Very strong odor of fuel coming from air filter box.

I rode my bike awhile the other day and when I went into my garge the next morning the whole garage smelled like gas. After sniffing out the cause I realized it was coming from my bike. So my first instinct was to check all of my fuel lines. I removed the seat and checked all the lines, they all were dry. As I kept sniffing around I pin-pointed that it was coming from the air filter box. I removed the cover and the filter, it smelled strongly of gas but there was no wetness in the box. Could this be because my tank was low in fuel or could it be the particular gas that was in it? Is there anything else I might check for. The bike is running great this is not affecting performance in any way.

 

Could be that the float in 1 of the carbs or the needle valve stuck allowing fuel to run into the air box. If it continues you may have to clean the carbs.

 

That could be possible. The bike sat for about two weeks before this ride. I have been riding it more frequently lately and have not noticed the smell in a few days.

 

Remember the breather vents into the airbox. Be sure you're not smelling the by-product of gas in your oil...

 

So in other words it could be normal and nothing to worry about Bigfitz?

 

Yes.

Or you could have a float leaking fuel into the oil.

Do you check your oil level before each ride? As long as it doesn't suddenly increase one morning, you're OK.

Simple check: Take your oil filler cap off and stick your nose in the hole. Whiff. You should smell oil. Oily oil, burnt oil, but oil. Not gas.

If the above tests are consistently OK, then it is nothing to worry about.

I check the oil every morning before I ride, and perform the "sniff test" any time I add oil. I refuse to 100% blindly trust a 25 year old petcock and float valves, rebuilt or not.

Your "stunk up garage" episode could have been an anomaly caused by temperature change and a full tank of gas venting. You might also have had some hot-bike evaporation occur after you pulled it in.

I'd keep an eye on it and not sweat it too much unless it keeps happening.

 

Thanks Fitz! At first when I got the bike I checked the oil everday for about 2 months. After I realized it did not burn any oil and it was nothing to worry about I do not check it as often because my bike has a low oil light and as far as I can tell everthing works on my bike so I trust it. However before I get ready to ride again I will check the oil and take a whiff of it and see if it smells like gas at all. If it just so happens that it does smell like gas what would be my next step? When the garage smelled like gas my tank had very little gas in it, maybe a gallon at best.

Thanks for everyones replies.