i'm leaking fuel, please help :(

[vegas_rider]

hey guys,

just recently discovered that my R bike is rapidly leaking fuel...do you think this could be due to the cold weather? anyways here's a pic:



that top hose is what is leaking. anyone have any recommendations for quick fixes? not sure how i'm going to get this into the dealer to remedy the problem...

[Sunbeemer]

I see you have the original plastic Quick Disconnects which have been notorious for breaking, and cold weather could either make the plastic brittle and crack, or the internal o-rings could've hardened and are not sealing. There have been many posts about replacing the QD's here, so you could search this forum for "Quick Disconnects" if you want to replace them.

You should try to determine exactly where the gas is leaking from because the rubber hoses which attach to the plastic fuel lines below them can start leaking when it turns cold due to loosely crimped clamps. The clamps can be tightened by carefully squeezing the little crimped neck with a pair of diagonal (wire) cutters. Look closely at the cut end of the rubber hoses for any cracks in the inner hose liner (the part that fits over the plastic tubes) as there was a recall for many of these early on. Replace only with FUEL INJECTION gas hose (it's rated for our 40+psi fuel pressure, whereas regular fuel line can burst). If it doesn't cost at least $5.00 a foot, it's not the right stuff!

BTW, gas will permanently stain the silver engine paint, so clean it off and keep it dry!

[Laserr Boy]

My Rockster did the same thing. After the engine warmed up a bit the leak would stop. It turned out to be a loose clamp,in the end I opted to change the plastic QD's as well as the hoses and clamps. Cheap fire insurance and peace of mind.

[vegas_rider]

yeah it's still leaking drop by drop out there. it's definitely that top hose, it's just slowly trickling out of there.

i'm worried about which paint exactly your talking about? right now it's just getting all over the silver paint on the shaft drive? is that the same as the silver engine paint your talking about? i guess eitheir way i'm screwed cuz there's no way i'll be able to sit out there all night and keep the gas off of it

[jas]

There was a service bulletin for the crimp type hose clamps, you may check to see if it was taken care off. Also check to insure the o-ring inside the quick connects is healthy. My bike leaked as well as a result of a cracket quick disconnect and blown fuel line.

[Dr. Strangelove]

yeah it's still leaking drop by drop out there. it's definitely that top hose, it's just slowly trickling out of there.

i'm worried about which paint exactly your talking about? right now it's just getting all over the silver paint on the shaft drive? is that the same as the silver engine paint your talking about? i guess eitheir way i'm screwed cuz there's no way i'll be able to sit out there all night and keep the gas off of it

ANY silver paint it hits

If it's the hoses, you need replacemtn hoses, but if it is the QDs and you want to address it now, you can use 5/16 tubing--brass or copper, ava at most hardware stiores for cheap. Cut a length about 2.5-3 inches and use fuel injector clamps--they look like regular hose clamps, but are not fenestrated. They are ava from pep boys and others I guess. I think the right size is the 13, but I could be wrong.

Word of warning: the QDs become VERY fragile when they are detriorating and if they are cracking, they can fall apart in your hands as you work on them



To cut off the old crimp clamps you prob need a dremel cutting wheel, and, as you watch the sparks fly, ferric testicles.

You will also need something to clamp the hoses shut while you work--hose clamps are ava from Pep Boys also. All this stuff is cheap.
However it is such a hassle to make this mod to brass tubing that I eventually opted for the metal QDs from beemerboneyard.

You will prob save yourself some real headache and skinned knuckles and cursing and calling on the Dieties by removing your tank to do all this.
For me it would not be an after work project, but a Saturday one

hope this helps and
(drum roll please)

They all do that

John

[MattPie]

To cut off the old crimp clamps you prob need a dremel cutting wheel, and, as you watch the sparks fly, ferric testicles.

I just either a small screw driver to pry the crimp-ons apart and I think one I used an end cutter. I didn't dremel anything.

You will also need something to clamp the hoses shut while you work--hose clamps are ava from Pep Boys also. All this stuff is cheap.
However it is such a hassle to make this mod to brass tubing that I eventually opted for the metal QDs from beemerboneyard.

You will prob save yourself some real headache and skinned knuckles and cursing and calling on the Dieties by removing your tank to do all this.
For me it would not be an after work project, but a Saturday one

Hmm, I didn't clamp anything either. After catching the initial gas out of the hoses, it was dry for me. I thought there was a pressure value up in the fuel pump that closed when the pump isn't running.

One note is if you do put in new QDs, put them in opposite directions so you can't plug the hoses in wrong. Meaning, the tank should have one of each half (male and female) and the bike should have one of each half.

[vegas_rider]

boo i've already got a little bit of yellow staining from the gas on the shaft drive definitely no way to get that yellowing off there now even though it's been less than 24 hours? any suggestions?

[iowabeakster]

I don't recall that anybody has found a way of removing the stain...except with paint.

[vegas_rider]

wa wa waaaaaaaaaa! anyone in vegas area care to help me tackle this? ill buy food and beer for you? lol i may have to end up takin git to dealer where it'll probably cost me 200 bucks for everything if my ext warranty doesn't cover this. the guy at the dealer said it should still be fine to ride it up there even with the small leak, can anyone comment on how advisable that would be?

[NoRRmad]

If you fire it up, and the fuel pump starts pumping, the leak-rate will probably increase. When it happened to me, I left a sizable puddle on the garage floor -- a commercial garage. The attendant felt it prudent to wash the area down with soapy water and squeegee the area into a drain. If yours is like that, I wouldn't ride it without doing something about the leak first.

But you can try. If the leak is slow, you might make it. Don't smoke.

[Sunbeemer]

I think somebody got a gas stain off with a polishing ball (available at Pep Boy's) on a drill using polishing compound.

At ths point I'd get the tank off and replace whatever is leaking and then some...QD's, hoses, & clamps from the tank to the plastic fuel lines. NO SMOKING!

[Buckster]

If you do it yourself....do 1 line at a time or mark the hoses so they dont get mixed up if you take both QD's off at the same time.
You may want to call the dealer and see if they will cover the repair....don't count on it. Last time I was at my dealer, he mentioned something about BMW had something come down about the QD's. I had already replaced mine with the Omegas about 3 years ago....before I had any problems. To me it was well worth the 70-75 bucks for the peice of mind.

[jas]

I would not ride it to the dealer, does your warranty include towing? Or does your dealer have a trailer? Mine blew at 75 mph on the interstate soaking the bike, tires, my leg, etc. Although the gas will not vaporize near as quickly in the winter and be as capable of flashing, it is not a chance I would be willing to take. In a car, well maybe, but at least in a car the driver is not soaked in fuel. After watch a guys pants go up as a foolish mistake while contucting a prescribed fire, it is not worth it to me.

[vegas_rider]

so had the bike on the tender all night and tried to fire it up today and now it makes some weird grinding noise almost when i turn the key to the ignition and it will not fire up at all now looks like i'm gonna have to shell out for BMW of las vegas to come pick it up and fix everything. time to put the contego warranty to the test and see if they'll cover anything lol.

[NoRRmad]

If the fuel tank emptied itself entirely, that grinding might have been the fuel pump sucking air. (It's fuel-lubricated...)