| Author | Message | ||
     Hayabusa |
I now have a reference number with Buell and they are supposed to be calling me back...I will not get off the phone with them till they have a fix for the fuel boiling problem. I am on a quest for the truth..put Erik on the phone, I want answers!! | ||
| Bueller_bjorn |
I might have to call and log a complaint as well maybe help them notice that this is a problem. even tho i did help the problem with some heat tape and header wrap but it still has boiled since | ||
| Chevycummins |
I felt the same way with my bike. I called Buell probably over 8 times. Good luck! You probably saw on here what I did to fix my gas boiling problem. I wanted to ride the bike but did not feel safe the way it was and was tired of waiting for a fix. | ||
| Dtx |
I called today as well, to let them know about the boiling fuel. I also got a reference number. I'm supposed to take it to my dealership to show them the boiling gas and subsequent fumes. | ||
| Dre99gsx |
How difficult was it to wrap the pipe? Did you have to remove the pipe, and if so, any tips on removing the rear pipe? | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Hmmmm. I have not had the boiling fuel problem (as far as I can tell,) yet I have had coolant temps over 210 and the frame has been so hot it is painful to touch it with my leg. No fumes that seem out line either. Am I just not noticing it? How obvious is it when it happens? | ||
| Dtx |
I am hoping its just due to the oxygenated "winter" gas that is probably still being used in this part of the country. Maybe in the near future I won't have this issue anymore when they switch back to regular gasoline... | ||
| Chevycummins |
When my bike was boiling gas the fumes were very noticeable. It was in my garage one time and the whole garage and my kitchen in the house smelled. At least one time it was hissing out the vent pipe down by the muffler so loud that it sounded like there was a screw in the tire, and that time it had a full tank of fuel, and had been ridden 20 miles and then shut off. I believe that the California bikes may have a canister that may suck up some of the gas vapor. My bike is not a Cali bike. Removing the rear exhaust pipe was a bear. To get the pipe back in with the wrap on it I had to lower the engine down out of the frame. The tank still gets warm after a long ride but I have no more boiling gas and only slight gas odor sometimes. Also it has not set the low fuel pressure code anymore. | ||
| Fresnobuell |
Yes, we have a charcoal canister, but if the fumes were coming out that strong I doubt it would be able to prevent strong fumes. | ||
| Chevycummins |
Fresnobuell,I totally agree that with the amount of fumes that would come out of my bike the canister would not work. I would have to pull a trailer around with a charcoal canister the size of a 55gal drum to suck up all the fumes my bike was able to make! | ||
| Ski25r |
I am sure the problem is mechanical (kinked, plugged tube or too much pressure). I am curious, how much 5% or 10% ethanol blends lower the fuels boiling point? I looked it up but I barely passed chem. 100 and 101. I mean barely! | ||
| Chevycummins |
I checked the vent system and fuel system myself and found nothing plugged. All it has is a fuel line from the pump to the injectors. It has a vent hose from the top of the tank that goes down to above the muffler. Thats it. Very simple system. It is a pressure problem caused by the boiling gas. | ||
| Ski25r |
I saw fine wrap job you did on your pipe in the April 18 post. I did not realize this has been such a sore subject for so many. I noticed the numerous causes for the fuel smell and only a couple of causes for the boiling fuel. Wouldn’t increasing sealing pressure of the filler cap similar to a radiator cap increase tank pressure and raise the boiling point? | ||
| Ccryder |
jamie: This is supposed to be an open system. If there is a vacuum that could increase the possibility of boiling. You really don't want a pressurized fuel tank between your legs or for that matter anywhere close to you. This all being said, if there is a partial reduced pressure in the "tank" then the fuel would boil easier, we might be on to something??? But, I may have read a report of the "boiling" sound happening even with the fuel cap removed. Ok I'm at a loss, it is time for the pros, this is bordering on Rocket Science (BTW did I mention I used to do that in a past life???)! Time2Do more research and, gather more DATA Time2Ride. Neil S. | ||
| Unibear12r |
It appears possible from my experience that on a Cali bike the boiling sounds are so reduced that it is hard to tell that it is boiling until you open the gas cap. And the cannister system still does a good job of keeping the fumes in the bike even when high pressures develop. But be careful whenever you open the gas tank as some pretty high tank pressure can develop and you might not have a clue until you try to pop the cap. If you Cali 1125 owners want to experience the fumigation that the 49r's get just pull the vent tube loose from the cannister, ride the bike till it's hot and park it in the garage. My dealer left the tube unconnected once. 100 miles of superslab from there to the house and into the garage. Wow, made me me oh so glad for the cannister and sorry for the other guys. And you can really hear the boiling much louder then too. | ||
| Alans |
To echo Unibear12r's admonition--on Cali bikes certainly, be very careful when you open the fuel cap when your 1125R is hot. When mine sprayed fuel, there was a slight elevation in 'fuel smell' near the bike in the outdoors, and the frame was almost too hot too touch. I had been riding in stop-and-go traffic, on an 80*F day, and had pulled into the dealer and had been shutdown for less than 5 minutes when my incident occurred. | ||
