Not another puddle! I’ve been watching this puddle grow over the past few days. I initially saw it when I went to take the Super9 downtown. I think it must have been talking to the GS next to it about the abuse and decided to revolt.
The first thing I thought was engine oil because of the dark color and the position near the front of the scooter. It wasn’t green, so not anti-freeze. Too far back to be fork oil or brake fluid. The scooter is a 2-stroke, so there isn’t separate engine oil. I premix the gas and oil and put it in the gas tank. Could the carb be leaking? No, that would make a puddle in the back. No transmission fluid since it uses rollers and a belt. What could be making the puddle? Is there a crack in the engine??
I was starting to grumble to myself about having to take all the tupperware off to see the engine and frame and determine the source. That’s when a spot of shiny caught my eye.
In the little tool compartment, I keep some spare premixed gas and some spare oil. I keep the premix in an old seafoam can. Have I ever mentioned how much I like seafoam? It works wonders to keep carbs and injectors clean. The can is just the right size and will get me an extra few miles. They are good insurance. The gas gauge hardly moves and when it does it goes straight to empty from half.
Both containers were leaking! Arg! Here I have been worrying for the past few days as I’ve watched the puddle grow, but I didn’t have time to investigate until today.
This is very good news! My scooter is now a tad dirty, but still reliable! Yay!
Go online or to REI and get yourself a proper fuel bottle, either Brunton or MSR (available in .6L or 1L bottle). Make sure you get the older style cap though, I understand the new child proof caps have a tendency to leak.
ReplyDeleteGlad you found the source of the leak and it turned out to be the least expensive one.
At least it wasn't anything major. I thought that most scooters were 4-cycle. Shows how much I pay attention...
ReplyDeleteRichard
It's always a good thing to have your worst mechanical fears proven wrong isn't it? I just went through two similar events, one was a leaking water jug and the other was overspray of wd40 which ended up pooling on the garage floor.....
ReplyDeleteDarn Suzuki does not seem to use up oil, not used to that! ;)
Dom
Redleg's Rides
Colorado Motorcycle Travel Examiner
Dear Chris:
ReplyDeleteAll's well that end's well. I think that's good advice to get the proper MSR bottle to carry the gas/oil mixture. I use MSR bottles to carry rum and Irish Whiskey. They stayed intact through a vicious crash in 2007.
Ain't it nice to walk away from a potential problem with a laugh.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
In a strange turn of events - this past weekend my other half (Kenny) had a container of oil in the trunk of his RS250 split and leak, creating a puddle. He nearly had a heart attack and then began investigating finding the culprit.
ReplyDeleteHow weird - must be something in the 2-stroke air :)
Troubadour: thanks for commenting. I have two 1L MSR bottles, but they don't fit in this spot. The .6L might fit. I'll have to see. The seafoam can was free and lasted almost three years before leaking. The last time I used an MSR bottle it leaked in the first week spilling gas all over my bike.
ReplyDeleteRichardM: most scooters are 4-stroke, especially over 100cc. I'm happy mine is a 2-stroke. it's quite fun >:)
Dom: Indeed! I've done the overspray with WD40 too. seeing a puddle under the bike always makes my heart skip a beat.
My SV doesn't use oil either. Nice eh? Now only if my GS and Ural would follow that example.
Dear Jack: MSR bottles are sturdy. I will look into the smaller size. I have a couple of the 1L and they are too big for the small space I have available on the scooter. Hopefully their seals have gotten better. I don't trust the two I have not to leak.
Fuzzy: Wow! what a coincidence! I can totally empathize with Kenny. a puddle is a terrible sight under a vehicle.
PS: tell kenny the rs250 is cool!
I am glad it was nothing more serious than a leaking bottle. Us humans are strange aren’t we? If we think something is difficult to do, most times we delay doing it. Then it bugs us and sticks in the backs of our minds and gnaws away at our conscience, but we still shy away from the task. Eventually we succumb and tackle it head on, only to often find it is really simple to solve and we could have avoided worrying about it in the first place. I have had a few things like that recently and although solving then was easy, I am sure I grew a few more grey hairs worrying about them un-necessarily.
ReplyDeleteGary: Yes, very strange. just get cranky at the puddle and then grow more cranky looking at it. turns out to be nothing hehe. silly. good to see I'm not the only one with the strange behavior. The grey will just match your chrome ;)
ReplyDelete