Hi, I purchase a 5th gen on ebay about 3 weeks ago. Got it for a good price. It didnt have much fuel when I picked it up and so a few days later filled it up, rode it home and parked it overnight. It proceeded to drip fuel/gas out of what I suspect was the overflow all night. I even put it on the centre stand. When the fuel level got to about 3-4centimetres (1.5inches) below the filler neck it stopped dripping. The previous owner has recently replaced the fuel filter and resprayed it. So I used compressed air and blew out the overflow from underneath. It was full of paint/rust and crap. I thought that i might have solved it. But I'm not that good. Filled her up (below the neck)and last night same thing. I think I now need to lift the tank. I have checked the Clymer manual and think my next step would be to check the air vent hose which is next to the overflow hose underneath. I thought it may be full of crap or kinked. Has anyone had a similar problem or can assist. Thanks
Problem solved, it only took me a year!! I will post some photos for future reference. Bear with me till I load 'em up
In order to get good access to the overflow pipe in the tank. You are required to remove the fuel pump. I also removed the fuel guage as I thought this would assist. In the end it did help as it gave me good visual. I siphoned out most of the fuel. Undid the two front bolts, removed the overflow and breather pipes from under the front of the tank. I also removed the two electrical connectors. One is brown, the other is blue (I think). They are easy to distinguish. Because the fuel system is pressurised. You are required to loosen the fuel banjo bolt. The manual recommends eye protection due to the chance of fuel spraying under pressure. See photos attached
Once the fuel system was depressurised. I could remove it and drain out the last of the fuel. I noticed that the fuel was filthy, so I drained it through a rag. I was horrified. Water had obviously been entering the tank through the overflow for sometime and had begun to rust the tank a little. I removed the fuel pump by undoing the bolts and easing it out. It took a bit of persuasion to get the steel wool filter out. Big Sucker. I also removed the fuel guage, sorry I dont have photos of it other than where it lives. It basically consists of a float at the end of coathanger wire attached to a height sensor (i suppose). See attached photos
With all the extras removed, I was able to wash out the tank with soapy water to remove any fuel. Then I could stick a torch down the tank (and my camera) safely. I was able to see the hole in the overflow from the access made by the fuel pump removal. (see photos) No wonder I was losing fuel. Glad to have found the problem!! I could clean away the rust hole with a big screwdriver and sanded it back with sandpaper. I chose to use a fuel tolerant liquid metal to fill the hole. I had considered trying to solder it - access was very limited and I reckon I would make a mess!! I had also considered cutting the rusty part of the pipe with a little hacksaw and rejoining it with 10mm fuel line and hose clamps. I think that would be plan B if the liquid metal doesnt hold. see photos attached Veterinary science it aint!!
I let the first coat of liquid metal set for 24 hours. The photo of it on the pipe is the first coat. It didnt cover the hole completely the first time. I sanded it back and applied another coat. I then left it for a few days to go off before re-assembly. This gave me time to do chain and sprockets, rear tyre etc. One thing to note about putting it back together. The fuel guage is pretty fiddly as it is long and is required to be turned in the tank to re-install. Do the fuel guage first, that way there is the access from the fuel pump opening to get a visual and assist the fitting of the guage. I filled it with fuel a few days ago all the way to the top. To my delight it didnt leak a drop! I can now go for a ride without having to chase down a servo every hour or so. Hope this helps anybody on VFRW. It is probably not a bad idea to run some compressed air up through the overflow pipe from time to time, just to check to see if it is blocked, as mine was. I bought the bike like this and the tank was virtually empty when I checked it out. It was only after I fill ed it up that I found this prob. The previous owner just said "It had never happened to him before" Anyway, it is sorted for now.....
Thanks mate, Ive learnt so much from the people on this site. Hopefully someone will benefit from this. Still trying to get the grease off my camera though, LOL
I spoke to a fairly cluey car mechanic today. He reckons my plan B idea of cutting the rusty section of overflow pipe and joining the pipe with rubber fuel line would not work. It is because the rubber line would swell sitting in the fuel. So another suggestion given to me was resin with fibreglass. idontknow??
Plan B will work, you just have to get the right kind of fuel hose to do it. SAE30R10 is the spec, although there may be other hose types that will work since it doesn't need to be high pressure. I don't think fiberglass resin will stand up to the ethanol content in modern (at least US) gas. Thanks for the post. I had the same issue, and hadn't bothered to try and figure out what it was yet.
No worries mate. 12 months on, still no leaks. I sold the bike to a guy on the central coast and I told him all about the repair. I asked him to call me if and when it leaked again. It was more for future reference. I spoke to him a few months ago and all was well. I now have a red one with 70000 less Km