Fuel filler water

[John Armstrong]

Never seem to have had 1150's drain fuel out of the overflow after filling up and leaving to stand. But both 1100's have Not done the filler drilling mod on either type.

At least I don't have to worry about the breather pipe being blocked

 

[Steptoe]

Never seem to have had 1150's drain fuel out of the overflow after filling up and leaving to stand. But both 1100's have Not done the filler drilling mod on either type.

At least I don't have to worry about the breather pipe being blocked

The reason you haven't had fuel leak after filling is because you haven't drilled the neck - by drilling the neck you use the expansion area of the tank for fuel .

 

[MattW]

Never seem to have had 1150's drain fuel out of the overflow after filling up and leaving to stand. But both 1100's have Not done the filler drilling mod on either type.

At least I don't have to worry about the breather pipe being blocked

I get this too on my 1100 - slight leak until I've done 50 or 60 miles.
I've a feeling that one of the internal hoses must have perished and allows fuel to leak until the level drops below the filler neck.

I'm due a fuel filter change this winter - I'll change all the internal hoses as the same time (probably due at 14 years old )

 

[John Armstrong]

The reason you haven't had fuel leak after filling is because you haven't drilled the neck - by drilling the neck you use the expansion area of the tank for fuel .

Neither 1100 or 1150's had the filler drilled, so why does the 1100 seem to vent overboard, or was it due to the 1150 having a blocked pipe?

I get this too on my 1100 - slight leak until I've done 50 or 60 miles.

It's ok if ridden straight away.

 

[Steptoe]

Neither 1100 or 1150's had the filler drilled, so why does the 1100 seem to vent overboard, or was it due to the 1150 having a blocked pipe?



.

Depends what pipe it's leaking from. The cap drain pipe or the breather pipe. They both attach to and run through the pump housing so perhaps the pipe is porous or the hose/pipe clips have lost some grip.

 

[John Armstrong]

I'll have to have a look tonight and see if the cap drain is ok. To be honest I thought it was venting out of the cap drain, but as there's two drain pipes coming down from the tank

 

[Ron from BC]

Hi Ron, The O ring in your service kit is probably for the fuel pump plate.....
Stewart

Thanks for the reply. When I changed out the fuel filter I already replaced that O ring under the plate (where all the tubes and filter/pump assembly are attached).

This was an additional O ring that was included in the maintenance kit from beemer boneyard.

Hrmm...I'll send them an email confirming that it's for the fuel filler cap and if so, I'll let sleeping dogs lie and keep it for a rainy day.

 

[Ron from BC]

O Ring Identified

Beemer Boneyard confirmed that the additional O ring in their 12/24k mile maintenance kit is for the Fuel Filler cap. Base upon the comments I think I'll leave the old one there as I haven't had any issues.

Thanks....

 

[STUBBS]

Dont know what it is called in the UK, but that nylon monofilament they use on Lawn Edge trimmers "weedeaters" works great as a 'rodder" with some WD40 etc

strimer cord

 

[King Rat]

Sorry to bring this up again. My filler drain is blocked solid. I have tried wire, compressor (until the pipe started to"grow" a bit ! Then 80lb monofilament (used for conger traces when fishing off the kayak!) That went down a long, long way but stil wouldn't shift the blockage. So tried the up route...it wouldn't shift the blockage.
Right, getting more serious now. Tank off, drained the fuel out through the balance pipe (I have a spare piece of pipe with a quick connector on one end and a T tap on the other - used for filling the petrol stove! Drained out most of the fuel, a cupful or so sloshing about, but most of that will be water as well.
Now, tried the rodding again, from both ends....then thought about pulling the breather/drain pipe off the fuel pump plate, as it only takes the pressure of water running down I couldn't see a problem. I haven't yet, because I am waiting for the o-ring to reduce back to size.
Now, something I noticed whilst doing this. The water drain for the filler cap has a wonderful U-bend built into it, at the fuel pump plate. It might be below the top of tank, but if you put an eggcupful of water down, a usual sort of amount to gather around the filler neck....it isn't enough to flush completely I bet, even with the syphon effect as it exits.
I have always put some squirt down the hole, using the piece of nozzle pipe that comes with spray cans of WD40 or Wilcos maintenance spray (smells the same to me and good enough for squirting down a waste pipe) I also put some thin oil down from time to time (3:1 is what I use) it hasn't prevented the accumulation of crud and corruption in this bend....which is where I traced the blockage to.
Just a heads up, that many will already know about. I just find it incredible that an obvious water trap in a water drain was allowed to get through the processes. After all, it isn't like you are trying to prevent nasty smells, is it.

