2012 RT-S with Fuel vapor smell after riding - Any ideas why?

[USAF]

Hi guys, My new to me 2012 RT-S. has a fuel vapor smell after I shut down the machine that lasts a good 20 min while its parked. Its only got 5k miles on it.

 

[BajaRon]

Most likely it's your defective Evap Canister. It can also be a leaking fuel line. Both constitute a possible dangerous situation. Potential for a fire can be great.



5K on a 10 year old Spyder isn't necessarily a good thing. If it is the canister, getting rid of it is a very good idea. Even if it's fine, I still recommend it. Easily and cheaply done.

If it is a leaking fuel line. That is also easily corrected.

 

[USAF]

Hi, Thanks for the reply, So you can delete the canister without causing any issues ? Do you know of any videos out there showing how to do it ?


** I found a video of " A purge vale replacement " Is this the same thing as you are talking about ?

 

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Hi, Thanks for the reply, So you can delete the canister without causing any issues ? Do you know of any videos out there showing how to do it ?


** I found a video of " A purge vale replacement " Is this the same thing as you are talking about ?

Rick I don't think the " purge valve " is the same as the EVAP cannister ..... and IMHO the " canister " is there for a reason ..... The issue is the routing of the hoses that go from the Gas Tank into the Canister. In later years BRP changed the routing and eliminated the Canister Gas contamination issue ( ie. the fume smell ) .... I went in a different direction .... look in my Album Pics " Gas Smell Fix " ..... when you click on a pic it will enlarge and show the verbiage explanation ..... good luck .... Mike ....PS a contaminated canister will eventually DRY out. ( gas evaporates ) .....

 

[BajaRon]

Hi, Thanks for the reply, So you can delete the canister without causing any issues ? Do you know of any videos out there showing how to do it ?

Do a search for 'Canister-Ectomy' for a video. It is pretty straight forward. It will cause no issues. It will actually be better for the engine to remove it. Remove the canister (located to the right side of the engine). Leave about 1.5" of hose on the PCV valve so that an appropriate sized bolt can be inserted with some silicone seal. Then reroute the fuel tank vent hose, for which there are several options. It is not necessary to put a fuel filter in line. If you do insert one. I recommend a clear, see-through filter so you can monitor whether or not raw fuel is entering the system.

Well worth the effort.

 

[BertRemington]

Rick28 -- since your 10-years-old Spyder is new to you, I recommend you replace your fuel filter and possibly associated fuel lines. When I replaced my fuel filter I had to replace two fuel lines that were cracked showing the cord inside. And as I recall one of our members lost a Spyder to fire after smelling gas. A search may find the story.

 

[USAF]

I found a video where a guy says the fuel smell is from a bad " Purge Valve " How do I know what one is causing the vapor smell ? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VFXs7X-y6g&t=753s

 

[WhiteCat]

... My new to me 2012 RT-S. has a fuel vapor smell after I shut down the machine that lasts a good 20 min while its parked ...

Rick, i also run a 2012 RT in Germany and mine does just the same since the first day i got it.
I even was told by the dealer when i was instructed that day i picked up the Spyder there, that a vapor smell ist normal after riding.
Every time i stop the machine in the garage and come back several minutes later there is this (sometimes intersive) vapor smell.

It may also be, that there is something defect in addition, like the others allready wrote, and you should carefully check this,
but if you cant find something wrong, i just think thats the normal behavior of your bike.

Let me try to explain why (using pictures from the repair manual) i my not perfect english:

From the EVAP-Canister (1) there is a hose (5) going down to the bottom of your bike.
You can see it there comming out in the middle of your bike.
In normal state, this is where the vapor smell comes out.
After riding and looking at this hose afterwards, you can even see the petrol vapor coming out of the hose as glimmering air
(maybe flickering air is the better word, i dont know).



