QD failure. Not me..!

[awagnon]

I've put off replacing my quick disconnects thinking that failure wouldn't happen to me if I was careful with them. WRONG. Yesterday I went riding up in the mountains to see the falls colors, which were pretty nice incidentally. On the way home, about a mile from my house I came to a stop light and smelled gas. I pulled over and checked for leaking gas but couldn't find any. When I got into my driveway, the smell was stronger. Yep, one of the QD's was wet with gasoline. To look at it, It didn't look broken, but from the picture below, you can see the male connector had broken off. It was just being held in place by the white shutoff valve part inside.

I previously decided not to change the QD's unless I had a problem. Just in case, I carry a spare along with FI clamps and a straight brass connector for emergencies. Even though I was home, I decided to pretend I was out in the middle of nowhere and change the QD with just the tools on my bike. I'm not sure I could have done it. Getting the old hose clamps off was nearly impossible. I ended up cutting them with a Dremel cutting wheel. I might have been able to cut them with diagonal cutters, but didn't have a pair on the bike. Anyway, I just replace the male piece, but replaced all the crimp-on clamps with regular FI hose clamps.

For those who have never seen a broken quick disconnect, you can note the picture below. At the top is a normal QD with male and female parts. Second is the male part with the "male part" broken off. Humm. Last is a 5/16 inch barbed brass connector from Home Depot which costs about $1.50. I haven't decided if I will replace the stock QD's with metal ones or just use the brass connector. I'm leaning towards just the simple brass connector after I buy some cheap hose clamps.

[MartinW]

I have replaced my QDs with the Omega metal ones. Had no trouble getting the original clamps off though . Grabbed the raised but with a pair of blunt-nosed pliers, squeeze, twist and slide and off they came. Maybe that was one of the reasons why fuel was leaking because they weren't crimped properly (?)

[Dr. Strangelove]

I had replaced the QD's with the Small Parts QD's, knowing that I might not be able to reconnect (I carried a couple of lengths of brass tubing). When I recently removed the tank for a battery change I could not get them back together and used the brass tubing. I saw the same tubing connectors at Lowe's this w/e, but was concerned that there was not enough play in the tubing to make the ends meet?

John

[awagnon]

"I saw the same tubing connectors at Lowe's this w/e, but was concerned that there was not enough play in the tubing to make the ends meet?"

The available hose length or play is my concern, also. I figured if I used these short connectors, I'd replace the small piece of hose that goes from the QD to the metal pipe further down stream, or replace the upper hose when I change my fuel filter is a few thousand miles.

[MartinW]

While you're about this, you might want to consider replacing all the flexible fuel line. I see your bike is an '02 model, same as mine. When I replaced my QDs I noticed that there was some slight degeneration of the rubber at the end of the pipes and, having had bad experiences in the past with airt-cooled VW Kombi fuel pipes, I decided to replace all the rubber pipe. Taking the tank off is easy enough and having new fuel pipe, connectors and clamps certainly gives peace of mind.

[awagnon]

While you're about this, you might want to consider replacing all the flexible fuel line.

I think that's a good idea. I plan to change the fuel filter around the time my new QD's get here. Since I'm in the tank, I may as will change the hoses. Incidentally, I had to change the filter early the first time at around 25,000 miles. I tried to start the bike with one of the QD's not seated completely. It blew the hose off the OEM filter inside the tank. Was a bugger trying to figure out why the bike wouldn't start. Also, I was shocked when I purchased some FI rated fuel line. Boy, is it expensive.....

[boxermania]

The plastic Q/C's will eventually fail. It is a function of the corrosion of the gasoline and the effects of the atmosphere. Eventually the plasticizer will be driven off, the parts will become brittle and any minor movement will make them break.

Thank God that we haven't heard of any fires as a result of the Q/C's breaking, but the potential is very much there.

[MartinW]

Yes, I seem to recall it was about £10 (approx $20) a metre. Worth the expense for the peace of mind though.

Good luck.

[Buckster]

X2 on the Omegas. I changed mine out for no other reason other than I have heard about them breaking and I did not want to deal with it while on the road. $70 may seem expensive at first, but while you are several hundred miles away from home and don't have to worry about them...it's worth it!

Granted...you should not HAVE to worry about them at all!!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Yes, I seem to recall it was about £10 (approx $20) a metre.

how much is needed? I'm thinking about 3 feet? I wouldn't want to buy way too much.

John

[MartinW]

Think it was sold by the metre here and one meter was enough. They didn't have the bike fuel hose but supplied the car stuff (probably the same) instead. Part number was B16.12.1.180.409 and I just checked the invoice - £12.01 including sales tax - extortion!!

Also bought 8 x Pipe Clamps C13.31.1.460.928 - total cost £6.86.

[OU812]

I have replaced my QDs with the Omega metal ones. Had no trouble getting the original clamps off though . Grabbed the raised but with a pair of blunt-nosed pliers, squeeze, twist and slide and off they came. Maybe that was one of the reasons why fuel was leaking because they weren't crimped properly (?)

Where can I find the Omega's?

[awagnon]

Where can I find the Omega's?

At http://www.Omega.com

What I ordered were two FT-LCD170-05, and two FT-LCD220-05.

[OU812]

Thanks Al!

[varockster]

I replaced my oem quick disconnects last spring and hadn't had any problems riding roughly 8000 miles. First cool morning that I rode recently (44F) I noted the dreaded gas smell. Gas was leaking from the hi pressure connector - appeared the o ring wasn't sealing. There was good, solid connection between the male and female connectors. Anyone else have this problem? What type o ring should I replace with- used the original ones that came on the Omega.

[taosports]

Try here : http://r1150r.org/board/viewtopic.php?t ... sc&start=0

Scroll down half the page and see jb44's comparisons of the various o rings.

[Buckster]

You can actually use the originals if you still have them or take one down to your local hardware store and match up the size. Omega can probably sell you some as well.

[challey]

I'm not sure that it makes a great deal of difference if the O-ring is Buna-N or Viton given the very small sirface that's actually exposed to fuel. The Omega QDs come standard with Buna-N, which is inferior to Viton in some respects but can tolerate oxygenated fuel better. That's what I went with about 6,000 miles ago and have not had any problems.

If memory serves, the size is 8mm/12mm which is something like 5/16"x 15/32".

Charlie