Leaking gas/oil from inside of handlebar cover

T

TrueBlue

VIP Lifetime Member
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
273
I have a 2000 SXR 700. The problem is after riding the sled for the day gas/oil is found on the console by the ignition & then runs down each side of the machine to the louver vents. Checked oil container & it was only 3/4 full, so it was not overfilled. Wiped down machine & went riding again & the next morning found the same thing again. Open hood & looked things over & could not find any broken lines. Wiped machine down again & went riding but this time the oil light would keep blinking on & off. Pulled over & checked oil container but it was not low. Came home & put sled away for the day. The next morning there again was gas/oil on the console. I then removed handlebar cover & foam pad. The foam pad was full of gas/oil. It looks like the clear vinyl hose under the handlebars was overflowing
& then running down to both sides of the machine & onto the floor. The problem only seems to happen when the machine is put away for the day.
If we stopped for the day for lunch there would not be any gas/oil present.
I also found out everytime I run the machine for at least 1/2hr. & then remove the gas cap there would be a lot of pressure in the tank. I would also have to keep pressure on the gas cap so it would'nt fly off. Can't figure out why there would be gas/oil leaking out of that vinyl hose under the handlebar.(I think that hose is a vent line) Why would there be so much pressure in the gas tank each time. Also why would the oil light keep blinking on & off if the oil container was 3/4 full

Looking for answers & advice on this situation.
 
That hose under the pad is the oil tank breather hose. It could be spitting oil if the oil tank is getting pressurized from the crankcase. Any gas is likely coming from another source. The fuel tank is vented to the steering gate (or should be). This vent hose should go across the steering gate, but not up under the pad. It may have a leak in it, or someone may have routed it under the pad instead.

The pressurizing of the fuel tank suggests a problem with the fuel pump and/or the crankcase (excessive pressure in the bottom end). The oil tank may be also getting pressurized.

I advise finding the root cause before riding anymore.
 
sounds like vent line is pluged or kinked check that from tank to end make sure its clear the blinking light maybe a fault code count no of blinks and post the guys on hear will tell you what it means, did it start out of no were or did it start after adding,working,cleaning on sled i think low oil warning is solid light i can be wrong i have never seen mine work always full never less than half
 
Last edited:
I always thought that when the oil light starts blinking on & off you are getting low on injection oil.
 
gas vent must be plugged the negitive pressure when it is shut off could be putting pressure threw fuel pump just a guess i know i can take my gas cap off and no pressure
 
yea for the tank to build pressure your vent line has to be kinked or plugged other wise the tanks cannot build pressure because that is why the vent is there
 
The vent allows air into the tank to compensate for fuel used, and air out when the fuel in the tank warms up. It should never hold any pressure or vacuum in the tank itself. I suspect more than a kinked or plugged line. It would have to warm up a lot to get the kind of pressure you are talking about. There must be back pressure coming from the fuel line that goes to the fuel pump as well as a plugged vent line.

The oil level sensor may need to be replaced. You can unplug it and pull it right out to bench test with an ohmmeter. They usually work intermittently when they start to go bad.
 
Upside down

You didn't recently roll the sled or tip it over or worse yet have it tipped upside down for a while did you?

Madmatt
 
Ding said:
The vent allows air into the tank to compensate for fuel used, and air out when the fuel in the tank warms up. It should never hold any pressure or vacuum in the tank itself. I suspect more than a kinked or plugged line. It would have to warm up a lot to get the kind of pressure you are talking about. There must be back pressure coming from the fuel line that goes to the fuel pump as well as a plugged vent line.

The oil level sensor may need to be replaced. You can unplug it and pull it right out to bench test with an ohmmeter. They usually work intermittently when they start to go bad.
Click to expand...

Is there a return line on the fuel pump to the tank? maybe the tank vent is pinched off and the pump trying to return gas to the tank is actually building up pressure. There really is no other way the tank could be pressurized. The pump can't pull from the tank and apply back pressure through the same line all at once.
 
It doesn't take more than a 5 degree increase in temps to generate vapor pressure. My guess is that the vent is plugged to the point of allowing vapor pressure to build and once the pressure reaches a point that the blockage from the kink opens up, out goes some fuel. But the kink would have to working like a check valve allowing air to replace fuel used given the fact that you're still seeing plenty of fuel delivered to the carbs.

You should at no point be building pressure (or vacuum) if the vent is working properly.

As for the oil... This would suggest that the fuel you're seeing under the pad is premix (out of the carbs/pump). I don't see how the two would be connected (tank pressure and premix leaking), but perhaps the pump is allowing the natural pressure build up in the fuel lines from the carbs (during a hot/long soak) to feed back to the tank.

Crazy!! Good luck.
 
I am going to pull the air box off along with the gas tank,seat & oil container.
I will look for kinked lines through out. I will also check all vent lines. The machine was never tipped over or rolled upside down so I know this was not the cause. The machine ran all winter long, about 1,000 miles before this started to happen.

I will keep everyone informed
Thank you.
 
I started pulling things apart & found a lot of oil in the air box. I also found out if I leave the gas cap loose there will be no pressure in the tank then. What I can't figure out is oil/gas is leaking out of oil vent line under pad on handle bar
but oil level in container never goes down. Took a better look at oil in the container and it turned out that oil container had more gas in it than oil, that's why level never drops. Some how gas is entering oil container.

Did anyone ever have a problem like this before & what do you think the
problem might be.

Any advice would be helpful. :dunno:
 
fuel pump has to be bad or assembled wrong, or lines wrong thats the only way fuel would get in oil tank,the light is coming on because of the gas in the oil thins it and float sets off light,but the pressure has to be a plugged vent
 
Last edited:
I had a simular issue this year with my viper turned out to be a nipple on the top side of gas tank had come appart. Put it back on and no more fuel leaking into the handle bar padding.
 
Well I found a pinched vent line & that should take care of the pressure in
the gas tank. I am not so sure why the oil container is getting full of gas though. Could the fuel pump be bad, is there a check valve inside of the fuel pump, is the fuel pump re-buildable, could there be a hole in the diaphragm.
I know there is 2 check valves on the oil pump, could 1 of those be bad.
How do you check fuel pump for proper operation.(the machine will run fine so there is gas going to the carbs) Also how do you check those 2 check valves
to see if they are working OK. What do I have to remove to get to those 2 check valves on the oil pump.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


Back
Top