My Attempt at the Fixing the Horrid Fuel Smell

[Bob Denman]

Could you please summarize the changes that you've made so far?
(It'll save me from PAGES of reading! )
Thanks!

[jwulf74]

As it get warmer here we too have the really bad fuel smell. Tried a few different things to no avail. Today wasn't nearly as hot but the bikes still got pretty warm. We did fill the tanks right before we went home and.... no gas smell or dripping from either. As Bob D suggested on one of the other threads, I think the fresh fuel and then parking right away cools the tank down enough to help prevent the fumes. It was only around 70 max here though so I will need to try it a few more times.

I tried the canisterectomy on mine and moved hers to a different cooler place and both still smelled until today with the fresh fuel before going home.

Next up on mine to get the smell out from under my nose while ryding is to reroute the vent (still without the canister) to the back left side. I can smell it when ryding and then it seems to stick in my helmet for a while. But with the vent to the back, I shouldn't be able to smell it anymore.

Hopefully a permanent solution will be found to prevent the fumes from escaping at all though.

Has anyone just plugged the vent? Would that just cause too high of pressure so you wouldn't be able to open the gas cap until the tank cooled? I thought about just plugging the vent with the canister in place and finding a pressure relieve valve to put on the vent... Any thoughts on that idea?


We all do need a solution as breathing those fumes in the garage after a ride just isn't good... I like to monkey around out there but the gas smell is just too much.

[AZCowboy]

I have found as well others have the reason for the gas fumes. You can play with the canister and lines to it but it isn't the problem. It is good to put some heat shielding on the canister since BRP didn't while it is a half inch from the side of the engine.

The reason for the fumes is that your gas in your tank is boiling from the heat of the 2 manifold pipes with no REAL shielding on the gas tank.

You can play with the canister all you want it will not stop the gas fumes. They are coming from your gas tank boiling from the 2 manifold pipes. I no longer have gas fumes now even when it gets to around 110-120 out here in the high desert.

I left the cat alone and yes it does put out heat but not to the gas tank. It was the 2 manifold pipes that was heating up the gas tank and creating all the gas fumes. When I wrapped the manifold pipes it cooled it down so much that I didn't have a boiling gas tank or hot glove box. then I took out the factory air box and replaced it with Air Filter Kit Performance Can-Am Spyder RS and RT,
http://www.kewlmetalstore.com/index....f71b20b3a27625 I get 25% more air and a deep throat sound plus more mpg as well as more power. What a world of a difference and I can now see the top of the engine as well as getting to the front spark plug easy. That in proved my power and mpg. You can replace your cat that looks like that cat but a strait flow instead. RT Cat-Bypass is now available at www.spyder1attitude.com. RJ

[Craniac]

Added fuel filters and extra fuel line--fail
Moved Evap tank to tail area--better but still fail
Moved side panels out about a half inch for more air circulation: Better but still fail
Added custom high speed low drag evap canister: better but still fail
evap can 011.jpgevap can 007.jpgevap can 002.jpg
With each step the ambient temp has to go up to make the gas odor. So if it failed at 80 in stock configuration, I can probably go to 90 now.

Today I removed the air box just to see how hard it was. Once I got it out I decided it is never going back in my bike. I started making a homemade air filter system similar to JT's. I'm guessing that his is worth the asking price. I may try to find a frying pan to hold the filter. So the filter would be enclosed. Then I could run cold air straight to the intake. It is amazing how huge that filter box is. On my 2013 ST changing the air filter would require removing all the right side tupperware. Did I remember to say that thing is NOT going back in?

Almost every panel is off right now so I will probably wrap the headers while I am at it.

[MMcc]

Mine is a 2011 RTs I never had a heat issue where it was uncomfortable to ride or touch the bike in hot weather. Just boiling sound from gas tank kind of like an old fashion coffer peculator and the gas smell. After removing air box and resonator and installing JT air filter both problems went away. I only put about 400 miles on after the switch but the temps were in the 90's. Back home in Minnesota now and the temps are way below that. Before the switch I never noticed the warm/hot air from the two black vents you see below the mirrors. Now the heat really pours out from there while sitting in traffic or moving. The old system just seemed to block most of the air movement around the engine. Very happy with no gas smell and no boiling fuel. I can't say it improved mileage or performance but time will tell. Low fuel light would come on about 127 miles and I would fill up around 155 miles. Usually took just under 5 gallons to fill so I knew I could go a litter longer but never pushed it.

[SNOOPY]

Added fuel filters and extra fuel line--fail
Moved Evap tank to tail area--better but still fail
Moved side panels out about a half inch for more air circulation: Better but still fail
Added custom high speed low drag evap canister: better but still fail
evap can 011.jpgevap can 007.jpgevap can 002.jpg
With each step the ambient temp has to go up to make the gas odor. So if it failed at 80 in stock configuration, I can probably go to 90 now.

Today I removed the air box just to see how hard it was. Once I got it out I decided it is never going back in my bike. I started making a homemade air filter system similar to JT's. I'm guessing that his is worth the asking price. I may try to find a frying pan to hold the filter. So the filter would be enclosed. Then I could run cold air straight to the intake. It is amazing how huge that filter box is. On my 2013 ST changing the air filter would require removing all the right side tupperware. Did I remember to say that thing is NOT going back in?

Almost every panel is off right now so I will probably wrap the headers while I am at it.

Brainiac/Craniac man! I wish we lived closer!!!

My bike was totally apart today as well.

