Fuel Ines on 03 vs 1400

[WearySoldier]

So sitting in garage, it started leaking fuel. LEAKED ABOUT 1/2 GAL B4 I COULD get IT OUTSIDE. GAS COMING down fuel line from tank. have removed tank and added fuel to tank after shutting off petcock under tank, is not leaking around petcock. That leaves fuel lines do not know how to test them, Am looking for suggestions about using regular fuel lines instead of paying high price for oem, plus sheathing. Could run close to $100 for oem. See that there is molded bend in oem, concerned about kinking if not using oem. Then having to route them properly. Already aware of 'R'' & 'O' on fuel lines.

I know that this has been discussed somewhere in this forum, but is hard to find with over 30 pages to look through.

Thanks for words of wisdom.

[Herb]

Pull the petcock off the tank, turn the bent pickup half a turn (it is a pressed fit but will turn without a problem), replace the petcock and use regular fuel line, routing the lines so they are clear of the hot and sharp places.

I did this many years and thousands of miles ago and it has never given me any problems.

The only issue with this system is the tank cock shutof is facint forward so you have to slide the tank back to tilt it up where you can turn off the fuel.

Suzuki could built the thing that way with a shut off facing the rear and saved a lot of money for them and trouble for us.

[ncdave]

that's what I'm planning with my new petcock. I was able to fit the petcock into the tank without moving any of the pickups. is it ok that way or should I reverse the pickup? Perhaps a difference with reserve?

[sgtcall]

If you haven't found the leak yet make sure to check the carbs for leaks too.

[Herb]

that's what I'm planning with my new petcock. I was able to fit the petcock into the tank without moving any of the pickups. is it ok that way or should I reverse the pickup? Perhaps a difference with reserve?

If you don't turn the angled pickup to the front you won't have any reserve. No you don't need to swap them, just turn the angled one to point to the front of the tank... Experience talking.

[WearySoldier]

Pull the petcock off the tank, turn the bent pickup half a turn (it is a pressed fit but will turn without a problem), replace the petcock and use regular fuel line, routing the lines so they are clear of the hot and sharp places.

The only issue with this system is the tank cock shutof is facint forward so you have to slide the tank back to tilt it up where you can turn off the fuel.

Suzuki could built the thing that way with a shut off facing the rear and saved a lot of money for them and trouble for us.

Yeah, gotcha on what Suz, could have done. Sometimes designers are not always aware of things they design in view of how user has to deal with it.

Do i need to use some of that fuel line tube to protect the line where it almost sits on the rear cylinder? It does run very close.

What fuel line would be best? and it 5/16?

[Herb]

I was able to reuse the protective sleeve off of the original and I think, it was a long time ago, that I actually routed them differently than original.

I don't remember the line size. It was some I had from some other project.

[hillsy v2]

I've got a bunch of protective coil springs off some old brake hoses which are also useful for fuel lines if you have to make them curve without kinking.

[WearySoldier]

I have purchased 2 ft of fuel line from O'Reilly's, it is the kind mentioned to use that does not deteriorate with ethanol gas. I see that it has a really thick skin, also it was $4/ft.

Reasoning also tells me this is a very good fix. I also realized that i could reuse the conduit.

I hope 2 ft of hose is enough hose! I figured turning the petcock around would even shorten the needed hose a bit.

[Herb]

I don't even know how long the hoses are with the routing I used.

I had bought a roll of fuel line from Amazon for another project, it was more than I needed and at a whole lot less than $4 a foot.

[navigator]

Standard 5/16 fuel line is cheap but has a large outer diameter, making it more difficult to use in tight spaces.
High pressure 5/16 fuel line is used on fuel injection systems and has a smaller outside diameter, is reinforced, but has a higher price.
It also doesn't kink as easily, I suspect that is what you bought.

[Herb]

Standard 5/16 fuel line is cheap but has a large outer diameter, making it more difficult to use in tight spaces.
High pressure 5/16 fuel line is used on fuel injection systems and has a smaller outside diameter, is reinforced, but has a higher price.
It also doesn't kink as easily, I suspect that is what you bought.

It also doesn't bend as easily as the standard fuel line.

[WearySoldier]

I told the associate @ O'R that I did not want the hi-pressure line. So he came out with the one I bought He said it was the kind that would be resistant to ethanol gas, and proceeded to charge $4 for it. We played with it a bit and seems to bend into quite a small bend w/o kinking. Besides with reversing the petcock the bends are reduced in curvature.

WS

[WearySoldier]

Interesting info, I will take it to another O'R and have them tell me what it is. It is possible that he conned me. But the piece of fuel line looked like it would do the job quite well. He bent it into a small curve only a couple of inches across and it did not seem to want to kink.

Some one on here said the ethanol resistant hose was $4/ft. Might have been in a different posting on "fuel lines".

[Herb]

Interesting info, I will take it to another O'R and have them tell me what it is. It is possible that he conned me. But the piece of fuel line looked like it would do the job quite well. He bent it into a small curve only a couple of inches across and it did not seem to want to kink.

Some one on here said the ethanol resistant hose was $4/ft. Might have been in a different posting on "fuel lines".

I just looked up the price on autozone, $4 + tax is the price for regular fuel line.

[Springer Fla]

I had the same issue about 2 yrs ago. Luckily, the guy I bought my S83 from supplied new OEM lines. I wanted to use the lines on another bike so I came up with an alternative (that I haven't tried yet). That being... Use the transparent fuel line for Weed Eater / Chainsaw type machines and reuse the OEM heat shield over them. For the OEM bends > use a length of stainless steel welding wire on the inside.

This is my first post here. I used to follow IA on the "Old Board" decades ago, when I had a 1990 VS 750. I currently ride a C50 and haven't had time to work on my VS 1400. I'll be on here more often; when I get get the S83 road worthy.