If I Didnt Turn Off The Petrol Tap Should All Of My Fuel Have Disappeared?

[ToNyBrittainJones]

I've got an old Honda, I've recently had the petrol tank welded as it was leaking and so, hopefully fixed.

This morning I checked to see if I turned the petrol tap off, I didn't, but all of the fuel had gone!? It is my first bike so I don't know if this is obvious but 'if you don't turn off the petrol tap will all of the fuel disappear????'

I did buy it recently and the guy knew it was my first bike and he did mention 'to turn the petrol tap off' when not using it, was he just covering a fault?, should I replace it?? or is it well know fact that if you don't turn the tap off on an old bike all of your fuel will be gone in the space of a few days of not using it???

I did check for an obvious pool of fuel or marks caused by a leak of fuel. There were none, but I'm concerned that the fuel may have dripped out slowed and evaporated before I got a chance to notice it.

p.s. I did have the carb cleaned the other day so that should be fine (as long as I don't leave the tap on reserve and allow a speck of rust into the carb stopping the pin from closing)

signed, novice!!

Edited June 12, 2012 by ToNyBrittainJones

[guzzi850m2]

No under normal circumstances you will never close the petrol tap but leave it open unless the bike is not used for month but even then some leave it open with no ill effects.

It looks like you are having a real old or hammered bike my man, fuel tank welded??, Never heard that one before, he-he.

A carburetor can leak fuel if there is a internal leak or fuel hoses rotten.

If I was you I would fill the tank up with fuel again and have an empty clean container ready that can take the tank content, when this is done you simply check the tank carefully for leaks and also check if the carburetor is leaking fuel somewhere.

Be very very careful with fuel leaks, if some of it hits the exhaust when riding you can end up with a big fire quickly.

Have you considered buying a new or second hand fuel tank? I don't like the thought that it has been welded, was it corroded? Very likely and that mean the whole bottom is rotten which can't be repaired properly.

[harrry]

You have a stuck float. THe fuel is leaking out the overflow of the carburettor. You could try hitting the carbie with a hammer..........not really recomended but sometimes works or get the carbie properly cleaned..not just the outside jets unscrewed.

[karlos]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

[saorsa]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

Sometimes the float needle gets a groove worn around the cone and this can also cause the fuel to keep filling and overflowing the float bowl. For any of these problems, you should see a mess and smell the petrol. If you have no mess/petrol smell, maybe someone just siphoned your petrol out the tank!

[karlos]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

Sometimes the float needle gets a groove worn around the cone and this can also cause the fuel to keep filling and overflowing the float bowl. For any of these problems, you should see a mess and smell the petrol. If you have no mess/petrol smell, maybe someone just siphoned your petrol out the tank!

Or a blocked drain pipe and the fuel level has climbed so high that it's slid past the butterfly, down past the piston rings and into your oil...... Fat chance of that happening and you not noticing a hydraulic lock the first time you turn the bike over as the remaining fuel in the inlet tract gets sucked into the combustion chamber but it might be worth checking the oil level.

If you can't smell the petrol leaking out for whatever reason there should have been a stain on the floor?

Edited June 12, 2012 by karlos

[BSJ]

You have a stuck float. THe fuel is leaking out the overflow of the carburettor. You could try hitting the carbie with a hammer..........not really recomended but sometimes works or get the carbie properly cleaned..not just the outside jets unscrewed.

Hit it with a plastic hammer, not a steel hammer!

[floridaguy]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

Sometimes the float needle gets a groove worn around the cone and this can also cause the fuel to keep filling and overflowing the float bowl. For any of these problems, you should see a mess and smell the petrol. If you have no mess/petrol smell, maybe someone just siphoned your petrol out the tank!

I was thinking the same thing, maybe you have a thief around. I had a stuck float also just last month. Leaked gas like crazy while the key was on, but as soon as I shut the key off, the fuel pump stops pumping, and the leak stopped. So even with a leak carb, it shouldn't leak much just sitting without the key on.

