Overfilled fuel tank = busted bike?

[burnblue]

My 2008 Wee-Strom is now in the shop with a difficult-to-diagnose issue. I have a feeling the shop is not totally sure what it is, either. Here's the deal: bike has 5500 miles, always ran fine. Parked it on a Friday, packed it up for a big trip on Sunday morning, bike starts but is only running on the rear cylinder. Raw gas coming out the exhaust. Fiddle for a while, let it run for a while, turn it off, on, off, then all of a sudden it's better, and we proceed to do a 400 mile trip with no issues. A week of daily riding goes by, no issues.

Park it on a friday again, two weeks later. Try to start it on a Sunday morning - won't even turn over. Hydrolock (if that's the term) - my guess is there's unburnt fuel in the front cylinder, and it won't turn over. I pull the plugs out (all 4) and they look fine, though covered in gas. Let them sit for a while, dry out. Put everything back together, and it starts, but still only runs on rear cylinder. Gaaah!

I check for spark by grabbing a plug lead (ZAPP! - ****! - shoulda used something more than a rag to insulate ;) Plenty of spark, plenty of gas, dunno about air. I've pretty much exhausted my willingness to dig into a fancy-schmancy fuel injected bike, so I tow it to the shop.

Shop calls next day, say the plugs were bad. I call bullshit - a) I saw the plugs, they looked brand new, and b) when I go to pick up the bike a day later, it's still running on one cylinder!

So now, several shop days later, they call and say there was fuel in the tank overflow, which was causing fuel to enter the front cylinder. Essentially, they say I overfilled the gas tank and this is all my fault. My gut reaction is: WTF? I've never filled above the filler neck that I know of. Even if I did, should the fuel overflow be draining into the cylinder? I have no idea how motorcycle fuel tank overflows work - is this normal? I'm willing to take the hit and pay for the shop time if overfilling the tank could really cause this, but it seems fishy to me.

Any ideas?

[Big B]

If they are indeed correct, do you fill on sidestand or centerstand? Do you also have it back and does it seem fixed? Doesn't the CA models come equipped with a charcoal canister? The dealer could very well be correct................if it is fixed that is.

[burnblue]

I don't have the bike back yet, they're still trying to convince Suzuki to cover the "repairs". Suzuki doesn't want to cover it under warranty since it's "user error".

I don't have a centerstand installed, fill and park on sidestand. What would the charcoal canister have to do with the issue?

[K1W1]

The obvious question is did you overfill the bike?
Be honest.
When you fill the bike up do you dribble fuel in until the level is absolutely at the top of the tank or do you just fill the tank until the pump stops with back pressure and leave it at that?

[greywolf]

Was the bike ever down? That can flow fuel through the breather into the charcoal canister which can flow into the intake tract if it gets full of fuel.

[burnblue]

@Rainier_Tom - I should have mentioned, the shop did replace the plugs, and no dice. I do try to keep a spare set around for testing. But if I can see it arc in broad daylight, it durn well oughtta ignite the gas!

@greywolf - the bike has been down three times - twice dropped at a standstill, and once at about 20mph in the dirt. The last time it was down was several months before the hydrolock problem happened.

@k1w1 - I fill the tank up to the bottom of the filler neck - I hold the nozzle just below the filler neck bottom and stop filling when back pressure kills it. But like I said, I'd be happy to take responsibility for overfilling as long as overfilling would cause fuel to enter the front cylinder causing hydrolock. In that case, yes I overfilled, but Suzuki or the dealer should have a warning, a marking, or a pre-purchase instruction session. I've always filled my bikes this way and never had a problem.

[Fozzyber]

I don't know what the problem is but of the 1000's of plugs I have changed,
(My dad had a lawn mower shop that I worked at from age 13-22)
I have seen 3 plugs that would fire in the air, but not under compression.
All 3 were champion brand.:var_7: It is rare but it does happen.

