My bike stinks! It wouldn't bother me but my mother is threatening to leave it outside and as I'm mostly at my girlfriends I wont be there to stop her

I appreciated that most bikes will have a slight petrol smell about them but our whole garage smells really bad, I have been over the bike again and again and can't work out what it is. I'm sure it isn't leaking fuel I just kind find the source. Could it be the breather? Can they go wrong? I did the notice the paint around the breather was soft.

The tap is off too.

Any help much appreciated!

when you say the paint in the area of the breather was soft.....as if its starting to peel?????



william

I guess so....the paint is hard on the outside so I can't put a finger print in it or anything, but it is slightly bubbled if that makes sense.

Give it a wash!!!!!

Actually, just been out checking it over and think I have found something. There are some breather pipes that exit by the side stand, under the water pump. They have fuel on them, confirming a leak. Any ideas where it could be originating from? I'm still learning all about bikes so my fault finding skills are a bit rubbish....Could it be leaking from the carbs? They seem a bit high-up, what is the lowest point that fuel could possibly leak from?

EDIT - After some thought, I think it may be the carbs....it only smells after I have run the bike, what's strange is it doesn't always happen, also it has only been happening since I serviced the carbs, did I miss something?

you adjusted the floatheights too low so it's overflowing maybe?

Turn the fuel off and run the engine until it stops to dry out the carbies before you put it inside next time, will at least tell you if that is where the fuel smell is coming from.


regards
jon

That is what I have done tonight, I ran the bike until it stalled. I did suspect the fuel tap playing up recently but it did eventually cut out so I guess that confirms the tap is ok.

I see on the david silver website that they do a gasket set for one carb for £19....can anyone confirm what comes in one of these sets? I have a feeling its a gasket as I didn't replace them when I cleaned the carbs.

you should get the bike started to get fuel to the carbs then switch off.

then remove the tank and air filter housing..........

start her again then you should be able to see specifically where the leak is coming from and be able to confirm what you believe to be the float bowl gaskets goosed

have you had the bike out on the road since servicing the carbs,how was she running?


william

wullvfr wrote:you should get the bike started to get fuel to the carbs then switch off.

then remove the tank and air filter housing..........

start her again then you should be able to see specifically where the leak is coming from and be able to confirm what you believe to be the float bowl gaskets goosed

have you had the bike out on the road since servicing the carbs,how was she running?


william

Actually it's been running quite well but I put that down to balancing the carbs it still has a problem keeping a steady idle but I have been leaning towards the o-rings on the pilot screws being knackered. I'm starting to think that in fact this leak and the poor idle might be linked.