safecracker
Active member
What year is your Spyder. Need a bit more info.
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Strong gasoline smell after riding - is this common? Any fix?
- Thread starter Glenn B
- Start date
BLUEKNIGHT911
Sadly Passed Oct 2024 - RIP
The V-twin can have the recurring gas smell if the EVAP cannister has been contaminated by Gas. If you can stop the possibility of any more gas getting in there, it will eventually evaporate (may take a month). Go to my Albums and look at the pics for "gas smell fix" it will show you how I re-routed the gas lines to cure this. Good luck. Mike
hyea:
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Snowbelt Spyder
Well-known member
Hey Aggie. So you have a pre-owned 2012 RT. Congrats, that was the best of the V-Twin RTs. However, they all had a few glitches in common - in your case they all suffered from high underbody temperatures. As you learn how your machine is constructed, you'll see how the exhaust headers and catalytic converter run in close proximity to the gas tank. This resulted in excessive evaporation of fuel and it would pretty much render the charcoal canister useless after a period of time. People forget how we could sometimes hear boiling from inside the gas tank. And then, after a design change of the RT in 2013, underbody temperatures got so bad that it resulted in a safety recall of the 2013's.
So, what's that mean to you? When you come back from a long ride next time and you smell the gas in the garage, do a quick look under the Spyder from the right hand side, and look for the stubby end of a rubber hose. That's the vent from the canister. In all probability you'll see a drop or two of liquid hanging from it and maybe a couple drops on the floor. You don't have a leak. That is not raw fuel and it has nothing to do with over-filling your gas tank at the pumps. It's nothing but fuel vapors that are now condensing as they reach the cool air of your garage, and a sign that your canister is saturated and useless. No amount of riding will dry it out because it will be receiving more vapors every time you ride.
As most of us have done, we've just removed and defeated that entire canister / purge valve system. So, do a forum search or a Google search of the forum and search for canisterectomy, and look for info as it applies to the RT. Doing this won't completely eliminate the smell on very hot days - fuel will still evaporate of course - but it will eliminate that glob of saturated charcoal stinking up your garage.
In addition, look at your Spyder underneath the mirrors. Do you have components on the body work that look like an air deflector, or do they look like an air scoop that can direct air under the body. If you only have air deflectors, than search the forum again for RT Vent Kit. This thing here:
https://www.amazon.com/Can-Am-Spyder-Vent-Kit-219800388/dp/B079S6B78J
That solution came out of the 2013 recall and can be fitted to all RTs. Air is redirected under the bodywork and keeps temperatures at very reasonable levels. If you have the scoops already, you do want to check that the inner panel underneath the painted panel - called the acoustic panel - is removed as required. If not permanently removed it blocks the airflow from getting under the panels and doing any good.
These two things will not completely eliminate any fuel smell if the interior of the machine is heat soaked after a long day, but the situation will be greatly improved.
Back in 2012, there was also a gas cap recall. Since your machine was new and under warranty and probably being serviced at the dealer, there's a good probability that that was performed.
So, it's all a learning curve and finding out what accesories are out there. If she doesn't like the heat on her right foot, there are solutions for that, too. Just search the forum and visit the site vendors. Good luck. Be safe. Watch out for deer.
So, what's that mean to you? When you come back from a long ride next time and you smell the gas in the garage, do a quick look under the Spyder from the right hand side, and look for the stubby end of a rubber hose. That's the vent from the canister. In all probability you'll see a drop or two of liquid hanging from it and maybe a couple drops on the floor. You don't have a leak. That is not raw fuel and it has nothing to do with over-filling your gas tank at the pumps. It's nothing but fuel vapors that are now condensing as they reach the cool air of your garage, and a sign that your canister is saturated and useless. No amount of riding will dry it out because it will be receiving more vapors every time you ride.
