Air filter reeks of gasoline

[cr0ft]

So I'm finally getting around to ripping out my air ducting and installing my Ramair filter, and when I got to the point where I pulled the air filter, the whole thing reeked of old gasoline. It wasn't wet now, but clearly it had gotten a dose at some point. I can find nothing under the seat or in the gas lines that appear wet at the moment and I certainly haven't noticed anything dripping... however, I did drop the bike on its side at one point when I fumbled a take-off.

Since the air filter is behind the engine, it would seem plausible that any fuel leaking under there would fly back into it, but... the air ducting is pretty well sealed all the way to the carbs and the bike is otherwise dry under there as I said.

Could fuel have flowed backwards all the way form the carbs to the air filter?

Hmm. Either way, glad I'm taking that out, the last thing you want is something gas-soaked on motorcycle. One spark from the battery which is right adjacent to that and we could have been talking "chestnuts roasting on an open fire" time...

 

[cardinal93]

Is one of your tank vent tubes perhaps pinched in that area? Mine run right along in front of the old air box. Maybe when it laid down fuel when into the line and somehow vented in/near your air box? Seems like an awful long way to get fuel from anywhere else! Very glad it didn't spark up on you!

 

[cr0ft]

Yeah, going to have to inspect every inch of the hoses and the like again when the rest of the ducting is out and then follow up after my next ride as well to see if it was a one-time occurrence of some kind, I guess. Leaking gas is never a good sign...

 

[TOMCAT]

Not sure you'll need to check the "carbs" though.

 

[CanberraR3]

Could just be accumulated fumes from the crank case breather that vents into the air box.

 

[cr0ft]

Not sure you'll need to check the "carbs" though.

Haha right, fuel injection, bad word choice. "The place where the fuel goes into the engine" then.

 

[bruce aussie]

Not sure you'll need to check the "carbs" though.

Their in the same place the points are.

 

[cr0ft]

Could just be accumulated fumes from the crank case breather that vents into the air box.

Another plausible explanation, definitely. Still, will have to really check every hose visually, only noticed this late last night and didn't have time to really dig into it, but certainly the area under the tank and around the fuel rail was bone dry and showed no indiciations of any splashing liquids at any point at least.

 

[TOMCAT]

Their in the same place the points are.

Just under the zener diode.

 

[CanberraR3]

Their in the same place the points are.

Last I heard the points were on my license, not the bike. sigh. So much to learn.