Strange leak

[wildweasel_pt]

Talking about oil leaks i got a leak for a while that i could not find the origin even though i looked and looked.
I started by seeing a puddle of yellowish oil underneath the clutch cover. I started by checking the engine and it was surprisingly dry. The damp parts were the swingarm on the crossbar, right exhaust (fwd) and frame lower right brace as well as the brake line that goes along that brace. Im attaching a local and overall pic as the bike is not stock.
I looked around and i couldn't find a place where the oil from the engine could have escaped and dripped on ground. I even thought that a final drive leak could have crossed to the right by the crossbar on the swingarm and exit trough there in some way what didn't make sense because the bike is tilted leftwards due side stand but i was getting desperate and that could be a solution, fairfetched but still possible somehow. As today i was removing sidepanels to start disassemble stuff to access rear headers (i have an exhaust leak due forgetting to install the headers exhaust gasket on left side) i found a little puddle of crud below the fuel solenoid for NOS system.
I looked around and i came to the conclusion that that oily substance had weeped from the small fuel filter at the solenoid input port. I was really puzzled with that because only fuel runs in there and not always, only when system is activated and i haven't done so lately so i got really suspicious how could that have happened. My thought were:

- The substance left is oily because the gasoline evaporated and left only the denser substance.
- Evidently theres a leak most probably due to bad teflon taping on the threads at the solenoid port
- Why was it leaking if no pressure was in there due the NOS pump not working?
- The leak was between the NOS pump output and the solenoid input.
- Is it possible somehow that some build up of pressure in the tank went through the fuel line, passed the NOS pump and exited through the little filter at the solenoid? If so isn't that a long way to go?
- The stock fuel pump uses a diaphragm but i do not know how the holley pump (NOS) works but by the noise it makes looks like its rotational because its does not clack but purrs...
- In that case the fuel is harder to pass through the stock diaphragm but it passes well by the holley pump.

What do you guys think? Im puzzled...

 

[bazwell]

Most of the time fuel has a dye added to make it the colour it is. In Aust. the older fuel is red, but they also have green and yellow fuel in different octane ratings.
If you have a slow fuel weep, the fuel evaporates too quick to be seen on it's own, but the dye left over is visible, and can be sticky when it builds up.
Maybe that is it?

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Yeah but still there are many questions to be answered Baz... How the hell did the fuel get out? Does someone know how this holley pumps are internally? There should have to be some pressure in the tank line to push through the pump isn't that so?

 

[COP RUNNER]

i .. I DON'T NO **** ABOUT YOUR LEAK ! ... BUT MAN IS THAT ONE " BAD ASS BIKE " ! ! !

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Thanks runner but i need to find an answer. Its 4 am and i haven't gotten to bed trying to find out why is this happening... Is teflon not fuel friendly?

 

[ninjaneer]

i .. I DON'T NO **** ABOUT YOUR LEAK ! ... BUT MAN IS THAT ONE " BAD ASS BIKE " ! ! !

:rofl_200::rofl_200::rofl_200::rofl_200:
leave it to CR to power through formalities and say what's on everyone's mind
:rofl_200::rofl_200::rofl_200::rofl_200:

i'm sorry fred, please don't be pissed at me for not providing any helpful information. especially since you were so kind to offer up a bit a advice to help me out with my leak


{EDIT}
Just read your question. I'm 97% sure that teflon tape turns to goo when it comes in contact with fuel. In short, no, fuel is not its friend
{/EDIT}

{EDIT2}
Google turned up some fuel-resistant teflon tape, so I guess I should correct my previous EDIT to say "it depends"
{/EDIT2)

 

[wildweasel_pt]

****... Ok... yesterday i run it and today after sitting all night i saw no leak... go figure... I used normal white tape for the threads on the fittings just like the one used on air hose fittings...

 

[bazwell]

Teflon can work, but it's not recommended by some fuel injection people because little bits of it come free and block holes further down the line. Whatever, it works, but not always.

Permatex Aviation form a gasket No3 should work.
Loctite 242 (blue) is supposed to be OK for immersion in fuel.

I guess it's mostly to do with how well the threads actually match. They haven't given you a taper fitting to go into a parallel thread? I notice that one of them is a right angle. Maybe it needs to go 1/4 turn tighter, but then it's pointing the wrong way. You know what I mean.

Sorry, but I don't understand the system enough to visualise where the pressure is being held in the lines. I'm just rambling....

 

[wildweasel_pt]

These threads are NPT or conical so they need to be thread taped for sealing. I just used some teflon tape i had around that i use for air hoses that use the same type of threads on the fittings. This same teflon tape is used for house water pipe connections.

 

[one2dmax]

I know that a tank with a clogged or partially clogged vent can build pressure and start pushing fuel out of many different areas (looks for the weakest area it can find).

Sean

 

[06VMAXIMUS]

Teflon tape doesn't actually seal anything, its used as a lubricant to help the pipe threads seal. It looks as though the round unit is threaded in considerably deeper than the 90 degree elbow, but all is good if you ran it yesterday and no leaks!

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Yeah it didn't leak. I run it again yesterday due to checking an header manifold leak i had (and still have damn!) and no leak on the fuel line again. Im just curious as i have my bike on a cold basement so how would the tank build up pressure? Strange...
The guy that invented this type of gaskets/coupling that join the rear downpipes and the rear manifolds should be shot... Piece of **** design and efficiency. I have to disassemble half the bike anytime i need to go adjust it just to check that after everything is installed back up the leak is still there...

 

[COP RUNNER]

Teflon can work, but it's not recommended by some fuel injection people because little bits of it come free and block holes further down the line. Whatever, it works, but not always.

Permatex Aviation form a gasket No3 should work.
Loctite 242 (blue) is supposed to be OK for immersion in fuel.

I guess it's mostly to do with how well the threads actually match. They haven't given you a taper fitting to go into a parallel thread? I notice that one of them is a right angle. Maybe it needs to go 1/4 turn tighter, but then it's pointing the wrong way. You know what I mean.

Sorry, but I don't understand the system enough to visualise where the pressure is being held in the lines. I'm just rambling....

i HEAR IT IS , AND SURPRISINGLY CHEAP TOO , AND IT'S GOOD FROM - 65F UP TO + 400F AND UP TO 5,000 LBS. OF PRESSURE ! unk:http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...Permatex+Aviation+Form-A-Gasket+No.+3+Sealant

 

[wildweasel_pt]

Well the fuel leak autosolved itself and the exhaust leak was due to a manifold being bolted upside down... Those little pricks are symmetric but they do have an angle and i wasn't able to get the downpipe to mate properly and it was driving me crazy till my dad that was lending me a hand noticed that the manifolds weren't looking the same way and didn't seem parallel. I haven't noticed that but after a focused examination i noticed that the faulty manifold was in fact bolted upside down. There is only one small detail that is different on each side and its only detectable if you look straight to them... Damn thing... turned it around and bam! leak solved... Im a happy bunny... Im gonna eat an ice-cream now...