VFR Fuel Leak

[FjrVfr]

A few weeks ago I added Stabil when I gassed up my VFR since I wasn't sure how much longer I could ride till snow covered the roads (I do this every year). The Viffer has had a bit of a "gas fragrance" the last few years but since it's a '94 I figured that was par for the course. After the first tank of Stabil/premium it started to smell a bit more like my old MGB and during the second tank it started leaking on the garage floor! (no smoking!!!) I've also had to increase the idle and fight stalling till it reached normal operating temps since adding the stabilizer.

My questions are:

1. Does Stabil help old, dried out rubber fuel lines reach the "last reward" or can it have another immediate effect that I'm not aware of? As I said, I've gone through these procedures before and not had a problem.

2. Stuck floats would be my guess if this were the beginning of the season and I'd just brought her out of hibernation but does that make any sense at all on a bike I've been riding several times a week for the last 8 months (with good performance)? Seems to me like stuck floats would be the result of fuel turning to varnish - not Stabil at the start of the winter.

I've pulled the tank and snooped around but I don't directly see the source of the leak. I'm confident it's not the tank itself (no signs at all of corrosion or failure) but the carb/insulator interfaces look a little suspect.

Any ideas would be welcome. I've not cracked open carbs before and if I can avoid it I'd rather not. Fortunately I can still spin up the Feej if it isn't snowing

Thanks!

FjrVfr

 

[El Toro]

It sounds coincidental to me.

 

[Fred W]

Being that yours is a carbureted model, I think your idea of stuck floats makes the most sense, especially if you're having trouble finding the leak. Try watching the overflow drains and turning the gas on. I think the '04 has a vacuum operated petcock, so just sitting there won't do it unless you pull a vacuum on the line to the petcock.

Remember, the floats don't just stick due to being gummed up. They can also stick if there are any small particles that make it past whatever filters you have in your fuel lines.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

FjrVfr,

You have a carbureted '06?

Have you tracked down the source of the leak? Are you sure it's not the overflow venting?

 

[Fred W]

FjrVfr,
You have a carbureted '06?

He's talking about his 1994 Honda VFR.

 

[FjrVfr]

Thanks, guys.

Fred, I'm not sure what you mean - I do get leakage when it's just sitting (enough to leave a basketball sized stain on the newspapers below and really stink up the garage). The problem is that when I pull the tank to see what's going on I have to close the tank petcock and the leaking stops before I can find the source.

My plan is to try pulling the carbs tonight but I'm really not looking forward to it. I still have trouble believing it's coincidence.

Thanks again.

 

[SkooterG]

I have used Stabil for years in all sorts of vehicles young and old with nary a problem.

 

[Joe2Lmaker]

FjrVfr,
You have a carbureted '06?

He's talking about his 1994 Honda VFR.

Oops. My mistake.

I'm going to blame that one on election day trauma.

 

[Fred W]

Thanks, guys.
Fred, I'm not sure what you mean - I do get leakage when it's just sitting (enough to leave a basketball sized stain on the newspapers below and really stink up the garage). The problem is that when I pull the tank to see what's going on I have to close the tank petcock and the leaking stops before I can find the source.

My plan is to try pulling the carbs tonight but I'm really not looking forward to it. I still have trouble believing it's coincidence.

Thanks again.

OK, I looked at the parts fiche for your bike at Ron Ayers web site. You don't have a vacuum operated petcock. But you do have an electric fuel pump. A rare situation on a carburetted engine. There is a fuel hose from the tank that goes through a "strainer" then to the fuel pump and then off to the petcock and eventually the carbs I guess. Hard to see it all in the microfiche. In any case, there are a lot of opportunities for leaky hose fittings, especially as the hose is somewhat pressurized when the pump is on.

 

[FjrVfr]

Yes, there's a ton of plumbing under there. I've got the service manual and hopefully with the carbs off I'll see something blatant. If not I'm afraid I'll be attending "Carburetors 101". Let's hope it doesn't require a dissertation.

Londonderry, eh? I can see winterization is a familiar thing to you, too (I used to live in Salem). Thanks for your help.

-Mark

 

[Fred W]

Londonderry, eh? I can see winterization is a familiar thing to you, too (I used to live in Salem).

Yeah, more so with the watercraft than the bikes. I prefer to keep them at the ready for the inevitable one good day per month. Though some years we don't get a nice Indian summer at all.

Today was a beautiful day. Sunny with temps in the low sixties. But I had something scheduled down in Lowell for work, so couldn't play hookie. I did manage to ride my bike to the polls though just before noon. Tomorrow is supposed to nbe even warmer, though cloudy. I think I may take the day off and head out early for a ride.