Please help ?!?
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: New jersey
Please help ?!?
Ok ... so this is what happened today
working around the house and I have had the bike hooked up to the battery tender but haven't started it up in the last month due to the weather and snow fall ...
started the bike up and 15 minutes later I walked back over to the shed and it was smoking a little, everything was really hot and the gas tank vent was hissing so when I removed the gap and the vapors or fumes pushed out so fast it sounded like a pressure relief valve failing on a gas line ... it was 38 degrees outside and the fuel level was on the lower end ...
any my ideas of what caused it ? It's not like I haven't idled the bike before to let it run I know it's air cooled but it's freezing outside and it's no doffeeent than idling in traffic for a few minutes ...
any thoughts as to why there was so much pressure in the gas tank ??
working around the house and I have had the bike hooked up to the battery tender but haven't started it up in the last month due to the weather and snow fall ...
started the bike up and 15 minutes later I walked back over to the shed and it was smoking a little, everything was really hot and the gas tank vent was hissing so when I removed the gap and the vapors or fumes pushed out so fast it sounded like a pressure relief valve failing on a gas line ... it was 38 degrees outside and the fuel level was on the lower end ...
any my ideas of what caused it ? It's not like I haven't idled the bike before to let it run I know it's air cooled but it's freezing outside and it's no doffeeent than idling in traffic for a few minutes ...
any thoughts as to why there was so much pressure in the gas tank ??
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: New jersey
ok that's pretty much what I thought but I've never experienced that before ... just the combination of all those factors ?
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 1,429
Likes: 607
From: IE, CA
Yep. Idling in a shed. Metal tank above a standing still air-cooled motor with low amounts of fuel, that'll dissipate heat poorly. I wouldn't make a habit of that. An idling bike in a shed with gas vapors blowing all over it isn't a good idea.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 10,907
Likes: 8,756
From: Galt's Gulch - MI
Why for the love of all things holy and dear would you even do this? 15 minutes? There is absolutely no reason to be starting your ride like this if you're not able to actually ride it during the winter; it's one of the worst things you can do to it.
Those heads get hot; I mean, hot without air flow. The heads heated the fuel and air in the tank, it's as simple as that; the fuel got hot and the fuel vapor and air began venting. Think pressure cooker; that hot vapor had to go somewhere.
Don't ever start you bike and simply let it idle during winter storage, I don't care what the temperature is; there is simply no reason to do this. And store your bike fully filled with fuel; you created a nice air gap in the tank with the tank not full then you let it get good and hot; that's why you had the issue you did.
And yet your exhaust and oil will still have condensation in it... oy vey...
Those heads get hot; I mean, hot without air flow. The heads heated the fuel and air in the tank, it's as simple as that; the fuel got hot and the fuel vapor and air began venting. Think pressure cooker; that hot vapor had to go somewhere.
Don't ever start you bike and simply let it idle during winter storage, I don't care what the temperature is; there is simply no reason to do this. And store your bike fully filled with fuel; you created a nice air gap in the tank with the tank not full then you let it get good and hot; that's why you had the issue you did.
And yet your exhaust and oil will still have condensation in it... oy vey...
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: New jersey
also as far as the vent, I could hear it hissing out of the vent which is why I opened the gas tank ... stupid decision thank you everyone
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Intermediate
Joined: Sep 2015
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: New jersey
Why for the love of all things holy and dear would you even do this? 15 minutes? There is absolutely no reason to be starting your ride like this if you're not able to actually ride it during the winter; it's one of the worst things you can do to it.
Those heads get hot; I mean, hot without air flow. The heads heated the fuel and air in the tank, it's as simple as that; the fuel got hot and the fuel vapor and air began venting. Think pressure cooker; that hot vapor had to go somewhere.
Don't ever start you bike and simply let it idle during winter storage, I don't care what the temperature is; there is simply no reason to do this. And store your bike fully filled with fuel; you created a nice air gap in the tank with the tank not full then you let it get good and hot; that's why you had the issue you did.
And yet your exhaust and oil will still have condensation in it... oy vey...
Those heads get hot; I mean, hot without air flow. The heads heated the fuel and air in the tank, it's as simple as that; the fuel got hot and the fuel vapor and air began venting. Think pressure cooker; that hot vapor had to go somewhere.
Don't ever start you bike and simply let it idle during winter storage, I don't care what the temperature is; there is simply no reason to do this. And store your bike fully filled with fuel; you created a nice air gap in the tank with the tank not full then you let it get good and hot; that's why you had the issue you did.
And yet your exhaust and oil will still have condensation in it... oy vey...
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider
Verdad Gallardo
The Best and Worst Harley-Davidson Moves of 2025
Verdad Gallardo
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 10,734
Likes: 3,755
From: SWFL
Just to say, (along with everyone else) - it takes at least 20-30 min of riding, (not idling) to get oil hot enough for the water to boil out. Idling for 10 min only adds to that water. I'm not sure you can even get the oil hot enough by idling, but that's a different question.
In the winters, I don't start my bikes until I can ride for at least a half hour. But with all the miserable salt and spray they put down around here, I don't ride until after a good rain anyway.
In the winters, I don't start my bikes until I can ride for at least a half hour. But with all the miserable salt and spray they put down around here, I don't ride until after a good rain anyway.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
heavymetalthunder
Exhaust System Topics
8
Nov 26, 2011 06:53 PM