Smell of gas but no signs of leaks...

I have a 1991 VFR 750. After driving and parking the bike, the smell of gas happens. No leaks or drips or puddles under the bike. Last night Tore the bike apart, gas tank off and inspected all hoses, petcock etc. with no signs of leaks or dry rot. I did notice the vacuum ports on the carbs have rubber caps which are dry rotted pretty badly. Could this be where the smell is coming from? Imp clueless and its annoying as I have to park my bike outside and not in the garage as the smell creeps upstairs.

 

Check with Partzilla, they had all the Honda OEM rubber parts I needed for my 83.

 

Im hoping Napa has some rubber caps. If not I will check them out. Thanks!

 

NO, gas smell has nothing to do with those caps. Probably just venting from fuel tank and carb vents in hot weather.

 

Could be some raw fuel dripping into the hot cylinders. Check the float seats.

 

If it's really odorous I agree. Check for sticky carb floats.

 

My 91 used to stink so bad, it stunk the townhouse out that I was living in. The air handler was in the garage and was not totally sealed, well I took a ride and we left the house, bike parked in the garage. When we came back, the air handler pumped all the toxic stink into the house. I swear to gawd, I was shuttering hearing about having to park my pride and joy out side (would have started WW3.) These bikes stink, its a fact of life, if you don't have nasty petrol stains in the crook of your Vee or under your rubber plenum boots (insulators) your probably ok. In all honesty for good measure, I would invest in an over haul kit. Honda makes you buy the needle/seat and the bowl gasket set up seperately :frusty:

For grins, smell the gas cap, bet there is some stink coming from there too. Good luck p

 

Are there any rubber hoses where the fuel runs? Do not discount a tear in a hose, versus dry rot. And you only find a tear by inspecting every inch of it by hand.

I am not sure but I suspect additives are added to gas to create a greater smell, just for this purpose, to inform you of a leak.

 

I switched gas stations and only use Mobil now. Other bike gets recreational ethanol free gas. Todays gas sucks btw.

 

my 1990 never stinks the garage up. it would seem you have a leak, check oil for a gas smell

 

I think, that the 91 stunk out the townhouse before the carburetors were overhauled. The newer one had the carburetors done from the get-go. You always have that "motor" smell from a fresh commute or romp around. Todays gas is ass basically. I went out to the garage after coming home three to four hours later the gas tank was still hot to the touch from the sun and ride, don't even ask about the frame of the bike. Cant imagine how hot the fuel gets in the tank, bike is covered when ever its parked and garaged its entire life at least my 91. I cover all my bikes when parked because the FL sun will burn you another A-hole, and the gas tanks are hot from just sitting in the sun under a cover, its crazy really, Cheers

 

I had that same issue with 15mpg to boot. New rubber vacuum port covers just below the carb boots and it was gone!

 

^interesting, the euro-bikes had a fuel tap on the upper left fairing of these gen3 bikes, I guess it was thoughtful engineering as they gave them a reserve possibly or maybe just a way to turn the petcock off when you shut the bike off. Must have complicated the tank removal though. I have a Pingel petcock on my Ninja and turn it off when ever I am not riding the bike, the current crop of Viffers I got would require me to remove the seat and turn "IT" to the off position. When I did the overhaul on both carburetors on the Vee Four bikes, I automatically replaced all four insulator boots (rubber plenums.)

The kawasaki smells too btw, if you try ethanol free gas, I bet you dollars to donuts the stink will be mitigated. :loco: my 91 which gets the yearly oil change gets this gas and smells less than the others in the fleet. Cheers and eace: