Fuel Leak '97 Raod King

[path2doyle]

Lots of fuel leaking in Harleys.

Dealer wants $180+10% tax and 3 hrs to replace the front right fule line. O_rings are NOT the problem. The leak is the swaged coupling and the 3/4" nut. The O-ring is above these.

So, what about a goop that is fuel resistant? RTV for fuel lines?

 

[Bud White]

no goop .. what about doing it your self? you can order the part out cheaper

 

[NEWHD74FAN]

As Bud says..."No Goop"...problem is someone worked on the fuel line before and did not use the right disconnection tool that allows it to come off or did not see the push button release and/or probably "man handled it".

Get the right hose and fitting and replace it yourself and you will be good. If you do not have the manual or reference, (even the least expensive Clymer is better then nothing) more problems can be put into a bike then taken out if the tech is not well versed in shop practices.

 

[path2doyle]

I thought I responded but don't see it.

The Harley design is lousy. The part is overpriced. The tank is female 3/8-in IPS.

I can screw a 3/8-in to barb adapter and shove the line onto it.

What's the purpose of the O-Ring? Does my solution overlook some crucial detail like the backflo preventor?

 

[sanec1]

The part is over priced, time to buy some Harley stock. 3 hours is also robbery. You can probably easily do it yourself in 3 hours.

10-12 years of life out of the o-ring isn't too bad though. Don't know if there is any truth in it but someone said that I should avoid using fuel with additives as they will eat the o-rings.

There is a check valve on the supply line and the return.

Not too sure why they use an o-ring other than it allows for some movement.

In my Clymer manual it looks like there is an o-ring inside the 3/4 nut but I cant see how to get at it.

 

[path2doyle]

The O-Ring is not the issue. I replaced mine with Harley provided ones with no effect.

The issue is the factory swaged swivvel.

With cool weather, my swivvel dumped a cup of gas a minute this morning. I cut it off and replaced it with a 3/8-in IPS x 1/4 barb and hose clamp. The 3/8 IPS leaks even with 10 wraps Teflon but only a few drips a minute. The experiment shows the complex cone with O-Ring arrangement is a decoy and unneccessary. The threaded part is a very obscure METRIC M18X1.5, even in Canada I bet. M18 is rare and 1.5 is the even more obscure fine thread version. The good news is the M18X1.5 is designed to be liquid tight without any teflon or thread compound. I'll believe it when I see it. I've asked a machine shop to make up the part, an M18X1.5 to 1/4" barb adapter. It will even have the 7mm injector test port on the bottom. If this works out, I will make 50 or so and provide them to poor suckers like us at a reasonable price so we can ride without risking our lives and poluting the air.

One last point. I am convinced this part is totally contrived to make after sale profits. The (EDIT) is, if any of us have trouble going to Sturigis or similar trips, we are gonna be sidelined way longer than neccessary. M18X1.5 coulda so easily been a common 3/8". My temporary fix cost $7. The lowest price I've found anywhere is over $150.