Fuel Issue, or something else?

[K&JGoldwing]

Got a problem on my 2008, GL1800 trike. I let it sit for about a month and a half, which I know is a no-no. When I fired it back up, ran it around the neighborhood and it sputtered, quit, fired back up and ran, but not very well. I thought at first it might be bad gas, so I drained the tank, and partially refilled it with fresh gas, and a little bit of gas treatment. It ran better at first, but then when I rode it over to fill it the rest of the way up, it started the same old sputtering, dying, restarting, running a little, but ultimately, not running good at all. I couldn't even get it up on the trailer to take it to our Honda dealer which is 15 miles away, had to get four people to help push it on the trailer. So got it to dealer, and they could not replicate the problem, tested the fuel pump, and it tested fine. After paying them $90 for nothing, drove it home and it ran fine on 1/4 tank of gas. BUT...... filled it up and it wouldn't hardly run at all. Everytime I would put it in first gear, it would die. I limped it home starting off in second gear, and just barely above idle. I am completely perplexed at what the problem could be. Anyone? We have a trip planned the middle of October, and not wanting to get stranded somewhere. Thanks in advance if you have any ideas..........
Kerry

[AZgl1800]

have you looked for a mouse nest in the air intakes on the air cleaner?

I have screen wire pushed into the intake duct work.
just a thought.

[GoldWingrGreg]

Mileage ???
Any valve tapping type noise, or was there any ???
Was it stored with a fuel additive in the tank ???
What oil is in it, brand and weight ???
What spark plugs are in it ???
What is your climate like ... hot and humid ???

[K&JGoldwing]

No mice in the intake.... it ran beautifully 15 miles home, running 60-65 mph with only a quarter tank of gas. Filled it up, and started running terrible again. Humid here, 78 degrees, no valve noise, using synthetic 10w40 motorcycle oil. Thinking maybe the fuel level sensor? Intermittent fuel pump problem, or vent plugged somewhere, if it has one.

[Big Blue UK]

How much petrol did you drain from the tank.
Have you tried draining some out again to confirm it is a fuel level issue.
If vent was blocked, with more air to create a vacuum, it is possible for it to run longer with low petrol level, remove the filler cap to eliminate.
As for the no no, unless rodents have been snacking on it, sitting for 6 weeks has nothing to do with it. I have been a biker for almost 45 years, rode nothing but GoldWings for the past 36 years. My bikes have always stood October until end of March, no fancy winter treatments or fuel additives, just a dry garage, that does not reach freezing temp, a good cover, and keep the battery charged.
I would not pay 50 quid for a bike that could not sit for 6 weeks.

[aperry]

First thoughts are fuel filter - can cause intermittent problems (easy to replace on 1500, not sure where it is on 1800)
Ethanol - breaks down over time - since you replaced the fuel, maybe try some seafoam or other treatment. If I can't ride for a while, I always add a little sta-bil to my tank to keep the ethanol from separating. Good luck.

[Asphaltmaniac]

Got a problem on my 2008, GL1800 trike. I let it sit for about a month and a half, which I know is a no-no. When I fired it back up, ran it around the neighborhood and it sputtered, quit, fired back up and ran, but not very well. I thought at first it might be bad gas, so I drained the tank, and partially refilled it with fresh gas, and a little bit of gas treatment. It ran better at first, but then when I rode it over to fill it the rest of the way up, it started the same old sputtering, dying, restarting, running a little, but ultimately, not running good at all. I couldn't even get it up on the trailer to take it to our Honda dealer which is 15 miles away, had to get four people to help push it on the trailer. So got it to dealer, and they could not replicate the problem, tested the fuel pump, and it tested fine. After paying them $90 for nothing, drove it home and it ran fine on 1/4 tank of gas. BUT...... filled it up and it wouldn't hardly run at all. Everytime I would put it in first gear, it would die. I limped it home starting off in second gear, and just barely above idle. I am completely perplexed at what the problem could be. Anyone? We have a trip planned the middle of October, and not wanting to get stranded somewhere. Thanks in advance if you have any ideas..........
Kerry

So did you siphon fuel out after it was on the trlr to Honda? If I'm reading this right it only acts up when the tank is full. So seems to me, for some reason, you are drawing fuel down the tank vent line through the evap canister up into the purge valve to the engine...So you must of been getting some black smoke out the back when it acted up? Did you do any maintenance you've forgotten about when it sat for 6 weeks. If you have a service manual page 1-67 shows the evap system...