 

[Steptoe]

. I just find it incredible that an obvious water trap in a water drain was allowed to get through the processes. After all, it isn't like you are trying to prevent nasty smells, is it.

When i get a bike in i blow the drain line through as part of the service.

As i'm always saying, a "proper" service is a bit more than just an oil and filter change.

 

[King Rat]

Shame you are so far south though. I have actually been fairly regular on trying to keep this clear. I have failed and can't work a wire/line through. So it'll have to be the pipe off thing so I can attack the blockage from closer range.

It was going to be a respray job at some time anyway.....might just coincide! Now that will mean taking off the beak, rack frame and tail light unit for colour matching.

Blimey, that brings on a whole new set of problems....choosing a colour, for instance. Hmmmm, on second thoughts, tatty and well worn is hard to manufacture.

Can you buy neglect in a can?

 

[Johnwhit]

try putting a battery drill on the 'wire' then pop it down as far as it will go spinning , it may do the trick, if that doesnt work I a stick of TNT should clear it

 

[King Rat]

Going to give it one more go. This time with nylon coated trace wire! I will give your drill idea a go....but it is on the end of a cable, not battery operated.

If that fails to shift the problem, then it is off with the pipe and an altogether more robust approach....I visualise a lump hammer! I reckon it is at least a lump hammer sized problem.

 

[motobiker]

Doesn't it reach the point where its simpler to just replace the breather pipe? or is that horribly comlicated?

 

[King Rat]

Right, update. Motorbiker - if it were the rubber breather pipe it would be dead easy, to keep clear too, as it is about 1/4" ID, so wouldn't clog in th efirst place other than by leaves in the gutter, and spiders making their homes in there.
The problem is the thin, metal, built in pipe with a spiral wrap around the filler neck at the top and then a sanitary U-bend in the lower section on the fuel pump/filter plate that is built into the tank - the metal pipe is soldered/welded/braised onto the large plate that everything bolts to.

I took the lower rubber pipe off, inserted the nylon covered wire (80lb breaking strain) and started to wriggle. Th eshort run helps, but it was still too bloked because the wire is too supple.......so I got out my shark trace making box and got out some 49 strand shark wire - I thought this would be too big for th eID of the metal pipe, but LO, it fitted, just! PERFECT rodding tool. I shoved and twisted the shark wire in and it soon reamed the muddy,oily, watery mess out, I kept rodding for about a foot, and cleared the entire run out. I then blew up the rubber pipe (with it pushed back on, of course!) blew back downwards from the top, using nothing more complex than a BIC biro outer (with a bit of tape on the tapered end it made a reasonable seal with the tank rim) and finally followed it up by dribbling about 5cc of 3:1 oil down the hole....and waited for it to fall out the bottom, so I knew it had gone the whole route. Then I got some cheap, Wilcos WD40 and squirted it down under pressure, evacuating all the oil, well most of it I suppose. Then I sent another lot of oil down to try and corrosion resist the inside of the drain pipe.

What a bloody silly set-up. Fancy having a U-bend in the water drain, in a metal section of the run (crap metal at that with some cheap coating on it) - a recipe for a water drain pipe to corrode through and thereby certify spares sales in the future!

Be warned, keep your hole reamed through and clean and oiled to prevent that U-bend from rotting right through. I have a feeling that would entail a new mounting plate for the fuel filter etc.

 

[GS TRV]

Im off to do this later - my filler cap area is a complete mess

 

[Borderbob]

When i get a bike in i blow the drain line through as part of the service.

As i'm always saying, a "proper" service is a bit more than just an oil and filter change.

I know you tried to do this on mine Neil and it didnt work See my post and pics here for the reason why. This is how i fixed it. Wont have a problem again I dont think

 

[Borderbob]

I know you tried to do this on mine Neil and it didnt work See my post and pics here for the reason why. This is how i fixed it. Wont have a problem again I dont think

Whoops, sorry forgot the link
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?p=2808899&posted=1#post2808899

 

[Hubs]

Holy Thread Resurrection...

but, having suffered from the badly blocked drain problem, I went for a bicycle brake cable, slightly splayed, and worked through the blockage by rotating the cable with an electric drill. It took about four attempts, regularly pulling out the cable and cleaning it, but it cleared through. I rodded the rest of the drain with the remaining part of the brake cable, then flushed it all out with WD40. Full flow restored and the next afternoons downpour confirmed it was all working fine.