Dripping Gas
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3
Dripping Gas
Hello,
I recently bought a '98 Super Hawk with only 2000 miles (The bike was uncrated in 2001). The bike is pristine due to the original owner only riding it occasionally during the summer months.
The bike has a full Two Brothers Racing C2 exhaust system and is otherwise stock.
This morning I came out into the garage to find a puddle of gas under the bike with a slow drip every 30 seconds or so. The bike doesn't have a history of any leaks. I didn't do anything to the bike yesterday other than remove the seat but did not start the bike. It was not leaking last night.
I didn't have any time to explore the source of the leak as I was heading out the door to go to work, so I just rolled the bike outside.
I'm not much of a mechanic and I'm planning to take the bike to the dealer to have all the fluids flushed/changed (the original owner had the 600 mile service completed but no other dealer visits), but I'm hesitant to start the bike with the dripping fuel.
Does anyone have any suggestions of what I should look for when I get home this afternoon?
Thanks for the advice,
Steve
I recently bought a '98 Super Hawk with only 2000 miles (The bike was uncrated in 2001). The bike is pristine due to the original owner only riding it occasionally during the summer months.
The bike has a full Two Brothers Racing C2 exhaust system and is otherwise stock.
This morning I came out into the garage to find a puddle of gas under the bike with a slow drip every 30 seconds or so. The bike doesn't have a history of any leaks. I didn't do anything to the bike yesterday other than remove the seat but did not start the bike. It was not leaking last night.
I didn't have any time to explore the source of the leak as I was heading out the door to go to work, so I just rolled the bike outside.
I'm not much of a mechanic and I'm planning to take the bike to the dealer to have all the fluids flushed/changed (the original owner had the 600 mile service completed but no other dealer visits), but I'm hesitant to start the bike with the dripping fuel.
Does anyone have any suggestions of what I should look for when I get home this afternoon?
Thanks for the advice,
Steve
Moderator
MotoGP
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,553
From: South Texas
Stuck float was the first thing that came to my mind too but in the KISS line of thinking: did you just fill it up completely? Putting it on the sidestand will make some come out the overflow line underneath the leftside of the motor.
If it's carb related (stuck float), the gas will dribble down the V and then along and over the cases so you should find a trail and possibly stains with a strong flashlight.
If it's carb related (stuck float), the gas will dribble down the V and then along and over the cases so you should find a trail and possibly stains with a strong flashlight.
Senior Member
SuperBike
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,455
From: Williamsburg, VA
I've done that before, had me freaking out for a minute. Right up until the point I realized I was an idiot...
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3
I'm home now and the dipping has stopped. It appears it continued to drip for a while after putting it outside judging from the mark on the concrete.
I think you may be right about the overflow being the culprit.... The tank is full but the bike had been sitting that way for a few days without any leaking. But last night I was trying to get the seat to release and gas was sloshing around in the tank pretty vigoursly so that could have put fuel in the overflow.
I don't see any sign of fuel in the cylinder V or by the carbs, and yes the puddle was on the left side of the bike.
Thanks for the advice!
To change topic a bit, what exhaust cannisters would give the bike a nice deep Harley-sounding growl without the volume that the Two Brothers C2 canisters are making now?
The bike is so loud as it stands that I wake my whole family and neighbors when I start up in the morning at 5:30. I love a deep rumble just not so much VOLUME
Thanks again,
Steve
I think you may be right about the overflow being the culprit.... The tank is full but the bike had been sitting that way for a few days without any leaking. But last night I was trying to get the seat to release and gas was sloshing around in the tank pretty vigoursly so that could have put fuel in the overflow.
I don't see any sign of fuel in the cylinder V or by the carbs, and yes the puddle was on the left side of the bike.
Thanks for the advice!
To change topic a bit, what exhaust cannisters would give the bike a nice deep Harley-sounding growl without the volume that the Two Brothers C2 canisters are making now?
The bike is so loud as it stands that I wake my whole family and neighbors when I start up in the morning at 5:30. I love a deep rumble just not so much VOLUME
Thanks again,
Steve
Moderator
MotoGP
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,553
From: South Texas
Bafflectomied stockers sound very deep (lots of can volume) and aren't as loud as my old blown out TBR's. I also had staintune lowmounts on my first 98 and the baffed stockers were deeper but not as deep as the Jardines highmounts I replaced them with. The jardines are pretty loud also.
Senior Member
Superstock
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 428
Sounds like a bad needle and seat. The vacuum diaphragm will only allow it to drip until the lines are dry. Pull the carbs and check for a stuck float or debries in the needle and seat and if that isn't the problem replace the needle and seats. Good luck
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Squid
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3
No, the temp hasn't gone up but the cause of the fuel going out was definitely from my seat removal efforts.
I had to remove the seat again yesterday and noticed the sloshing fuel in the tank as I was trying to get the seat past the retaining hooks. Sure enough within a few minutes gas started dripping from the same location. Mystery solved. Thanks for all the tips.
Steve
I had to remove the seat again yesterday and noticed the sloshing fuel in the tank as I was trying to get the seat past the retaining hooks. Sure enough within a few minutes gas started dripping from the same location. Mystery solved. Thanks for all the tips.
Steve
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