Fuel leak from below carbs, Help !

[GrowlerMike]

Hi, Just got my first VTR 1000 Firestorm, in Yellow, mint condition but we found a petrol leak, I took the air filter box off, but was unsure after that, so am attempting it again but this time hopefully going further as to find the leak, question is, is this a common fault with this bike.I also found the petrol tap, Strange place to put it, !!!
It is 19 years old, and only done 14500 miles, I am attempting to service it myself, but it does seem a little difficult for the novice mechanic, I couldn't find the spark plugs ??? LOL

Can anyone help me on this, any advice much appreciated

Mike Dowson

[lloydie]

Hello and welcome ,
Where abouts are you

[GrowlerMike]

Hi, I am in Burscough West Lancs

[lloydie]

Bit far from me to lend a hand !!

[2wheelsagain]

The carbs have overflow tubes so I'd be checking them.
The petcock is vacuum operated so no need to access it very often but they do fail.
Mine failed and filled my sump with fuel over 3 or 4 days!
Put a new diaphragm kit in the petcock would be my first bit of advice after checking the oil level.

[sirch345]

Once GrowlerMike comes back this topic will be moved into "The Workshop" section,

Chris.

[Mike TW9]

A few times after putting the bike on the stand I've noticed smoke coming up from the exhaust pipe where it runs in front of the rear wheel. Definitely not a hole in the pipe. Seems to be a drip of fuel landing on it, coming off a plastic or rubber flappy bit (for want of a more technical term) somewhere roughly below the rear carb. It was a bit alarming last time & I switched it off for fear of it bursting into flame although I don't think that was very likely. I'd only done 5-10 miles since filling up, so my best theory at the moment is that tilting the bike on the stand with a full tank is causing some fuel to escape and drip down (the drips being very occasional). Will investigate further but not getting to ride much mid week.

[Mike TW9]

Ok, so after a good run today I parked up with the tank almost empty and the drip was worse, up to one every second. It seems to be coming from a metal fuel connector thing just beneath the rear of the tank on the LHS as you sit on the bike. Any ideas?

[tony.mon]

I think you should not ride it until it's fixed!

Pull the tap apart and check the diaphragm.

The tap comes apart with a few screws- there's a spring inside so take it apart carefully, but it doesn't come out with any real force, it's just easy to drop and lose.
Repair kits are easy to find on ebay.

[VTRDark]

Yep that bottom spigot on the petcock is an overflow when there is a fault in the diaphragm, hence the rubber flappy bit being under the tank to help prevent leakage getting on the rear exhaust header. What where Honda thinking there didn't they realise liquid rolls off flappy bits of plastic That's why there is a tap, so it can be switched off with an 8mm spanner if petrol is continuously flowing out. Not to switch the flow of petrol off if removing the tank as many believe it to be.

If that's 1 drip a second with a nearly empty tank what's that going to be with a full tank.

Give us a shout Mike and I will pop over an have a look if want, but taking the petcock apart will only confirm that it needs a replacement diaphragm or tap

(:-})

[Mike TW9]

Many thanks Tony & Carl!

I haven't yet had a chance to investigate further, partly because I keep the bike garaged a couple of miles from where I live and don't use it to commute, but I'll have a look tomorrow on wed eve. I'm sure the diaphram or tap theory will be proved correct! The plastic drip flap is a bit of a mystery especially as in my case it efficiently channels the drips onto the hot exhaust. I think it must only happen or at least get worse for a while once I switch the bike off as I just got nearly 90 miles before the light came on so can't have lost that much fuel. No plans to ride it this week and even if we get some more good weekend weather I will try to resist the temptation.

Any particular tips re. pulling the tap apart? And how do you ensure you don't spill lots of petrol (I'm assuming switching it off doesn't help when you're taking it apart)? I did try a site search on this but didn't spot the answers, though I did find this on the Superhawk forum also refering to a 1998 bike:

Take out the 2 bolts on the top of the gas tank, remove the seat and lift the gas tank up... at the back of the tank, the device with the 3 hoses coming off it is the petcock....

... Tank removed following all the directions. I did have a hard time removing the vent and overflow hoses as the bike is old and they look to be nice and original-dry. Now, was trying to be very gently with the pertcock as to not harm the fuel filter, but could not figure out how to remove it with moderate force. So, decided to do the change of the diaphragm while the petcock was still attached by the fuel filter. Worked alright and guess what? My original black diaphragm was torn! You guys are geniuses! What a great forum! I connected everything with the new diaphragm and spring. The choke now works properly and the bike doesn't smell of gas. Could not take it for a ride because of the kids, but at least in the driveway it sounds and runs well.

And if I do need a diaphram kit, any tips on which to go for on this ebay search? http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... 0&_sacat=0 They're down to under £30 incl. postage but the top one says £56 for postage alone

Cheers guys!

[VTRDark]

And if I do need a diaphram kit, any tips on which to go for on this ebay search? http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... 0&_sacat=0 They're down to under £30 incl. postage but the top one says £56 for postage alone

You do realise that they are all in the States.

Try David Silver spares
http://www.davidsilverspares.co.uk/

or Wemoto
http://www.wemoto.com/

The other option is to get a used petcock and change the complete thing, but you don't know what condition that will be in so is a gamble.

Tank removal
1) Remove the two 8mm bolts from the top up the front/headstock
2) Remove seat then lift and prop the tank up with a bit of timber or long ratchet extension bar.
3) disconnect both fuel lines from the petcock and the vacuum pipe. Also remove the overflow and breather from under the tank.
4) Remove the prop and lower tank then disconnect the electrical connector from the tank sender where the main wiring bundle is by the battery
5) Undo the 10mm nut where the tank hinges and slide the bolt through.
6) Lift the tank off the bike being carful with the plastic flap that hooks over the bolt hinge brackets.

Note that plastic flap loops around like a U shape and hooks onto the bolt hinge and then hangs under the petcock. This is supposed to catch any fuel leakage As for removing the petcock and/or diaphragm, you can just turn the tank upside down or drain the fuel first. Don't loose any rubber O rings or the little spring.

Have you downloaded a workshop manual yet.
http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 31&t=18025

Did you get my email yesterday. Catch you later, got to go and cook now

(:-})

[Mike TW9]

Carl, you are little short of awesome!

Think I've found it on Wemoto: http://www.wemoto.com/components/FuelPa ... hl-743542/. I'll follow your instructions and see if the diaphragm has split.

I thought I'd downloaded the manual, but prompted to check found I hadn't, but I have now.

Think there's another email now..

[agentpineapple]

yes carl is a little short, I thought that was a bit personal to state on a public forum..... , but awesome is just going to boost his already inflated ego.....
worst ways I have a spare petcock you can have for £15, hit and miss if it works, being as its secondhand. but your welcome to try it and if it works you can cross my palm with some folding, if it doesn't work, then i'll have it back and no harm done....

[Mike TW9]

Agent P, you are little short of awesome too! When would be convenient for me to collect?

Thanking you kindly!