Honda fuel leak?

[cmr123]

Anyone had problems losing fuel in a Honda Foreman 450 (1998). Mine seems to "lose" about 1/4 tank in a month. If the fuel is shut off, it does not lose any. I've check every fuel line on the machine. Then, laid out some nice clean papertowels under the tank, carb, and all fuel lines and left it for a month. No sign of the towels getting wet, but still missing fuel. Also no odor or puddles on the concrete under the machine.

My only thought is it's such a slow leak it evaporates before dripping onto anything. I can ride it for a day without running out, but not a big fan of having any size fuel leak when the hot engine and fuel tank are right between my legs!

Any thoughts?

 

[SpudHauler]

Possible float inlet needle has something holding it open. A little gum or dirt. Try removing the bowl drain and run some gas through. Make sure to catch what drains to check for dirt, if possible.

If that doesn't top the leak, you may need to remove carb and clean.

And you could try adding some fuel stabilizer. It has cleaners in it that may help digest the gummies.

Your carb has a drain tube and that one would come off the side just above the float bowl cover. Follow it down and see if it is wet.

Do this kind of stuff outside, with water hose ready, gas is easy to ignite. BE SAFE

Only other cause, SOMEONE is making love to free fuel at your expense.:laughing::laughing::laughing:

 

[MoKelly]

It seems hard to believe 1/4th tank of fuel a month is leaking but evaporating without leaving any marks on the floor or paper towels.

That is alot of gas.

It has to be going somewhere. I assume you have checked to be sure its not getting into the oil.

MoKelly

 

[MrChris]

I had a Kawasaki atv that had a warn carb float needle that wasn't shutting off the gas flow and it was leaking out the overflow tube of the carb.

 

[cmr123]

Only other cause, SOMEONE is making love to free fuel at your expense

There's a full 5 gal gas can right next to it, so they would be doing WAY to much work!

Do this kind of stuff outside, with water hose ready, gas is easy to ignite. BE SAFE

Actually, would rather have a bucket of sand than a garden hose. Ever sprayed burning gas....it tends to float on top of the water and spread fast!

Just curious here, the carb is uphill from the fuel line coming out of the tank. I could see fuel in the carb leaking out, but with the machine not running how's the gas running uphill?

 

[timswi]

On my previous Big Bear 350, the needle valve would stick sometimes and leak small amounts of fuel.

I would just pull off the fuel line (pinch it closed first) and spray Gumout into the inlet. That took care of the problem until whatever was in the gas tank washed through, then no more problems.

 

[proff49]

If the tank is full there is fuel above the level of the carb. If the carb is leaking somewhere it will leak until the fuel in the tank is at the same level as the carb. This shouldn't happen though, if the the fuel is shut off at the tank.

 

[timswi]

If the tank is full there is fuel above the level of the carb. If the carb is leaking somewhere it will leak until the fuel in the tank is at the same level as the carb. This shouldn't happen though, if the the fuel is shut off at the tank.

Agreed...In my case the petcock didn't shut the fuel off completely, so the issue was more urgent for me.

 

[DIXIEDOG]

I agree with the junk in the needle and seat theory....I've had this happen several times with my snowblowers. I couldn't tell where the fuel was going for a long time because it would evaporate before I noticed it, over time the paint under the carb got discolored. I replaced the needle and seat assembly and no more mysterious fuel leak.:thumbsup:

 

[TOMMYHPX4X4]

did you ever drain the oil? i had a motor with a sticky vale and needle and if i left the gas on it would run right into the cyclinder and down into the crank case. you can't tell just by lookin at the dip stick because the oils floats on top the fuel but if you drain it you will get fuel first then the oil. just someting you might wanna check.