| Hayabusa |
From Buell: Boiling fuel is not a problem. They are well aware that the fuel boils and they do not think it is an issue. The only concern is if the bike is dripping fuel on the muffler, if this happens go to your dealer and have them contact Buell's Tech line. Not the answer I was looking for. Looks like I will be boiling some fuel tomorrow...glad gas prices are so high! | ||
| Chevycummins |
Hayabusa, Thats the same line of crap they gave me. If boiling fuel is not a problem then why do many automakers insulate fuel lines under the hood? Why do they put heat shields between exhaust pipes and gas tanks? Why does my new 2008 econoline vans at work have the whole gas tank insulated near the muffler? Maby Buell is onto something and hot boiling gas is better and everyone else is wrong. I knew they were going to tell you the same thing they told me. Sorry been there done that. Its stupid and sooner or later someone will get hurt and that might be what it takes to get them to recall the bikes. I have a feeling that the high fuel rail pressure that it runs and the pump prime after the bike is off is because they ran into vaporlock because of the fuel boiling and that was a easy way to try to make it work. Again sorry about your outcome but that is why I fixed my bike myself. | ||
| Alans |
Does anyone have Buell's statements on this matter in writing? | ||
| Helicon |
Well, dropped the 1125R off at the dealership today for the first service. Along with that I asked them to look at a few things, most important the boiling gas/fuel smell issue. I explained to the service rep that i could not even put the 1125R in the garage (after a ride) with out stinking up the whole house with gas fumes. We went out to get the miles off of the bike and even as we were standing outside w/ breezy conditions you could not help but get a nose full of gas fumes ... It will be interesting to see what they say. Seems as though no one has had any luck getting this issue resolved... The boiling fuel/fuel smell is my biggest gripe with the 1125R, other than that, both the wife and I love it! | ||
| Zac4mac |
Jason/Helicon - what brand of gas are you using? We're in the same area and should have the same gas. Mine doesn't boil or stink up my garage. Z | ||
| Helicon |
Zac, I've used Conoco, King Soopers, Costco, Shell ... Always premium and always with the same result. Short rides are not usually an issue, but If we do a long ride or get stuck in any kind of traffic and the engine heats up, than the bike has to sit out side for a couple hours. This morning we filled up at King Soopers before riding the bike 62 miles up to Littleton ... we stayed off of I25 and didn't deal with much traffic and still ended up with strong fumes once we arrived at the dealership. | ||
| Zac4mac |
When I'm home, I get gas at a Conoco that has dedicated hoses for different grades. Just went on a 420 mile ride Sunday. One tank Conoco, one tank Shell. Ride home was over 100 miles with 2 very short stops. No boiling, no strong smells in garage. I don't have a clue why...but I'd avoid Costco and King Soopers with my 1125R. Z (Message edited by zac4mac on April 24, 2008) | ||
| Cataract2 |
You know, I wonder if the piece that goes into the tank for the vent hose is not opening properly on some of these bikes letting the tank vent before it gets to a boiling point. | ||
| Helicon |
"I don't have a clue why...but I'd avoid Costco and King Soopers with my 1125R." I use to think the exact same thing but have found that I get the exact same gas mileage using their gas ... so its not as if it is "watered down" as rumored. The fuel has to meet certain specs in order to be sold ... and as I said before, even when I have used Conoco or Shell I still get the same result. Another thing about Conoco and Shell is that it seems as though alot of their stations in the area are not doing the normal 10 cent difference between grades, instead they rape us even more and will make mid grade 13 cents higher and premium 26 cents higher. Just kind of pisses me off when all of the oil companies are already making all time high PROFITS. | ||
| Zac4mac |
That's another soapbox Jason. I'll put Safeway gas in my Jeep, even my Shovelhead but not in Loretta or the Camaro. Z | ||
| Dentguy |
These fuels are coming from the same holding tanks. The differences come with the additives that are put in at distribution centers for different brands to help keep things clean. They all have to meet minimum EPA detergent specs. Some just go above that. Maybe these will help. http://www.toptiergas.com/ http://www.projo.com/projocars/content/ca-cartalk0 5_09-05-07_P6708T2.141a519.html (Message edited by dentguy on April 25, 2008) | ||
| Hayabusa |
I asked the Buell rep the following question three times "Is the bike safe with the fuel boiling" each time he responded yes. I am afraid that it will take a sad result to get this problem corrected...hopefully it isn't any of us. Best of luck and avoid traffic!! | ||
| Fresnobuell |
I guess this falls in the "mystery" category with other gremlins....WHY do some bikes do this and other don't. One would think even if it is "safe", Buell would be curious about the cause? | ||
| Ccryder |
Harlan: Have you ever seen a flight of Geese, you know that classic "V" formation? Ever wondered why the legs of the "V" are never the same length?  I'll just bet that at least 1 or 2 Buell Engineers have wondered the same thing. After that brief time of wondering, they went on to important issues. |
