Pass the fire extinguisher!!!!

[biaggi]

I thought I'd share my scarey experience from yesterday!!

To set the scene I use my Vision for my commute to work which is a 140 round trip all on motorways and half the trip is through the infamous M25 - the most conjested motorway in Europe.

The day started as normal with a trip to the petrol station to fill up, I filled it to the top as always but noticed the display was cheaper than normal. I looked back to the tank and notice the level had dropped slightly. I didn't think anything of it and left it at that level.

Anyway, off to work and arrived no problems. However, returning home was fun!!

Some goon had overturned his truck - cab and trailer which had reduced the motorway from 4 to 2 lanes and with Friday night traffic it was very very busy. So I filtered for miles and miles and miles burning more fuel than normal cruising.

I finally pass the truck (he'd made a right mess of it!) and wound her up to cruise home. I was just 20 miles from home and the thing just died in the outside lane at 80mph - no warning, nothing. Quickly put the tap on reserve and pulled to the inside lane - it took an age to draw the fuel through again but finally picked up again. I pulled into the next service station and filled up - now the fun really begun....

The tank was just about full so I let go of the lever but the pump kept going - not just a few shots like normal - actually kept going (although the dial had stopped) and about another litre came out! I didn't know what to do but by the time I had decided to pull the nozzle out it stopped. Of course the tank was now overfull and petrol was everywhere, but not only that - the fuel was bubbling out of the tank (looked like the fuel was boiling), at this point I stood back and stared in disbelief waiting for the thing to explode!!! I was expecting to have to do a Hollywood style run and then be blown off my feet. Finally the tank calmed down (I'm guessing the tank had an air lock hence the short fuel in the morning, the sudden loss of fuel and the bubbling) and I tentatively approached the bike again....

Amazingly none of the fuel had dripped onto the engine (which was real hot). As it was on the side stand and due to the position of the fuel cap, the fuel on the left had run straight off the edge of the tank onto the floor and on the right it had dripped onto the frame and then to the floor.

I was gobsmacked, I really thought it was going to go up in flames. I wiped it down, then rode home, nervous as hell, waiting for it to become warm and needing to press the ejector button!!!

It was scarey at the time but it's times like that that make for great stories - all part of the enjoyment of riding a bike.

 :)

[Rick G]

All XZ550's will do this if  filled past the bottom of the tube in the filler neck . if you fill it even close with a hot engine, the heat will cause the gas to expand  and as it seals the neck it comes out like a fountain. When your filling, watch it like a hawk. I don't know if your pump nozzels have a lock on feature  like ours , but if so , hold the locking pawl off , or some times you can't get it to shut down  on command. and you will gte a bath . Mine did it a few times  when I first bought it and didn't catch fire , just keep smokers away!!

[Bruce]

I experienced this for the first time yesterday as while.. Had me a little nervous too. I pushed mine away from the pump a few feet before I started it.. While standing next to, I might add.. No smoke, no fire..  ;D

All part of the adventure..

Bruce.

[Walt_M.]

Very scary! Did you check the gas cap to see if the vent is blocked?

[RussD]

Mine did that to me once before too.......I think it was last summer. I didn't know what the hell was going on!!   ???

[dtknox]

I have had the same problem with the gas coming back out, when the bike was hot and I filled it to the top.  Two things that seem to help:  The first one is getting in the habit of using the side stand, instead of the center stand, when filling up.  The other is to filling the tank half and waiting for 30 sec. before filling it the rest of the way.

Ride Safe


Dale  

[bikehandle]

There is a tiny vent hole in the filler ring of the tank. If this gets pluged by rust or a poor creme job it will cause this too. the hole is not much larger than a needle and its just under the lip where your cap goes on. hard to see!

[Lucky]

I have never seen that, but i wasn't looking for it either.  The cap however has a whole venting system built into it.  If you remove the 2 screws holding the cover on the spring, underneath, & keep taking it apart, you will come to a gaskett & vent hole.  perhaps you don't have the stock cap, & yours is unvented.  or else it needs attention.
--Lucky

[Rick G]

This isn't a cap venting problem , although the hole that Bike handle mentioned would certainly be the culprit. I fill it on the side stand  and  if it looks like its going to go over ,after I ahve filled it , I stand it up straight and it will burp and usually save the day. I'm going to have to look for that bleed hole!

[bikehandle]

It might take a small mirror and a little time to find it. I guarantee its there! as a mater of fact, if you can enlarge it some, without getting the crud in the gas you will have no more burps! wont do much good for boiling gas tho-

[Rick G]

There"s a solution to that too, Get a piece of that silver bubble wrap insulation  (they make  car windshield sunshades froma similar product, too) and cut a suitable piece  to put under tha gas tank , It will take care of the heat induced boil over.

[biaggi]

It's been over a week now and no repeat of the bubbling so fingers crossed!!!

I couldn't find the vent hole but cleaned and WD40'd the petrol cap (it's an original one - key matches) anyway.

It's turned real cold now so a bit of heat on the way might be a nice thing!!!  ;)

[bikehandle]

If the vent hole is not open, when the fuel comes up to the bottom of the fill hole its a matter of time till it burps all over agian. Hot weather exaserbates the problem.

[Rick G]

Now ,theres a 10.00 dollar word !

[bikehandle]

Knew I would catch hell for that! ;D