19L Tank Swap - Varadero fuel tap leaking

[JackT]

Hi all,

Bought my Firestorm a little while ago with a beat up half painted yellow tank on it, after looking into prices for respraying and doing some research on here I decided it would be easier and cheaper to buy a replacement tank in black.

After learning from this forum that the newer better looking (imo) 19L tanks fit straight onto the older models with the exception of changing the fuel tap I decided to go this route.

So bought the Honda Varadero fuel tap , some extra fuel line and a fuel line splitter and fitted everything together.

Only trouble I'm having that is that the Varadero fuel tap appears to be leaking. I can't work out if it is weeping from the outlet where it screws into the tank or from the tap on/off mechanism itself.

I have tried it with a fibre washer and without, with the Varadero fuel sieve which came with the tap and without. Seems to leak regardless.

Before I buy another replacement Varadero fuel tap can anyone tell me if there is anything I'm doing wrong with fitting this? Should there be an O Ring between the tank and the fuel tap?

Many thanks!

[MacV2]

Can you post a pic of the whole of the underside of the tank please...

Like this...




Looking at your pics it looks like a 16ltr tank to me. Where you have put the tap is where the petcock goes.

On the 19ltr tanks there is a single fuel line from the underside of the tank about half way along base to the petcock which is mounted on the frame.

If you still have your old tank compare it to the black one... If its the same holes then it's a 16ltr.

Normally on the 16ltr tank there is a fuel filter & there is an O-ring between the filter & petcock.

So assuming, as I suspect that's a 16ltr tank if the fuel filter is missing & no O ring then it's gonna leak.

[JackT]

Hi Max, thanks for your reply.
Don't have a photo of my old tank currently as I'm at work but my old tank underside looks exactly the same as your one you have posted.

Whereas this is what the underside of my new replacement tank looks like with the different fuel outlet which makes me think it's the 19L.

[MacV2]

Hi Max, thanks for your reply.
Don't have a photo of my old tank currently as I'm at work but my old tank underside looks exactly the same as your one you have posted.

Whereas this is what the underside of my new replacement tank looks like with the different fuel outlet which makes me think it's the 19L.

Sorry to say that's exactly the same as the orange one I posted... 16ltr...

[MacV2]

Been having a look at old posts... Have a look at this it shows 2 tanks, showing the difference of how they look from the top.

http://vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php ... 96#p477251

Maybe tomorrow if I can be arsed I'll take my 19ltr tank off & take a pic of it's underside...

[JackT]

This is the orange tank which has got the main fuel outlet and two threaded holes either side into the tank which the petcock attaches to.





This is my black one which is just a threaded outlet that the fuel tap attaches to with a nut on the tap. No threaded holes either side to attach the original petcock with.




Hopefully that helps to show the difference?

Many thanks

[sirch345]

Jack, It looks like there should be an O ring fitted like you mentioned (No35 as below possibly),

Chris.

[JackT]

Perfect thanks Chris, will try it with an o ring but in the meantime have ordered a CBR900 fuel tap as apparently this bolts straight on. One way or another hopefully this will fix it.

[sirch345]

Perfect thanks Chris, will try it with an o ring but in the meantime have ordered a CBR900 fuel tap as apparently this bolts straight on. One way or another hopefully this will fix it.

Worth a try with an O ring I'm sure

I wondered if the positioning for the petcock for the bigger 19ltr tank [(as Mac mentions above) it's fitted to the frame] meant there wasn't enough clearance to fit it in the same position as it is on the 16ltr tank. That's why a 90 degree elbow was fitted at that point instead.

However it appears you have already fitted your new 19ltr tank to the bike with the Varadero petcock fitted without any clearance problems?

Please keep us updated on your progress with this

Chris.

[JackT]

Perfect thanks Chris, will try it with an o ring but in the meantime have ordered a CBR900 fuel tap as apparently this bolts straight on. One way or another hopefully this will fix it.

Worth a try with an O ring I'm sure

I wondered if the positioning for the petcock for the bigger 19ltr tank [(as Mac mentions above) it's fitted to the frame] meant there wasn't enough clearance to fit it in the same position as it is on the 16ltr tank. That's why a 90 degree elbow was fitted at that point instead.

However it appears you have already fitted your new 19ltr tank to the bike with the Varadero petcock fitted without any clearance problems?

Please keep us updated on your progress with this

Chris.

The Varadero fuel tap/petcock fits the tank with no clearance issues whatsoever and you can also position it just right so you can reach the on/off turn knob from between the tank and the frame once the tank is fitted. Just a shame it's leaking!

New CBR fuel tap is arriving by the end of the week so hopefully going to have some time to try and fit it or if not try the Varadero again with an O Ring over the weekend at some point.

Will keep you updated.

[sirch345]

Perfect thanks Chris, will try it with an o ring but in the meantime have ordered a CBR900 fuel tap as apparently this bolts straight on. One way or another hopefully this will fix it.

Worth a try with an O ring I'm sure

I wondered if the positioning for the petcock for the bigger 19ltr tank [(as Mac mentions above) it's fitted to the frame] meant there wasn't enough clearance to fit it in the same position as it is on the 16ltr tank. That's why a 90 degree elbow was fitted at that point instead.

However it appears you have already fitted your new 19ltr tank to the bike with the Varadero petcock fitted without any clearance problems?

Please keep us updated on your progress with this

Chris.

The Varadero fuel tap/petcock fits the tank with no clearance issues whatsoever and you can also position it just right so you can reach the on/off turn knob from between the tank and the frame once the tank is fitted. Just a shame it's leaking!

New CBR fuel tap is arriving by the end of the week so hopefully going to have some time to try and fit it or if not try the Varadero again with an O Ring over the weekend at some point.

Will keep you updated.

Thanks for the INFO, handy to know

Good luck with it over the weekend,

Chris.

[JackT]

Honda CBR900 Fuel Tap arrived.
The very useful chap who recommended it to me told me that the inner metal tube of the fuel tap is too long for the VTR tank so you need to shorten it before fitting








Tap has got a reserve position on it which is very useful however due to the position when it's fitted it will be a little fiddly to use.



Fuel lines from the carbs attached to a T piece and then onto a small section of fuel line to the tap.
Original vacuum line attached to the new fuel tap and tank overflow pipe attached.



Fired up and runs spot on.
So that's a matching colour 19L tank with a reserve option fuel tap instead of a 16L half yellow/half grey with no reserve option.

Cheers

[sirch345]

Thanks for taking the time to get back to us, and for posting up the photo's, very useful for future reference I'm sure
Good to hear you have sorted the problem of the leaking petrol tap with the new Honda CBR900 tap.

Does this new tap have an "O" ring to seal the connection

And, I'm guessing the metal tube height determines the amount of fuel left on Reserve

Do you have a link for the Honda CBR900 fuel tap

Chris.

[JackT]

No problem, was grateful for someone helping me so happy to return the favour. Yes the metal pipe is the what determines the "ON" flow position inlet and therefore when the fuel falls below this it would be the reserve position. I think that's right anyway, happy to be proven otherwise!

Link to the CBR900 tap I bought below.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186736138873 ... media=COPY

And yes, the CBR tap had an O ring over the sieve part of the filter which sat inside the tap.

Cheers

[sirch345]

No problem, was grateful for someone helping me so happy to return the favour. Yes the metal pipe is the what determines the "ON" flow position inlet and therefore when the fuel falls below this it would be the reserve position. I think that's right anyway, happy to be proven otherwise!

Link to the CBR900 tap I bought below.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/186736138873 ... media=COPY

And yes, the CBR tap had an O ring over the sieve part of the filter which sat inside the tap.

Cheers

That sounds right to me as well

Thanks for the CBR900 tap link

Good to know about the "O" ring

Chris.