The function of the EVAP-Canister is descriped in the repair manual like this:



But what happens after riding, when there is of course still petrol in the EVAP-Canister?
Its evaporating through hose (5) to the outside and the bottom of your bike till its gone from the EVAP-Canister.

So, thats why you (we) can smell this like descriped, and thats also why this is simply normal because of the circumstance our old bikes are built
(new ones are not built like that any more and thats often the reason owners of new bikes think there MUST be something wrong with a bike smelling like that).

Maybe this helps you to arrange the situation a little bit better and avoids searching a malfunction where no malfunction is ...

Regards
Michael

 

[USAF]

Rick, i also run a 2012 RT in Germany and mine does just the same since the first day i got it.
I even was told by the dealer when i was instructed that day i picked up the Spyder there, that a vapor smell ist normal after riding.
Every time i stop the machine in the garage and come back several minutes later there is this (sometimes intersive) vapor smell.

It may also be, that there is something defect in addition, like the others allready wrote, and you should carefully check this,
but if you cant find something wrong, i just think thats the normal behavior of your bike.

Let me try to explain why (using pictures from the repair manual) i my not perfect english:

From the EVAP-Canister (1) there is a hose (5) going down to the bottom of your bike.
You can see it there comming out in the middle of your bike.
In normal state, this is where the vapor smell comes out.
After riding and looking at this hose afterwards, you can even see the petrol vapor coming out of the hose as glimmering air
(maybe flickering air is the better word, i dont know).

View attachment 198646

The function of the EVAP-Canister is descriped in the repair manual like this:

View attachment 198647

But what happens after riding, when there is of course still petrol in the EVAP-Canister?
Its evaporating through hose (5) to the outside and the bottom of your bike till its gone from the EVAP-Canister.

So, thats why you (we) can smell this like descriped, and thats also why this is simply normal because of the circumstance our old bikes are built
(new ones are not built like that any more and thats often the reason owners of new bikes think there MUST be something wrong with a bike smelling like that).

Maybe this helps you to arrange the situation a little bit better and avoids searching a malfunction where no malfunction is ...

Regards
Michael

Thank You for that, It was Very helpful !!! I notice after riding in cooler weather I dont have any smell, Just warm/hot weather.

 

[WhiteCat]

Thank You for that, It was Very helpful !!! I notice after riding in cooler weather I dont have any smell, Just warm/hot weather.

Yes Rick, i can also confirm this ...
The warmer the weather is, the stronger is the smell (and the more comes out of the hose Nr. 5).
I have no explination for that relationship, but it behaves like that.
Maybe its because the fuel in the tank and in the EVAP ist also warmer then and so it tends more to evaporate like it would do in colder condition.

Regards
Michael

 

[PistonBlown]

Ok one cause is likely to be the canister and that's definitely worth doing. Looks like you've found plenty of info on that though there is an article here where from about half way down the page I posted some pictures with arrows etc which may also help (its for an RS but its pretty similar) https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?92204-Air-filter-box

However there was also recall on the gas cap in early 2013 and one of the issues it solved was a fuel smell when hot. The gas cap is supposed to be non-vented but the older ones did sometimes vent when hot.

There was a replacement issued but the ratchet mechanism tended to break after a while so some owners went back to the original. I replaced mine with a Stant gas cap model 10819, others have used 10835 & 11835 as well for their Spyders.

 

[WhiteCat]

... However there was also recall on the gas cap in early 2013 and one of the issues it solved was a fuel smell when hot. The gas cap is supposed to be non-vented but the older ones did sometimes vent when hot ...

Concerning the gas cap, you can take a look at the following links.
There you can easily identify, which version of the gas cap you have:

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?142215-Useful-Information-for-2012-Can-Am-Spyder-Owners&p=1587442&viewfull=1#post1587442

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?47637-New-Fuel-Caps&p=557756&viewfull=1#post557756

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?47637-New-Fuel-Caps&p=557903&viewfull=1#post557903

Regards
Michael

 

[USAF]

Thanks WhiteCat! Thats a big help!