<600 miles and sweet chemical/fuel smells at end of ride

Hi all, just a quick question, since we've purchased just a few weeks ago - everytime we park the silver bullet, it reaks of sweet/fuel odor. I'm nearly inclined to think she has a leak? But don't see anything on the floor/beneath etc. (not since the very first day of ownership at 22miles - seemed to have wept out the overflow tubing near the right shock/etc) On that one, I called the dealership, and the answer was, "just let it break-in man." - Then came here and found the threads explaining the overflow tubing...

Haven't taken any plastic off yet - except once to check the oil recently.

Did/do any of you have the strong aroumatic smells when turning off spyder - and it lingers - ?

The smell that you describe seems to be coolant which I describe as a sweet peppery smell. I haven't checked the coolant on mine after its first service but from reading posts on here, it's quite difficult to see through the expansion bottle anyway. As to the fuel smell, you can be sure that you will get far more educated responses than mine soon!

Robert

Well two things going on here most likely. First the Spyders stink. No not that they are bad it's just that almost all of them have a fuel smell on shutdown. There is a fuel vapor canister hose near the top of the filler tube in the gas tank. It's purpose is to draw off gas vapors and have them be absorbed in the canister. If you try to fill the gas tank up to the highest level you are actually dumping fuel via the tube to the canister into the canister. When you stop and shut down the bike the heat from the engine compartment drives the gas vapors back out into the air. The solution is that while the gas tank is spec'ed out at 6.6 gal in reality putting around 5.8-6.0 is about it. The rest is airspace and the dreaded vent to the the gas canister. Don't overfill!
The second smell is most likely antifreeze. The filler cap on the radiator overflow tank has two detent positions. Make sure that it is fully seated. Also check for tracks in the overflow bottle as that is a common issue. Another easier to fix issue is loose hose clamps on the radiator and overflow bottle.
Hope this helps!

We never had the coolant smell, but we did have the fuel smell for the first 600-700 miles. It was so bad that I was afraid to park it in the garage hot for a while. Apparently that was caused by me overfilling right after I bought it. The fuel came out the vents, and must have gone down to the charcoal canister. That did eventually go away.

The habit that I have gotten into is to:
1. never top off the gas, then park it hot. Since the tank is right over the stovetop, you will get some evaporation / expansion, and with there being very little room left on the tank, it will go down the vent into the canister.
2. never park it close to empty and hot. The lower volume of gas, makes it boil quicker - before the heat can dissipate to a reasonable level. While you probably won't smell gas this way, you will wonder why you are getting crappy mileage.

I try to fill up about 20-30 miles from the end of the ride, so I have burned off just under a gallon to a gallon This way you have 4 gallons (about) still in the tank, and the thermal mass of that amount should prevent, or at least delay considerably the fuel getting to the point where you are losing it somewhere.

It's been working for me for the last 5200 miles :)

This is the first time I've seen/heard someone describe "that smell" as being sweet. I too have described it as being sweet or even stale. It seems to stick to my clothing as well. I had never experienced this smell either in the air or my clothing in earlier years when riding a two wheel or a convertible.

My state, Florida, started putting ethanol in gas about six months prior to my getting a spyder. I know this may sound dumb, but I've always attributed it, the smell, to the ethanol being in my gas.

The other comments seem more logical than mine. However, I'll throw mine out there for comment.

Chris

Gas fumes, From the evaporator canister.
The sweet smell is from the Ethanol in the gas.

It sounding like Dave is getting you pointed in the right direction for this one. :thumbup:
Try his advice and see if this issue "evaporates"! :roflblack:

Thought i'd log in from phone at work! (Now have a reason to turn on mobile data occassionally - always using home wifi or hotspots)

Thank you all for the replies. Yes, cosidering that the range is 180 miles or less, we began using trip B for tank fill ups. I usually fill btwn 4-5 gallons, & frightened that i would run out of gas, would top it right up, and i mean full! Will do that no longer. & will invest in these small fuel canisters.

The sweet smell i am sure is coolant. The first leak was clear in color and somewhat viscous, but it evaporated easily. Only left a hint of a stain on concrete. I'll look, recheck, and follow your tips.

Thanks again

If you have been overfilling, the gasoiline odor will remain for quite a while after you quit. The emissions system evap canister gets full, and the charcoal in it becomes saturated. It takes a long time to evaporate completely. Your gas odor may linger for several months, I'm afraid. BTW, if the evap canister was filled, it is useless as an emissions device now.

Read thru these again tonight. 1st, ty gablueknight, robert, chris, dave, bob, nancystoy.


The sweet smell was in my mind ethylene glycol, however, most of you seem firm that it"s the ethanol. But i bet you are right! It now does remind me of methanol. We had folks take our pure methanol and add a small amount to their car's tank.... i had forgotten that.

Since i've ruined my charcoal canister, should i get it changed right now during the initial 600mi service?

I stopped filling to top today. Drove the bike from sumter to ladson sc this afternoon, to highly recommended Velocity Powersports. Will post a separate thread on great personal service there...replace canistor now?? Thanks as always

I'd leave it for now, and see if the smell goes away in time. when filling, just be mindful of the level, and stop before it's completely full.

