Having just gotten my R1150R, I have my first question......
During my first fuel up, I was surprised at the amount of effort it took to lift up the fuel filler cap due to the vacuum. Is this normal with this bike?
Regards,
Tank Vacuum
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HarshPlanet5
- Basic User
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:29 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
Tank Vacuum
2004 BMW R1150R - Silver
2005 Kawasaki KLR650 - Red/Black
Various bicycles
2005 Kawasaki KLR650 - Red/Black
Various bicycles
Chances are your fuel tank vent line is pinched. I've experienced the same problem following a fuel tank reassembly onto the frame. Looking at the right side of the tank where the bolt attaches the tank to the frame, it is possible that the vent hose was compressed between the tank and the frame. Remove the bolt and lift the tank just to the point to where you can be assured that the hose isn't pinched.
I had the same issue with my 04 (I just thought that the cap was supposed to be that way). The tank eventually bent in and the tank bolts smashed against the telelever (sp?) arm and bent. The problem was a faulty valve- the lines were fine. The dealer replaced the tank, bolts and telelever arm as a warranty issue. First, however, they did try to blame me and my husband as we had taken the tank off several times to run some wiring, but when the valve was tested, it showed no air flow. We had been very careful to make sure that the lines were clear when we put the tank back on. They then tried to blame my short shocks for the telelever problem, but eventually I convinced them that there should have been plenty of clearance if the tank was not bent. The dealer finally solved the problem. I have not had a problem since the "fix".
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HarshPlanet5
- Basic User
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:29 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
This tank sucks....
A couple of years back my problem with tank vaccum had to do with a rusted inlet knob on the charcoal canister. Another member: CYCLEROB (awesome guy) pointed out an easy fix involving simply drilling through the rust with a small diameter bit.
Worked GREAT. No problems since.
Love the bike. Hate this MN weather!!!!
Good luck!
Worked GREAT. No problems since.
Love the bike. Hate this MN weather!!!!
Good luck!
"Never ascribe to malice that which is adequately explained by incompetence" - Napoleon Bonaparte
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HarshPlanet5
- Basic User
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 12, 2005 11:29 pm
- Location: Portland, Oregon
jamais wrote:Chances are your fuel tank vent line is pinched. I've experienced the same problem following a fuel tank reassembly onto the frame. Looking at the right side of the tank where the bolt attaches the tank to the frame, it is possible that the vent hose was compressed between the tank and the frame. Remove the bolt and lift the tank just to the point to where you can be assured that the hose isn't pinched.
Sure enough, that looks like what was done. I took a quick look and can see that one vent hose has been crimped. I'll try to correct it tonight.
Nicely done, thanks!
2004 BMW R1150R - Silver
2005 Kawasaki KLR650 - Red/Black
Various bicycles
2005 Kawasaki KLR650 - Red/Black
Various bicycles
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bearsfolks
- Lifer
- Posts: 17
- Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2005 10:01 pm
- Location: Stockton, CA.
advise
HarshPlanet5 - welcome to the forum. And you will find ample competent mechanical help from the folks on this site. (Although none from me! I ain't qualified. 
)
)Wow!The tank eventually bent in and the tank bolts smashed against the telelever (sp?) arm and bent.
'02 in black - the real BMW color! (Now gone to a new home)
Vann - Lifer No. 295
Vann - Lifer No. 295
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CycleRob
- Honorary Lifer
- Posts: 2857
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 12:29 am
- Location: Enjoying retirement in Gainesville GA. USA
- Contact:
The fuel evaporative emission control system is a simple, very trouble free system on all U.S. cars since the 1970's - - - but - - - - nobody is removing the car's fuel tank and disconnecting hoses during battery/airfilter maintenance.
The most common problem with the 1150R's fuel evap system is mixing up the vent hose connections and, it seems from the reports here, pinching those vent lines too. Charcoal canister problems happen when the 2 vent lines are swap connected when reinstalling the fueltank. The rain and wash water that is supposed to drain to the roadway then goes instead to the charcoal canister - - - intended to receive only fuel vapors from the top of the fueltank. The water eventually saturates and fills the the canister because it doesn't evaporate as quickly as fuel vapors do. Water stays in the low points and rusts the canister port so badly it eventually plugs it solid. In the meantime, the fuel vapor line meant to go to the charcoul tank now goes to the street drain hose. This mixup will not cause any tank vacuum but it can ruin a canister and force water to puddle in the fuelcap cavity.
Here's a copy-and-paste of something I put together long ago:
OK, you unplug the canister hoses at the straight black plastic tubes that connect the fueltank canister lines to the bike. The 4 hose ends aren't marked. The two adjacent fittings look the same. You're fussing with so many screws, worrying about scratching the paint or dropping the heavy/clumsy fueltank. You just unplug the two hoses from those straight pipe connectors. When you put it back together, OOPS! . . . which one goes where? If you were thinking, you'd have left one fitting on a tank's venthose and the other fitting on the bike's venthose. That gives you a male/female gender ID that can't be hooked up wrong.
But what if you aren't sure which hose goes to which one. The right hook-up matters. If you flipped the coin and got the hook-up wrong, the charcoal canister will get water in it from the fuelcap cavity drain when you wash your bike or ride in the rain -or- get liquid gasoline into the canister from a fuel up overspill. For the other hose the fuel tank vapors will exit out the water drain pipe that exits at the right footpeg. It could also suck up water thru that vent hose into the fueltank if you ride from the heat into a cold rainstorm. That would be bad.
