Fuel Cap

[jbarneshb]

I have an 89 Ca Hawk that has been desmogged. Both the overflow line and charcoal cannister nipple were open. It also has an aftermarket SSR fuel cap. Whenever I filled the tank I would get a strong gas odor. I capped overflow and canister nipples. It was still able to vent through cap. Now gas collects below cap on shelf where it collects when it can't drain down overflow. Any ideas? I thought about drilling a hole in shelf to let it drain back into tank. Thanks

[squirrelman]

that hole is clogged with crud. shoot some gas or carb cleaner in and try to poke with some wire, followed by air pressure. it normally drains through a metal tube under tank into a rubber cup.

[DrPMC]

Now gas collects below cap on shelf where it collects when it can't drain down overflow. Any ideas? I thought about drilling a hole in shelf to let it drain back into tank. Thanks

My understanding is that the ‘shelf’ with the overflow should normally be dry of fuel. It sounds to me like the cap isn’t making a proper fuel tight seal with the filler opening. With a standard cap this would probably be because the opening was damaged in some way or that the rubber seal on the cap was defective.

[6]

It holds fuel there after filling it, or after riding it?

[jbarneshb]

I get the fuel on the shelf where the drain is after riding it and filling it up. I had capped the drain on the botton of the tank because it was dripping on the engine. It might be the aftermarket cap. Gas can get through a bleeder hole that is open between tank and shelf where drain is in spite of gasket or pack off between cap and tank. How full should you fill the tank? Thanks

[6]

I get the fuel on the shelf where the drain is after riding it and filling it up. I had capped the drain on the botton of the tank because it was dripping on the engine. It might be the aftermarket cap. Gas can get through a bleeder hole that is open between tank and shelf where drain is in spite of gasket or pack off between cap and tank. How full should you fill the tank? Thanks

You should be able to fill it the whole way. I fill to the tip top. I'd try cleaning the drain as Jerry recommend. But if it's dripping then it's draining.
IMG_20220311_093501~2.jpg

Check that seal. See if it's there and in good shape.

Clean out this passage.
IMG_20220311_093757.jpg

I'd start there.

[ParcNHawk]

Yes to cleaning out that hole. That hole goes all the way through the tank to the bottom out a nipple. Don't cap this. It has to drain. Make sure that connects via hoses all the way to the road.

Anything that comes through this is dirty and you don't want it in your tank. Mostly rainwater. Don't drill anything to drain this INTO the tank.

The little nipple on the bottom of the tank is the breather/vent and it needs its own line running all the way down to the road. There is a vent stay by the side stand mount. It shouldn't be capped.

[jbarneshb]

I didn't drill any holes. Both drain hole abd tube for venting to charcoal cannister are clear. I attched tube running down on vent and left drain from shelf below cap open. I plugged a vent hole in ssr gas cap that allowed gas to get out of tank onto shelf. It seems to be allright. Thanks for help.