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Originally Posted by Ray&Charlotte

Since i've ruined my charcoal canister, should i get it changed right now during the initial 600mi service?

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It does not affect anything but air emissions (and maybe the odor in your garage for a while). If you feel real strongly about the effects of such things on the ozone layer, go ahead, but I wouldn't bother if it were mine.

Morning - I took the advice and will await a bit before changing. The RT's in service this morning for it's first 600. She's alway drifted to the left (air pressure checked and identical, at the correct pressures - the suspension on the front were both set at 3) so - they are checking that and will add a bit more air to the rear suspension too.

Had zero on delivery, I added 60psi (was the top limit of the Air Machine at the time), but according to MOM we need 90psi.

Thanks again for the assist.

I'll end this thread w/ this - ZERO fumes tonight and was very impressed...I've/We've lived w/ those fumes (sometimes so thick that we were as concerned as another about leaving it enclosed in the garage) since the very first parking after buying (dealer upon sale/pick-up had not filled the tank - only 1/4 full - and when he mentioned that, "hey I put some gas in it for you even ..." I remarked, "Not a full tank? It's only 6 gallons...?" He looked away w/o a reply...anywho...after driving away, then getting a feel for the RT, I took off straight to a station and promptly filled it til the vent splashed...and so the bad filling technique started right there...that is, until you folks put me on the right path!!!

I'll post another thread and some pics about today's Outstanding day w/ Tobor9 and Velocity Powersports..but bottom line - began filling the tank correctly for a couple days, and it paid off now...not a few months or days...zero fumes. Garage was closed, was going in and out of garage and about the 3rd trip back to the RT, I took notice that I wasn't having to gringe or change breathing patterns - "no smell" no fumes, none...I was so amazed that I called the missus - she was out trying to buy a Deer horn(?) just in case we rode tonight - 2hrs on back/country roads (had 2 deer run in front of us earlier in the day - and Tobor9 has the sub-sonic whistlers on his RS, so she wanted them), and I asked that she do not come into the garage when she returned, but through the front door, and then come into the garage and join me.

By the time she had arrived, I had performed "fume" checks at ~3mins after parking, ~10mins after parking - and when Charlotte got home, she promptly came into the garage and asked was I ready for her to get into her rain gear and get going...(was about to make another 2hr road trip - but didn't).
I asked her to look at the bike...she did...she remarked that she really liked the new Mud Flap LEDs...we went back and forth and still she hadn't noticed the lack of choking or what-not...I finally said, "smell that?" and her eyes lit up and smiled...wow nothing, nothing...not even a hint of oil or gas. Hope this means all is well.

Excellent! Considering how quickly the smell went away, I'd also guess that there was not enough gas in the canister to ruin it.

:2thumbs::2thumbs: So glad to hear some good news! :2thumbs::2thumbs:

Thanks bob & shelbydave - day two w/o fumes, solid advice has paid off. I fill between 3-4 gallons each time now and simply stop when the pump stops (was pushing it beyond the auto stop) - did 230miles today. Oh which reminds me, we found a station in Clearwater SC selling 91octane for $3.239 today. I will post a new general thread w/ a pic of the pump's prices and thats w/o any type of bonus gas card or discounts or cash vs. credit. $2.99 for regular 87oct.

Parked it a bit ago and again, no fumes. Very impressed w/ the folks here and their sage advice.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ray&Charlotte

Thanks bob & shelbydave - day two w/o fumes, solid advice has paid off. I fill between 3-4 gallons each time now and simply stop when the pump stops (was pushing it beyond the auto stop) - did 230miles today. Oh which reminds me, we found a station in Clearwater SC selling 91octane for $3.239 today. I will post a new general thread w/ a pic of the pump's prices and thats w/o any type of bonus gas card or discounts or cash vs. credit. $2.99 for regular 87oct.

Parked it a bit ago and again, no fumes. Very impressed w/ the folks here and their sage advice.

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If you fill very slowly, with the nozzle just inserted into the fill hole, you can fill until gas just starts to spurt out the vent slots. There is usually no odor problem this way, at least with slow filling pumps, and you get about the same amount of fill each time, making it more consistent to calculate fuel mileage.

BTW, BRP recommends premium fuel for the RT. It will usually run on regular, but performance will be reduced. At the risk of opening up a can of worms, I'd recommend the 91 octane.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NancysToy

If you fill very slowly, with the nozzle just inserted into the fill hole, you can fill until gas just starts to spurt out the vent slots. There is usually no odor problem this way, at least with slow filling pumps, and you get about the same amount of fill each time, making it more consistent to calculate fuel mileage.

BTW, BRP recommends premium fuel for the RT. It will usually run on regular, but performance will be reduced. At the risk of opening up a can of worms, I'd recommend the 91 octane.

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No worries there - it's always received the premium grade 91-93octane.

But all great advice and it's worked!! and the Owner's Manual clearly spells out not to do what I was doing!!
The guys and gals here are super - and the low fuel prices yesterday was a bit refreshing. i'm sure that will change a bit bc of Sandy