To check if your hoses are hooked up right you need to do a simple blow test. If you want an easy check without taking anything apart, put the bike on the centerstand for stability. Next, get a wet paper towel to clean off the dirty drain hose ends hanging downward below the right footpeg. Do the larger diameter hose first, the smaller one is your battery vent hose if you have an older 50R. Standing on the right side of the bike, open the fuel filler cap and put your finger over the little hole at the 9 O'Clock position (front is 12 O'Clock). Then kneel down and blow into the LARGER open ended hose. The smaller diameter hose goes to your battery and will still have Sulfuric acid residues on it's tip so be careful. As you blow into the larger sized hose, you should feel it coming out that hole up top where your finger is.
If you don't feel ant air coming out the 9 O'Clock hole, fully close the fuelcap and blow again. You should get the sensation of inflating an air mattress. 2 or 3 breaths and air into the hose should then blow back out at you confirming that your hoses are mixed up!
If you have it all apart and can put lips on the plastic connector fittings, you should be able to figure out that blowing air out the 9 O'Clock hole means it goes downward to the street drain. The other one, that tries to inflate the closed up fueltank, goes to the canister center port.
Easy, isn't it?
FYI, I am glad my bike has this symbiotic, odor free indoor storage, fuel efficient, polution friendly system and it will stay hidden in it's relocated home under the fueltank's non-ABS cavity.
The most common problem with the 1150R's fuel evap system is mixing up the vent hose connections and, it seems from the reports here, pinching those vent lines too. Charcoal canister problems happen when the 2 vent lines are swap connected when reinstalling the fueltank. The rain and wash water that is supposed to drain to the roadway then goes instead to the charcoal canister - - - intended to receive only fuel vapors from the top of the fueltank. The water eventually saturates and fills the the canister because it doesn't evaporate as quickly as fuel vapors do. Water stays in the low points and rusts the canister port so badly it eventually plugs it solid. In the meantime, the fuel vapor line meant to go to the charcoul tank now goes to the street drain hose. This mixup will not cause any tank vacuum but it can ruin a canister and force water to puddle in the fuelcap cavity.
Here's a copy-and-paste of something I put together long ago:
OK, you unplug the canister hoses at the straight black plastic tubes that connect the fueltank canister lines to the bike. The 4 hose ends aren't marked. The two adjacent fittings look the same. You're fussing with so many screws, worrying about scratching the paint or dropping the heavy/clumsy fueltank. You just unplug the two hoses from those straight pipe connectors. When you put it back together, OOPS! . . . which one goes where? If you were thinking, you'd have left one fitting on a tank's venthose and the other fitting on the bike's venthose. That gives you a male/female gender ID that can't be hooked up wrong.
But what if you aren't sure which hose goes to which one. The right hook-up matters. If you flipped the coin and got the hook-up wrong, the charcoal canister will get water in it from the fuelcap cavity drain when you wash your bike or ride in the rain -or- get liquid gasoline into the canister from a fuel up overspill. For the other hose the fuel tank vapors will exit out the water drain pipe that exits at the right footpeg. It could also suck up water thru that vent hose into the fueltank if you ride from the heat into a cold rainstorm. That would be bad.
To check if your hoses are hooked up right you need to do a simple blow test. If you want an easy check without taking anything apart, put the bike on the centerstand for stability. Next, get a wet paper towel to clean off the dirty drain hose ends hanging downward below the right footpeg. Do the larger diameter hose first, the smaller one is your battery vent hose if you have an older 50R. Standing on the right side of the bike, open the fuel filler cap and put your finger over the little hole at the 9 O'Clock position (front is 12 O'Clock). Then kneel down and blow into the LARGER open ended hose. The smaller diameter hose goes to your battery and will still have Sulfuric acid residues on it's tip so be careful. As you blow into the larger sized hose, you should feel it coming out that hole up top where your finger is.
If you don't feel ant air coming out the 9 O'Clock hole, fully close the fuelcap and blow again. You should get the sensation of inflating an air mattress. 2 or 3 breaths and air into the hose should then blow back out at you confirming that your hoses are mixed up!
If you have it all apart and can put lips on the plastic connector fittings, you should be able to figure out that blowing air out the 9 O'Clock hole means it goes downward to the street drain. The other one, that tries to inflate the closed up fueltank, goes to the canister center port.
Easy, isn't it?
FYI, I am glad my bike has this symbiotic, odor free indoor storage, fuel efficient, polution friendly system and it will stay hidden in it's relocated home under the fueltank's non-ABS cavity.
Last edited by CycleRob on Sat Jan 07, 2006 12:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
`09 F800ST
Member since Sept 10, 2001
"Talent, On Loan, From God" --Rush Limbaugh--
Member since Sept 10, 2001
"Talent, On Loan, From God" --Rush Limbaugh--
Here's a tip that works for me:
When disconnecting the two hoses in the course of removing the fuel tank, I ensure that the plastic connector is on the tank side for one of the hoses and on the other side for the other hose. In other words, I pull the hose off from the front of one of the connectors, and from the back of the other, parallel connector.
When I am re-assembling everything, it is impossible to mix up the hoses because I cannot attach a connector to a connector.
It is hard to explain but easy to do. If I were DJ, I would have a picture.
When disconnecting the two hoses in the course of removing the fuel tank, I ensure that the plastic connector is on the tank side for one of the hoses and on the other side for the other hose. In other words, I pull the hose off from the front of one of the connectors, and from the back of the other, parallel connector.
When I am re-assembling everything, it is impossible to mix up the hoses because I cannot attach a connector to a connector.
It is hard to explain but easy to do. If I were DJ, I would have a picture.
Bob
2002 Atlanta Blue
Lifetime Member #74
2002 Atlanta Blue
Lifetime Member #74