Gas Smell

[Lawgirl834]

I picked up a gorgeous 07 Midnight Venture a few weeks ago.  I'm noticing a pretty significant gas smell when it's parked or I'm at a stop.

When I first got it, it was dripping a little bit of fuel underneath.  That stopped.  I think the dealer had overfilled it.

I've run 1/3 of a can of Seafoam through it thinking maybe a stuck float.  It definitely still has a strong smell.  Maybe residue from the overfill...but I don't think so.  I think something is wrong.

I had a carbureted bike a million years ago (81 Honda CB750) it also smelled of gas much of the time.  Is this just a feature of carbureted bikes or is something wrong that I might fix?  Pic for attention.

[vzuden]

Are you shutting the fuel off at the petcock when you park it?    These bikes are known to leak past the needle and seat when parked due to dirt or worn needle/seat.   Check your oil level because the fuel will drain into the cylinders and seep past the rings.   This will dilute the oil and raise the oil level.  Keep the oil level below the midpoint of the sight glass.

The other frequent result of carb leakage is hydraulic lock of the engine which results in bent rods and or broken engine case.   

if it hasn’t been done, the carbs should be removed and rebuilt.

Personal experience:   I went to start one of mine when leaving the office and had forgotten to turn off the petcock.   The starter simply clicked loudly.   I removed the spark plugs, cranked it over, and fuel sprayed out of the spark plug holes.   I was fortunate in that there was a piston near the top of its stroke with fuel locking it from continuing its stroke.   A gap without the fuel would have allowed it slam into the fuel and ruin the engine.   So carb overhaul and oil change was mandatory.    Now, the fuel is turned off when I shut the engine off every time without exception 

[Lawgirl834]

1 hour ago, vzuden said:

Are you shutting the fuel off at the petcock when you park it?    These bikes are known to leak past the needle and seat when parked due to dirt or worn needle/seat.   Check your oil level because the fuel will drain into the cylinders and seep past the rings.   This will dilute the oil and raise the oil level.  Keep the oil level below the midpoint of the sight glass.

The other frequent result of carb leakage is hydraulic lock of the engine which results in bent rods and or broken engine case.   

if it hasn’t been done, the carbs should be removed and rebuilt.

Personal experience:   I went to start one of mine when leaving the office and had forgotten to turn off the petcock.   The starter simply clicked loudly.   I removed the spark plugs, cranked it over, and fuel sprayed out of the spark plug holes.   I was fortunate in that there was a piston near the top of its stroke with fuel locking it from continuing its stroke.   A gap without the fuel would have allowed it slam into the fuel and ruin the engine.   So carb overhaul and oil change was mandatory.    Now, the fuel is turned off when I shut the engine off every time without exception 

I am not turn8ng off the peacock.  It was my understanding that it is vacuum actuated.  Perhaps not or that feature is no longer working?

[RDawson]

56 minutes ago, Lawgirl834 said:

I am not turn8ng off the peacock.  It was my understanding that it is vacuum actuated.  Perhaps not or that feature is no longer working?

Not from the factory. Previous owner may have added a vacuum petcock. 

[Jake Lee]

New guy here, but I JUST finished a full rebuild on my 08 Venture due to a leaking seat.  To confirm, I pulled the carb set and bench tested it with a test tank in the garage rafters for a couple PSI fuel pressure.  Sure enough, one of the 4 started dripping out of the overflow tubes.  I wont tell you its fun rebuilding these, far from it.   Each carb is relatively simple to clean especially if you have a ultrasonic cleaner OR buy a few cans of carb cleaner!  Putting them back together as an assembly, that's the chore! Its nice to have an extra set of hands or some zip ties for temp holding as you need to engage like 4 contact points while getting the butterfly valve actuators under an itty bitty spring.  Critical to have a carb sync gauge set too.

[vzuden]

We have a member who rebuilds them.   For a a flat fee he will exchange yours for one he has already rebuilt

[Lawgirl834]

22 hours ago, RDawson said:

Not from the factory. Previous owner may have added a vacuum petcock. 

Nah, it's the factory one.  My silly @$$ trusted Google AI when it said it had a vacuum actuated petcock.  Sounded legit for a feature laden tourer from 07, but alas, there is some serious old school tech on these bikes.

I did find elsewhere on here the model petcock i can get to add a vacuum actuated one.  Its not a big deal to flip the thing on and off, but ill probably have that on my project list.  Just seems proper for it to have one.

So, proper use of the petcock will likely clear up my gas smell problem, lol.  Thanks!

[luvmy40]

Hate to be "that guy" but, I have never shut off the petcock on my '06 RSV and never had a problem with fuel smell or hydro lock. Maybe just lucky? (maybe just stupid 🤪).

[vzuden]

It only takes once!