As most of us have done, we've just removed and defeated that entire canister / purge valve system. So, do a forum search or a Google search of the forum and search for canisterectomy, and look for info as it applies to the RT. Doing this won't completely eliminate the smell on very hot days - fuel will still evaporate of course - but it will eliminate that glob of saturated charcoal stinking up your garage.
In addition, look at your Spyder underneath the mirrors. Do you have components on the body work that look like an air deflector, or do they look like an air scoop that can direct air under the body. If you only have air deflectors, than search the forum again for RT Vent Kit. This thing here:
https://www.amazon.com/Can-Am-Spyder-Vent-Kit-219800388/dp/B079S6B78J
That solution came out of the 2013 recall and can be fitted to all RTs. Air is redirected under the bodywork and keeps temperatures at very reasonable levels. If you have the scoops already, you do want to check that the inner panel underneath the painted panel - called the acoustic panel - is removed as required. If not permanently removed it blocks the airflow from getting under the panels and doing any good.
These two things will not completely eliminate any fuel smell if the interior of the machine is heat soaked after a long day, but the situation will be greatly improved.
Back in 2012, there was also a gas cap recall. Since your machine was new and under warranty and probably being serviced at the dealer, there's a good probability that that was performed.
So, it's all a learning curve and finding out what accesories are out there. If she doesn't like the heat on her right foot, there are solutions for that, too. Just search the forum and visit the site vendors. Good luck. Be safe. Watch out for deer.
BajaRon
Well-known member
The 2008 - 2012 Spyders had an ill conceived crankcase vent system which allowed oil into the air box. Severe cases would allow enough oil into the air box that it would pool at the corner where a weep hole is located. The oil would drip through the weep hole onto hot engine parts and smell pretty bad. The small amount of oil would never reach the floor or make any significant difference in oil level. There is a cheap and easy fix for this.
If it is burning oil you are smelling, I would suspect the above. But I think it more likely that you've got evap canister issues. Very common and, in my opinion, a real fire hazard. If this is your problem I would definitely recommend a Canister-ectomy, as has already been suggested. Cheap, easy and a permanent fix.
You can get a gasoline smell even if everything is OK. But it is usually very mild. A moderate to strong gasoline smell needs to be investigated.
If it is burning oil you are smelling, I would suspect the above. But I think it more likely that you've got evap canister issues. Very common and, in my opinion, a real fire hazard. If this is your problem I would definitely recommend a Canister-ectomy, as has already been suggested. Cheap, easy and a permanent fix.
You can get a gasoline smell even if everything is OK. But it is usually very mild. A moderate to strong gasoline smell needs to be investigated.
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No. that is the original vent. Snowbelt was talking about the upgraded vent kit that some people upgraded too; Try looking at this old thread to see what the vent kit looks like on the Spyder "click:https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/showthread.php?84770-RT-vent-kit-on-2014-RT&highlight=scoop
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2018 F3 LTD 25,000 miles
I have been noticing the smell of gas when I park after a ride. Seems to be getting stronger with time. Engine seems to be running fine, smooth idle, no "fault codes", I would say the odor is stronger on the left side (shifter side), oil smells of gas and doesn't seem to be rising, fuel consumption seems to be getting worse also. Anyone else gone through this? Thanks in advance...
I have been noticing the smell of gas when I park after a ride. Seems to be getting stronger with time. Engine seems to be running fine, smooth idle, no "fault codes", I would say the odor is stronger on the left side (shifter side), oil smells of gas and doesn't seem to be rising, fuel consumption seems to be getting worse also. Anyone else gone through this? Thanks in advance...
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BertRemington
New member
It's hard to determine exactly where smells come from so you want to check both places:
Left-side: PCV hoses and filter (inside the small rectangular box)
Right-side: fuel hoses, especially the section between the fuel filter and the Y-fitting (mine had cord showing)
Left-side: PCV hoses and filter (inside the small rectangular box)
Right-side: fuel hoses, especially the section between the fuel filter and the Y-fitting (mine had cord showing)
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