of gas,,,,cost shouldn't be that much different and if it really drives you nuts, you could always drink some to ease the pain,,,,,,also will be a whole lot more enjoyable to look for the leak...

[jblack1036]

I had the same problem last year. I was smelling gas as well but I could not figure out where it was coming from. One day I paid particular attention when fillng up the scoot. What I noticed is that the tank bib I had shrunk just enough around the fill hole so that when you put the cap back on, it would leave a small gap. I stretched the tank bib back around the hole and no more gas smell.

So if you use a tank bib, you might want to take a look their.

 

Just my two cents

 

V/R

Jim

Still in Iraq

[V7Goose]

One more unlikely place to check is the carburetor drains - you can see all four of these if you look carefully up under the carbs in the middle. Each is a very small nipple angled toward the center, and a large socket head screw pointing toward the gap between the carbs. Very hard to see in there, but one could be leaking slightly.

Goose

[Sleeperhawk]

There are four hoses hanging down by the left exhaust.

 

I am having gas drip out of one of them. Is this due to a stuck float?

 

New 08.

[V7Goose]

There are four hoses hanging down by the left exhaust.

 

I am having gas drip out of one of them. Is this due to a stuck float?

 

New 08.

Not unless someone at factory screwed up which hoses went where (but that wouldn't surprise me - I have found a LOT of factory screw-up on various RSVs). The two carb vent hoses that would drain the gas from a stuck float run forward to a little square clamp just in front of the air intakes. When the gas comes out of one of those it runs down inside the lower fairing and drips below the radiator. Two of the hoses that are routed to the left side by the exhaust are connected to the drains from the air boxes above the carbs. I can't imagine how any gas would get up in there. The only thing that should come out of those hoses is excess oil that is blown out of the crank case breather that is vented into both of the air boxes.

 

I believe that the tank vent hose runs down there, so if the tank is overfilled or did a lot of bouncing, maybe that would be the drip? I've never had gas drip from either of my RSVs, and I tend to fill the tank very full.

Goose