Yes every panel off the bike, panels, mirrors, kitchen sink, everything!

Sorta major job removing entire air intake system....and NOT going back in!

Installed the JT filter...nice

My headers are wrapped, but now I can actually get to all of them.
W/ he factory air intake missing now I think I have a second FRUNK, there is now that much free space!!!



Haven't test drove yet....

[PMK]

Guys, this almost becomes mind numbing when you consider fuel is boiling, fuel vapors and raw fuel are expelled from the machine, Spyders have been known to catch fire, and BRP has not stepped up to replace the exhaust and / or fuel tanks to prevent this.

I'm sure at some point this is going to get ugly for BRP.

FWIW, and we do not own a 13 or prior, our 14 RTs does remove a bunch of heat from the vents on the upper body work behind the deflectors. On our machine, the vents are placed in a low pressure area behind the clear deflectors, when not moving the heat bleeds out, when moving, I would be pretty certain the heat is pulled out.

PK

[Bob Denman]

C,
Thanks for that summation!
I think that you have reached the point; where adding some heat shielding to the underbelly of your ride is necessary...(And I suspect that you've got that figured out also! )
Wrapping the exhaust system, and adding some shielding to the tank; has GOT to help!
Good Luck! I've been following your efforts with a lot of interest; I thought that your evap canister mods showed some real promise!

[Craniac]

Took the factory air filter out and decided it is not going back in. So I cut it up and used the base plate for a new air filter.
air filter 003.jpg
Made a spacer out of a piece of plastic cutting board.
air filter 005.jpg
Couple of bottoms from spring form cooking pans and a 9" filter.
air filter 002.jpg

Still have to hook up the crankcase breather but I'm getting close.
Honestly I think you would be money ahead to buy a kit from one of the site sponsors. I'm probably close to a hundred dollars and two days labor.

Also bought some header wrap.

[SNOOPY]

Nice work


Hope you're not married and your wife missing kitchen stuff.

[Bob Denman]

Ingenuity, inventiveness, and a sense of adventure... PRICELESS!

[SNOOPY]

Ingenuity, inventiveness, and a sense of adventure... PRICELESS!

When I was younger I did all sorts of fabrication of things because I simply could not afford to buy all the aftermarket stuff for my cars and trucks. It actually makes you appreciate what you accomplished more than just buying a bolt on product sometimes.

I think as I get older I just don't feel like spending the time on such projects and can afford finally buying a few mods.

[Craniac]

Air filter mod finished. Now to wrap the pipes.


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[Craniac]

Rear cylinder pipe wrapped. Really hard to get a good pic of it. Hard to get my hands in there. Used a 60" piece of wrap. Could have been a little longer.
Spyder 008.jpg
Left side/front cylinder should be easier. There is a lot more room around it.
Spyder 003.jpg
Fuel filter is repurposed as crankcase vent filter. Look at all that room around the engine! There are some air vents just in front of the new air filter that should provide cold air when moving. The old air intake system was about three feet long. I'll post pics in a new thread.

[SNOOPY]

[ijon1]

Your not suppose to top off a car, let alone a Spyder.

[Dan McNally]

As Bob D. mentioned, waaaay back in this thread, I've had very good luck filling my gas tank at the end of a ride . . . gas station is less than a mile from my home . . . and filling it with cool gas stops the boiling . . . I've had no fumes in the garage since I started doing this. I'll probably add some insulation to me tank, and wrap the pipe near it, this summer, if I decide I need it, but since the ECM update, it appears to run much cooler . . . the heat that used to radiate from the seat latch assembly that would burn your hand is much cooler, now, even after a long ride . . . but I haven't ridden in 80 and 90 degree weather, yet, this season. If the gas station was a longer ride, I'd probably keep a gas can in the garage, and use that to cool the fuel in the tank.

[Bob Denman]

I'm glad that you stopped in here with some more information!
(And doubly-glad, that I didn't take credit for your info... )

[Craniac]

Finished wrapping the front/left pipe. I think 50 feet of wrap would do two Spyders. got it all back together and went for a test ride. New air intake is louder than stock. Think I will make a noise suppressor out of some foam. I'll still take the noise over the heat and fuel smell. Good news is there is no gas smell today. Bad news it is only 65 degrees and it didn't smell at 65 before I started.

[Bob Denman]

...Awaiting further reports then...

[Craniac]

JT told me I needed a blue intake system so I went Redneck. Don't take offense, I are one.

Used a camp mat from Wally World.redneck 001.jpg

This is half from the bottom. Shows the cut out for the throttle body.

This is installed
redneck 002.jpg

Runs forward to the colder air.

It also quiets the intake noise. I guess if it makes an engine quieter it can't really be Redneck, can it?

176 miles ride today with no foul odors, But it was just 85 degrees.

[SNOOPY]

I just hope that foam won't melt when it gets hot.

[Craniac]

Checked after the ride today and it still looked great. I'll keep an eye on it when it gets warmer.


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[Craniac]

80 mile ride at 95 degrees today. Pulled in the garage. Came back to check 15 minutes later. Fumes are pouring out the overflow. It is not as bad as it was before I started but it is still beyond what should be acceptable.

BRP did the remap
Moved the evap canister
Doubled the volume of the canister
Removed the air box and replaced with a homemade version similar to JT's
Wrapped the Exhaust pipes

I guess I can put the spacers back in the tupperware to open the airflow.
Perhaps add some more heat shielding.

[Craniac]

90 degrees today. About a four hour ride. Stinks like gas.

I'm about out of options.