[K&JGoldwing]

So did you siphon fuel out after it was on the trlr to Honda? If I'm reading this right it only acts up when the tank is full. So seems to me, for some reason, you are drawing fuel down the tank vent line through the evap canister up into the purge valve to the engine...So you must of been getting some black smoke out the back when it acted up? Did you do any maintenance you've forgotten about when it sat for 6 weeks. If you have a service manual page 1-67 shows the evap system...

Thanks for replying to my problem. The tank was down past 1/4 tank when I left it at the Honda dealership, and they put in about a gallon of gas to ride it and see if it would act up. The manager of the service dept rode it about 20 miles, nothing. The service tech rode it another 10 miles or so, nada, zilch, no problems. I go pick it up and it had just under 1/4 tank of gas when I drove it out of the dealership, rode it about 12 to 15 miles to a gas station near my home and it ran great. After filling it up, it started running terrible again, and I limped it the two blocks to the house, in second gear, cuz it wouldn't stay running if I started it and put it in first. Weird, huh? I rode it up onto some blocks to get it up off the ground so I could get under it, after siphoning almost all the gas back out of it, and it started up, ran after putting it in first, and it went right on up the ramps. I got under it, looked for the vents under the bike, found two. I took a long pipe cleaner to both, the bigger one I could only get about 4 to 5 inches up in it till it stopped. Not sure if that is a clog, or if its just a turn in the hose that my pipe cleaner can't navigate. The littler one, I could get the pipe cleaner all the way up, which was about 8 to 10 inches. Seems to me, its vent related, or the fuel level sensor. I thought about taking the tank completely out, but after studying the complexity of getting it out, decided against that. I'll probably replace the fuel level sensor, and fuel pump myself when I get back from our trip. I'm perplexed....... the service dealership keeps telling me these things are bulletproof, but I'm not seeing that. Something is wrong, just don't know what it is. YET!!

[Techdude2000]

Remove or loosen the gas cap and see what it does. If it runs good, you may have an issue with the evap canister and the vent line from the tank to it. There’s only one vent line on the wing and it’s on the top end of the evap canister up front, close to the oil filter. The gas tank vent hose runs to the canister on one end and the canister’s vent is on the opposite end. The large hose you found under the bike is just an overflow drain hose from the gas tank fill area. The canister has a short rubber hose on it that is its vent and it should just hang loose. There’s a metal nipple on the bottom of the canister and it should be left with nothing attached to it, it’s the drain for the canister if it gets flooded with liquid gas.

[Asphaltmaniac]

Here is

the evap system..

[Big Blue UK]

the service dealership keeps telling me these things are bulletproof,

I remember those days, but that was long ago.

[Big Blue UK]

the service dealership keeps telling me these things are bulletproof,

I remember those days, but that was long ago. Although not engine related.

[K&JGoldwing]

Thanks for the EECS info, haven't checked that as yet. I've got it disassembled down to the gas tank, but have pretty much left it alone since October...... got cold here in Kansas and I didn't know whether to trust riding it until I've found the culprit of the problem. Hate it that I have a $20k machine sitting in my garage and can't ride it.....
but when I check out this latest thing, I'll get back on here and let you all know what it is. So far, fuel pump is good, nothing in the fuel filter, gas tank is clean as like new, and I can't find a venting problem. I did however, buy a new gas cap...... never know!!! Thanks!!!

[MikeB]

First thoughts are fuel filter - can cause intermittent problems (easy to replace on 1500, not sure where it is on 1800)
Ethanol - breaks down over time - since you replaced the fuel, maybe try some seafoam or other treatment. If I can't ride for a while, I always add a little sta-bil to my tank to keep the ethanol from separating. Good luck.

The GL1800 does not have a fuel filter.

[Kurt J]

Try flipping your kill switch back and forth a few times. I had this problem on my 1800. There was just enough junk in the switch to make the bike cut out while riding. It would start right up again. By flipping the kill switch a few times back and forth it cleans the contacts a bit and will let the bike run right. If that helps the problem and the bike will run good....clean the switch.