[silverstrom]

[QUOTE=burnblue;346017@k1w1 - I fill the tank up to the bottom of the filler neck - I hold the nozzle just below the filler neck bottom and stop filling when back pressure kills it. But like I said, I'd be happy to take responsibility for overfilling as long as overfilling would cause fuel to enter the front cylinder causing hydrolock. In that case, yes I overfilled, but Suzuki or the dealer should have a warning, a marking, or a pre-purchase instruction session. I've always filled my bikes this way and never had a problem.[/QUOTE]

I don't think over filling the tank is the problem. I fill my 650 just like you do and have never run into trouble. Over filling shouldn't cause fuel to enter a cylinder. Maybe you have an injector stuck open and that's causing fuel to seep into the cylinder. I've heard of that happening.


SS

[chris swann]

i full my bike too the brim all the time except in very hot weather , the fuel over flows out one of the two rubber hoses near the foot peg onto the ground

[Heavy-H]

Some of us don't seem to have the canister.

[Xavier6162]

How do you know when you are only running on one cylinder?

[Stromin'Nroman]

When it sounds like a Royal Enfield Bullet Electra and it feels like a Harley.

[Dorzok]

I don't think over filling the tank is the problem. I fill my 650 just like you do and have never run into trouble. Over filling shouldn't cause fuel to enter a cylinder. Maybe you have an injector stuck open and that's causing fuel to seep into the cylinder. I've heard of that happening.


SS


I would guess this too. I would bet you're pumping gas into the rear hole.
Quote from the owner's manual "overfilling the tank can cause the fuell to overflow when it expandsdue to the heat from engine or the sun. spilled fuel can catch on fire"
nowhere does it say that the rqw fuel will leak into one of the cylinders. leave it there until they fix it and make suzuki pay for it. If you've paid anything sue suzuki. there is NO WAY this is user error based on the facts as stated.

[Dorzok]

Waiting for you to rip on us stupid's that don't know what we're talking about and mearly guessing and causing confusion.

mortaine? mortaine?

[Bisbonian]

Since it's a CA bike then it should have the charcoal canister. The canister is supposed to only hold fuel vapor.

I've seen people overfill their car which can cause liquid fuel to get into the canister over time. The canister is purged when you start the engine, although only fuel vapor is supposed to come out of it. If the canister is full of fuel it can destroy the purge valve and cause fuel to enter the engine from the canister; this is undesirable as sometimes pieces of the charcoal from the canister accompany the fuel. The fix is to replace both the canister and purge valve, probably expensive. My fix would be to remove both the canister and the purge valve but that's not environmentally responsible.

Not saying this is the cause but this has been my experience with the canister and overfilling.

[AppGap]

The problem is not overfilling..........fuel cannot simply flow into the front cylinder because the tank is full to the top and the canister is an "over time" type of failure. That kind of leaky fuel design went out with British bikes in the 60's :rolleyes:.IMHO

Keep looking...

[Mortaine]

Waiting for you to rip on us stupid's that don't know what we're talking about and mearly guessing and causing confusion.

Mortaine? Mortaine?

Yeah Your right but at least you know it:sifone::sifone:

[Dorzok]

Yeah Your right but at least you know it:sifone::sifone:

sorry i forgot the E.

Man I wish i could fix that!!

I fixed it...................:wink1:

[Mortaine]

sorry i forgot the E.

Man I wish i could fix that!!

I posted once how to fix the problem but then thought Hell why & deleted it, sorry I do not have the patience of GW, Big B, Heavy & MShep.:var_7:

[Starfleet]

Burnblue, this could still be a plug problem or some other electrical problem. As one or two on here have indicated, just because it zapped you when you air tested doesn't mean the plug will fire under load. The moment the plug goes under compression, firing resistance increases dramatically. This means if the insulation has broken down, it may not fire at all. Many times as a techy I came across this one. However, is the coolant level correct? Have you noticed any coolant disappearing lately? If so you may have a cylinder head gasket problem, but I actually doubt it. Never heard of a head gasket going on these Stroms myself.

It is nearly always fuel or electrical, so fairly easy to trace. Mechanicals rarely cause problems these days. Good luck.

[denysp]

So what ever happened with this? Did you end up paying for it? what was the issue in the end?