[ToNyBrittainJones]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

Sometimes the float needle gets a groove worn around the cone and this can also cause the fuel to keep filling and overflowing the float bowl. For any of these problems, you should see a mess and smell the petrol. If you have no mess/petrol smell, maybe someone just siphoned your petrol out the tank!

I was thinking the same thing, maybe you have a thief around. I had a stuck float also just last month. Leaked gas like crazy while the key was on, but as soon as I shut the key off, the fuel pump stops pumping, and the leak stopped. So even with a leak carb, it shouldn't leak much just sitting without the key on.

Wow thanks for the great responses!! Although I don't like what most people are saying

The fuel tank was welded just last week, When I bought the bike the guy must have quickly stuck some cheap 'tube fix' on the corroded spot because it was leaking badly from under what looked like a metal piece of chewing gum!! I'm really not sure where to get another tank from, and how much it would be??

Last week the bike started bouncing around when the revs were low in first gear. The guy at the garage did take the carb apart and suggested a dirty carb was the reason, he cleaned it then noticed the pin wasn't properly attached to the throttle cable!! This recent problem leaves me thinking that maybe he didn't put it back together properly!? Surely he would have noticed the pin had problems??

I have been using a garage I found around Lad prao area near where I live (suthisan) and work (Lad Prao rd), I should try to find another garage that's just as cheap but would find any other problems and tell me. Any suggestions of a good garage for me, a naive farang to go to for help??

I hope its not a fuel thief!!! I live in a condo block and wouldn't expect that, so hopefully that's not the case

Cheers for the help!!!!

[saorsa]

Again though, you should see a stain on the ground if your fuel leaked out. I had same problem with an old GS1000 chop I had where I had to turn the fuel tap off when I parked or it would leak petrol and anytime I forgot, it was obvious where the petrol had evaporated from the ground around the bike. I think thief is most likely answer.

[macknife]

Yep, you've got a sticky float.

A full strip down and clean shouldn't cost more than 200Baht

Just make sure you turn the tap to it's 'off' position until the cab is cleaned.

Might be worth taking the picture below of which i have just highlighted the float and float valve for you.

It's the float valve that's sticking, bent / incorrectly adjusted that’s causing your problem

Sometimes the float needle gets a groove worn around the cone and this can also cause the fuel to keep filling and overflowing the float bowl. For any of these problems, you should see a mess and smell the petrol. If you have no mess/petrol smell, maybe someone just siphoned your petrol out the tank!

I was thinking the same thing, maybe you have a thief around. I had a stuck float also just last month. Leaked gas like crazy while the key was on, but as soon as I shut the key off, the fuel pump stops pumping, and the leak stopped. So even with a leak carb, it shouldn't leak much just sitting without the key on.

Wow thanks for the great responses!! Although I don't like what most people are saying

The fuel tank was welded just last week, When I bought the bike the guy must have quickly stuck some cheap 'tube fix' on the corroded spot because it was leaking badly from under what looked like a metal piece of chewing gum!! I'm really not sure where to get another tank from, and how much it would be??

Last week the bike started bouncing around when the revs were low in first gear. The guy at the garage did take the carb apart and suggested a dirty carb was the reason, he cleaned it then noticed the pin wasn't properly attached to the throttle cable!! This recent problem leaves me thinking that maybe he didn't put it back together properly!? Surely he would have noticed the pin had problems??

I have been using a garage I found around Lad prao area near where I live (suthisan) and work (Lad Prao rd), I should try to find another garage that's just as cheap but would find any other problems and tell me. Any suggestions of a good garage for me, a naive farang to go to for help??

I hope its not a fuel thief!!! I live in a condo block and wouldn't expect that, so hopefully that's not the case

Cheers for the help!!!!

Take it to Honda. It really is almost just as cheap as a back street garage. They are not always fantastic mechanics but you can take it back without worry and they would know about parts you may need.