Fueling incident

[Redwing822]

I thought I would share what I did (wrong) today, for what it’s worth to the group. Dumbass of the day award goes to me.

This morning, it was 55 degrees. I rode 2 miles to post office and the gas station to fill up. After the fuel reached the full collar in the tank, I continued to squeeze perhaps another pint (best guess) into the tank, at which time, the fuel level stopped dropping. Put the cap on, rode home, parked in the garage with the wing on the center stand.

This afternoon, it was 65 degrees. Noticed a strong fuel smell in the garage and found a 2 foot diameter puddle under the bike. I siphoned about a quart out of the tank (fuel is now just below the full collar). Gas was still dripping from the front most hose of the cluster of 4 hoses by the side stand. Service manual states those hoses are: (from back to front) filler neck overflow hose (if you spill fuel around the filler, it comes out here), coolant reserve tank vent, evap canister fresh air entry, and evap drain. Fuel was dripping out of the evap canister drain hose.

I put a compressed air blow gun on the evap air hose and blew the excess fuel out of the canister drain hose. Hopefully the canister isn’t ruined by the liquid fuel that got in it.

Moral of the story? Who knew it got warm enough for the fuel to expand and flow into the evap canister. I have heard you shouldn’t squeeze every last drop of gas into your car after the nozzle clicks off, because anything other than vapor can ruin the evap canister. I should have known better than to store the bike immediately after topping it off, and realized there would be no room in the tank for expansion if it were to happen.

[AZgl1800]

I try to save those events for when I am going to be traveling far enough to use up about 1/2 gallon or more.

Not fun to have it percolate off into the floor, but I do remember doing just that on one occasion when I lived in Mesa, AZ during the summer.... filled up at night to the top, 1/2 mile from house.

parked in garage, and we got one of those freak heat waves coming thru at 0300 hours....
I am leave for work at 0545 and figured that the topped off tank would be just fine....

not that time, it puked.

[Rambozo]

On another bike I got fuel in the canister. Bike ran like crap as it was sucking extra fuel and was way too rich. After a bit of high revving, I got the bulk of it out of there and it was fine. Should not hurt the canister or it's contents, but some have a valve on the outside that might need attention. I bet blowing it out fixed you right up.

[Viking]

I used to squeeze every drop of fuel I could into my cars. Then I ruined an evap canister and got an engine light. When I wanted to sell the car, I had to replace the canister, and that cost me quite a bit of money. The quickest way I have found for me to learn anything is for it to cost me money, LMAO.

I still fill my diesel truck to the top of the filler pipe, because it holds another four plus gallons after the tank is full, but it does not have an evap canister. I now stop filling when the pump cuts out the second time on ALL my gas vehicles. I also do not fill past the collar on my Goldwing, but do not know if the canister can be ruined on it. My Harley, I stop before I pour gas all over the paint, which seems like a good idea to me.

Please - no Harley bashing - this is fuel filling thread.

[MikeB]

In the owner's manual it says not to fill past the bottom of the filler neck.

[Coppertone]

I have done still a lot more then I wish to share always trying to get as much has you can in the tank. But I just let it dry up and its well after that. On my 2010 model I did pull the canister because I thought it may have been damaged just let them dry out and all is good. Ride Safe Ride A Lot.