Gas evaporation on Kat

[onthedot]

On days I take my car into work, I open the garage door and there's quite a smell of gasoline that didn't used to be there before I bought my Kat.

a) does the fuel system vent a lot on Kats?

b) I swear the fuel guage shows significant loss of fuel, even though there is no obvious leakage on the ground on around the engine.

c) Would turning the pitcock to Off help?

[MeadowHawk]

I sometimes notice a waft of gasoline vapour when getting on my Kat. I don't own a garage so I can't say if it'd build up enough to notice in an enclosed space?

[MIBagentQ]

dont smoke near your bike

and my petcock doesnt have an off

[skasner]

+1 on the "no OFF position on petcock"

as for gas evaporating... i've never had any problem with it. you might have a leak somewhere in your fuel system.

[DreKat]

My garage alway smell like gas or oil (too many toys not enough space)

[suzukisportrider2004]

mines smells like thats to... but i have 2 bikes and a quad so i have yet tracked down witch it is

[ramblindoug]

I also have a gas smell from my 90 Kat 600. I believe it is from the gas tank cap. There is a rubber seal around the locking gas cap that I believe lets gas fumes out as the gas cap seal ages. I tried to find a replacement for that seal but was told I need to buy a whole new gas cap. Looking at trying to make my own seal once I get my fork seals fixed.

[The CyberPoet]

There is no sealed fuel storage on the Kat (except the specialized California models' limited pollution control systems), and the fuel you smell could be attributable to something as simple as the fuel in the carbs boiling off after parking it off with a hot engine (consider moving the bike indoors after it cools down). On the other hand, it could also be related to an actual fuel leak.

The petcock should be set to ON or RES and NOT TO PRI (which stands for Prime, not Primary). When set to on or res, the petcock is effectively switched to "OFF" whenever the engine isn't running, because the petcock in those positions requires engine vacuum to open and flow (this requirement is defeated in the PRIme setting).

Advice:
Take a clean, dry paper towel and wipe your fuel lines down to check for leaks in the hoses -- the towel may reveal something you'd miss visually otherwise.
Then check your oil for excess fluid level (which would potentially indicate a stuck carb float possibly leaking fuel into your engine). If you had the petcock in PRIME, stop leaving it there -- prime is only used for when the carbs are empty or low and then only temporarily (45 - 60 seconds max, such as after the bike falls over or runs out of fuel).
Also remove the air filter and wipe out the airbox, then report back what you find there -- a load of fresh fuel in the airbox would also indicate a stuck float.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[skasner]

just get one of those long candle lighters and keep waving it around on the bike and see if anything catches on fire.... if so you have a fuel leak.

[onthedot]

Thanks skasner, I'll get my lighter out and take a look!<g>

[rwcreigh]

watch out!i bet your girlfriend is sneaking it out and returning it on empty.LOL

[ronnie.w]

I have the same thing regarding my Kat. I also had the same smell on my cruiser before the Kat. I have always kept my bike(s) in a specifically built secure bike barn (about 5x8) which is vented. I havent had any probems to speak of over the years.