Strange Noises...

[Bruce McCrary]

This is going to sound kinda strange I know, but...

Lately my '07 FJR has begun to make, well... gurgling noises from the fuel tank. Does it fairly often and it doesn't seem to matter how much fuel is in the tank or if it's hot or cold. Sounds like it's coming from the cap or cap area. My first thought is a clogged vent but when I open the cap I don't get any pressure release.

My last bike, an '04 Nomad would whistle when pressure built up in the tank, but simply releasing the cap lock with the key would give the build up pressure some place to escape and it would quit for a while. It was a common and known issue with those bikes.

Has anyone else had or heard of someone having an FJR that sounds like it's gargling mouth wash????

Bruce

 

[FJRBluesman]

Well I'll guess it has something to do with vent hose, passge way, fuel line, or something. Maybe not really with pressure but maybe there is some sort of air in the fuel line and as it sits the bubbles spread out or get bigger and it gargles.

My 2 cents FWIW.

 

[rbentnail]

Hey Bruce! Haven't seen you around for a while, how ya been?

 

[Ignacio]

Could be the vent or the electric fuel pump that's in the tank.

This sound has been described before and in various threads by searching gurgling site:fjrforum.com at Google.

 

[RadioHowie]

This is going to sound kinda strange I know, but...
Lately my '07 FJR has begun to make, well... gurgling noises from the fuel tank. Does it fairly often and it doesn't seem to matter how much fuel is in the tank or if it's hot or cold. Sounds like it's coming from the cap or cap area. My first thought is a clogged vent but when I open the cap I don't get any pressure release.

My last bike, an '04 Nomad would whistle when pressure built up in the tank, but simply releasing the cap lock with the key would give the build up pressure some place to escape and it would quit for a while. It was a common and known issue with those bikes.

Has anyone else had or heard of someone having an FJR that sounds like it's gargling mouth wash????

Bruce

You don't say if it happens when you first turn the key on, or right after you turn the key off. I can't imagine you could hear it while the motor is running, or do you?

I'd guess it's the fuel pump pressurizing the fuel rail. It can be a noisy sumbitch.

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Sorry for the lack of complete info...

I can't tell if it does it while it's running or not, even though I've got stock pipes the engine related noises are louder than the one I'm describing.

The noise can be heard with the key off and it doesn't matter how long the bike has been sitting. For example, I got in off a ride at nearly midnight last night (what a story that is...) and shut it down. This morning when I was near the bike there it was, and it continued for a long, long time. I cracked the cap and left it open, no noise. Closed the cap and within a few minutes, there it was again. However, hear it is nearly 9:00 pm and I'm close enough to the bike to hear it, and no noise.

Strange.

From what has been suggested and based on my experiences with F.I. systems I'm liking the crimped vent line idea. Makes perfect sense to me. The fuel tank was lifted not long ago to have the throttle bodies sync'd, so maybe the tech didn't get a line positioned just right.

Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Hey Bruce! Haven't seen you around for a while, how ya been?

Russ! My man!

I'll say fine, but I've been better. The dealership that recruited me when I left Asheboro laid me off earlier in the month so for the first time in almost 40 years I find myself with out a job. I've got some irons in the fire but so far nothing in really heating up yet, you know? But this is the wrong time of year to be looking for a job in the powersports industry, especially in this economy, so if I'm going to stay in it, it may be a long winter.

How have you been?

 

[rbentnail]

Russ! My man!
I'll say fine, but I've been better. The dealership that recruited me when I left Asheboro laid me off earlier in the month so for the first time in almost 40 years I find myself with out a job. I've got some irons in the fire but so far nothing in really heating up yet, you know? But this is the wrong time of year to be looking for a job in the powersports industry, especially in this economy, so if I'm going to stay in it, it may be a long winter.

How have you been?

Dude! Sorry to hear of your situation, hopefully something will open up for you soon. Being in manufacturing, I know how it can be. It's been a very difficult year for us, laying off about 1/2 our workforce. Nov and Dec are also typically very slow for us but we're still clinging to the hope that Jan will bring new opportunities.

All-in-all I've had a good year- did 3 trips on the the bike. One to Beckley, WV for a couple days, one to Murphy/Asheville for a couple days, and a 5 day ride to Maine. Rode both the Cherohala Sky and The Dragon for the first time, saw Maine lighthouses for the first time, saw lots of our beautiful country and met lots of wonderful folks along the way. With a little luck I'll have more funds available for next year to do more.

Chin up, man! Things will be better soon!

 

[WBill]

I vote for the little orange rubber thing. WBill

 

[Bruce McCrary]

I vote for the little orange rubber thing. WBill

Yeah, I've been eyeballin' that thingy too...

 

[Fred W]

The orange thingee mates with a small vent hole in the gas cap.

The actual vent mechanism is built in the cap itself. There is a pressure relief check valve in the cap that is supposed to allow a free flow of air into the tank (as fuel is depleted) but venting out from the tank only after some nominal pressure is exceeded. This is to prevent the tank from freely venting gasoline vapors for emissions reasons.

You can test the function of the cap mechanism by using a short section of flexible hose (piece of rubber vacuum hose works) and alternately sucking and blowing through the cap vent.

You can also use the piece of hose to test that the vent path from the orange thingee on down is clear. The cap would still need to be mounted on the tank (unlike in the above picture) or figure out which vent hole that it lines up with. It should be wide open (in both directions) on 49 states models. California models vent into/through a charcoal canister affair.

 

[cometman]

It is talking to you.....Mine does the same thing occasionally.....It wants to go for a ride.....let out some steam.......

 

[Bounce]

More detail on the annual cleaning of the filler cap can be seen here.

https://www.fjr-tips.org/maint/ff/ff.html

 

[Bruce McCrary]

Wow! Thanks guys!

I'll check all that and see what that does. Although I do like the idea that the bike is telling me it's time to go for a ride...

Bruce