Gas odour 81 FXB
 

Can't find any signs of fuel leak or wetness (yet), petcock off, tanks less than 1/4 full but I'm getting a strong smell of fuel. Any suggestions?

Gas caps vents open
 

caps designed to hold back some pressure if older and rubber cracked or shrunk back you will get gas vapor smell. Also check gaskets and orings Luck. Wild Bill

That is an excellent idea. They are likely original. I'll have a look at the caps and seals. Thank you.

You might also consider inspecting the cross over line at the top of the tanks

Thanks, I'll check on that. Gas cap seals appear ok. I did find a drip of gas on the bottom of the carb (S&S). Dried off and no apparent leak after sitting several hours. Perhaps only appears when riding. Unfortunately we are looking at a week of rain coming up so it will be a while before I can get out for another run.

Check the fuel bowl vent to see if the fuel is coming from there, if so you may need to adjust the float level or replace the float needle.

I have to figure out how to check that but yes, thanks for the suggestion. Everything else seems ok and dry.

Yup, all the indications are for something causing an overflow in the bowl, either grit in the valve or float problem. I'll try the empty and flush trick on the carb but likely it will have to come off for a a proper cleaning or rebuild kit. Going to put some sort of in-line fuel filtering on too (can't imagine why there isn't one there already). Other than the keak it runs like a kitten!

Don`t use an inline fuel filter, the reason the factory never used one is because there is already a filter in the petcock, and the inline fuel filter can cause fuel flow problems.

Pop the dipstick and smell the oil tank, smell gas you have a float problem in the carb.