Fuel Vapors - How Do We Control Them?

915 Views 23 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Gregory Tubbs, 6 d ago

BlueThunder

Discussion Starter · 3 mo ago

The problem has been discussed in many threads but I haven't seen a solution.

Problem: Gas smell after riding for an extended time or when temperature is high. I'm sorry but this problem is unacceptable. I have ridden for 46 years and owned many bikes. This is the only bike (which I intensely love) where this happens. I am confidant the had Honda continued the CTX1300 this problem would have been resolved.

The problem as I see it is that the vapors need to be "re-routed" from under the tank/seat and to rear where it can't be smelled. Or trap them and send them to the intake manifold??

So the question is: Has anyone come up with a solution?

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Gregory Tubbs

· #21 · 8 d ago

CACTX1300DLX said:
The valve you see in the cap is a metered leak/vent for the automotive evaporative emission control system. When the pressure reaches a certain point the one-way valve opens relieving some of the pressure. Air is allowed in but no fumes are allowed out. After pressure equalizes, the valve closes. I believe the evaporative emission control system in our motorcycles is rudimentary in relationship to OBD1 vehicles. The canister vents under certain operating conditions to burn the trapped vapors in the canister. If you constantly continue to fill the fuel tank after the pump shuts off automatically you run the risk of saturating the evaporative emissions control canister with liquid fuel, therefore rendering the carbon useless, which then leads to liquid fuel being drawn into the intake causing severe rich running conditions. When I refuel my CTX I no longer add fuel after the pump clicks off automatically. I would check the fuel cap sealing o-ring and check the hoses from the tank to the canister, from the canister to the purge valve, finally from the purge valve to the port on the intake.

I've not had a fuel vapor smell problem and I fill to the bottom of the fill neck. So maybe his problem is the O ring. My dodge is a mechanical diesel with none of the EPA extras. So I'm guessing the cap is vented just to relieve excess pressure on a 32 gallon plastic tank.

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CACTX1300DLX

· #22 · 7 d ago

Ah I didn't know your Ram was a diesel. But yes your cap is vented to relieve pressure in the tank due to expansion/contraction. His problem may be the o-ring yes as our fuel caps are 9 years old now. Though I tend to see the fuel cap seal fail on vehicles (Toyotas in my case where I work) after 10+ years.

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BlueThunder

Discussion Starter · #23 · 6 d ago

Yup! The new gascap stopped the fuel vapor smell! What a pleasure it is to be riding all day in hot weather, come to a stop AND NOT SMELL GASOLINE!!
Its little things like this that make riding a pleasure....

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Gregory Tubbs

· #24 · 6 d ago

BlueThunder said:
Yup! The new gascap stopped the fuel vapor smell! What a pleasure it is to be riding all day in hot weather, come to a stop AND NOT SMELL GASOLINE!!
Its little things like this that make riding a pleasure....

You made me think of Ocean City bike week of last year. All those modified out of tune loud pipe Harleys. The gas fumes were so bad riding coastal highway it gave me a headache. I hit the gas and got outta Dodge.

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