hello, n thanks for the help in advance. Seems when ever I go for a ride and return home I pull the bike back into the garage 2011 flhtp 103" and within a very short time after I smell just out raw gas smell. (like I had open can of gas) Bike has no leaks doesn't matter about tank level 1/2 1/4 etc. Sometimes smell is so bad makes me open door to vent garage, any one else have this n how to fix. Thanks again.
Is it a California model with the extra fuel recovery canister? I think that is what it is.
no, not a California bike it's a Fl bike. thanks
I know my tank is vented and looking at a parts diagram it looks like yours is too. It certainly happens to me. When you finish your ride and park your bike in the garage all that engine heat rises right under the tank and causes vapors inside the tank to expand and I would guess to escape. Mine vents out through a tube and a valve, the California models have a charcoal canister to adsorb and trap the vapors. I guess just leave your garage door open for a few minutes.
I am on my third Harley and none of them ever did like the OP describes.
I would venture to say it is not normal.
Prime, are you filling the tank before you run home? Or doesn't t hat make a difference?
By chance have you pulled the air cleaner and rolled the butterfly open and looked inside the t/body to see if you have an injector leaking?
I had one go bad on me and it would stick open after the bike was shut off dripping gas out of it puddling up inside the t/body.
When i park my 11RGU in the garage after a long day, the garage will often have a smell but it doesn't seem like gas - not sure what it is but not gas.
It may not be normal but google "fuel smell after riding bike" and you will see you are far from alone. I used to work in the air pollution business and this was a big concern for all vehicles with a carburetor because of the float bowl. Engine temperature (especially in a liquid cooled car) will actually rise briefly after shutdown causing gas to vaporize and vent from the carburetor bowl and that is why almost all cars had charcoal canisters...to adsorb those vapors. I have a carbureted bike, so I am not surprised. Realize your fuel injected bike maintains pressure to the injectors even after shutdown so that post about a leaky one may be your problem. Finally our bikes have two overflow systems, a console overflow and a tank overflow. The console overflow will or should catch gas if you grossly overflow the tank while filling and drain the excess to the ground. The tank overflow is usually located in the filler neck (is on mine) and will drain gas to the ground if the tank is too full. And realize, gas is usually stored in underground tanks and comes out at 50 degrees or so. It will expand slightly so if you fill your tank very full and ride a short distance raw gas can be expelled. This does not tell you what your problem is but should at least shed some light.
I occasionally get a smell of oil and fuel when I immediately roll the bike into the garage after a ride. Fine by me, it's not an overwhelming small of a fuel leak, just a little "cool down" odor. If I let it sit outside for five or ten minutes, no odor.
I guess it's just the nature of the beast, makes sense that the fuel system will continue to have pressure for a while, I will try looking n smell after removing air cleaner for puddles. No I don't refuel after riding.
thanks for the in put guys
..I always fill my bikes up before I come home--no problems w/smell or wifie would bitch--bout a mile and a half to the house---yeah I keep my bikes in her garage that she claims is her's
Quote from: nibroc on February 05, 2019, 11:23:18 AM
..I always fill my bikes up before I come home
Same here. Also cuts down on the condensation that can form in the tank.
Quote from: nibroc on February 05, 2019, 11:23:18 AM
..I always fill my bikes up before I come home--no problems w/smell or wifie would bitch--bout a mile and a half to the house---yeah I keep my bikes in her garage that she claims is her's
Me Too Almost always fill up within 12 miles of the house. No heat where I keep her and I believe it helps with eliminating condensation in the tank.. Never had any noticeable smell. Actually never had any noticeable gas odor from any bike I have ever had parked inside as long as the gas is turned off.
Got stuck in some heavy traffic this afternoon for about 45 min between Conway and Myrtle Beach. When I got in the garage the exhaust on the right side felt like a hair dryer blowing on my thigh. Smelled gas big time after that. Like I said earlier I have a carburetor.
I'm not sure about Harley gas caps but on 2 Kawasakis I've owned the gas cap had a vent that was spring loaded so it only vented under pressure. They were known to whistle at times after riding. If Harley has a similar system maybe the spring is weak.
My 2007 ultra reeks of gas when parked in the garage only when it is roaring hot. No leaks no injector weeping. The only place I believe it could be coming from is the tank vent/valve. I believe heat from the engine is increasing pressure in the tank and is getting past the vent check valve.
MIKE
Thinking Hosmania described the odor my bike leaves after some rides. Rode last weekend and the tank light was on indicating low fuel level. No smell. Seems hot weather makes it more noticeable so it could very well be tank venting mixing with oil residue. Has been doing it since i bought it new in 2011. Just something I've learned to live with and not worry about. Wife does but I really don't - just gives her something else to focus on which distracts her from other things to get upset about.... :idunno:
We have a 2011 SuperGlide and a 2013 StreetGlide in the garage. A year or so ago, I started to notice a similar gas smell to the OP when we would get home. Never could figure out which bike it was even though I tried checking several of the things mentioned here. It wasn't bad and never did it all the time. I just left the garage door open for a little while when I noticed it. Amazingly, it fixed itself and does not do it any more. I forgot all about it until I saw this post.
Try opening the gas cap and reinstall. :up: