Pressure in the Fuel Tank ? Would NOT start

[Newhorizons]

Just putting out a 'non starting' experience I had recently.

Had ridden my bike halfway up the east Coast of Oz as part 1 of a longer trip.
Parked it up in  a mates garage and flew home. Went back 6 weeks later to set up for part 2 of the trip.
Put it on a battery charger whilst setting up panniers, riding gear, camping gear etc etc.

Packed everything, charger was finished, hit the starter and it 'coughed' but wouldn't fire.
Tried it maybe 7 or 8 times for up to 5 to 10 seconds each and it just wasn't even sounding like firing.
Tried opening up the Throttle, half throttle, no throttle of course = NO KABOOM.

Could smell fuel and wondered if its possible for FI bikes to flood. Reflecting on the good old days of carby's, chokes, flooded bowls etc.

Started to think I was going to flatten the Battery so I stopped and decided to open the fuel cap and let it air for a few seconds.
Closed the Cap, Hit the key and it started straight off, was a bit doughy so I took it around the block to clear the system.

I suspect that in the hot humid weather ???? locked up in a steel garage on the Gold Coast for 6 weeks ..... that it must have pressurized in the Tank??  From nothing to bang after opening the cap. Is there a sensor for fuel pressure ??? Could the injectors over pressurise ?

Not one ounce of hesitation or problem for the next week of the trip in 'all' conditions up to high 30 cel.

So just putting it out there, if for whatever reason, your Tiger plays up after being parked for a while. Open the Cap

Is it possible that the FI could play up if the Tank pressurizes?  I was in a dark place for 10mins ..... a trip 1 year in the planning and a bike that dns at the starting line. 

[K1W1]

The tank should not pressurise it has a vent tube. Worst case if the fuel is fill up and expands in heat it will escape down the tube and onto the ground under the bike.
When you opened the cap did it sound like pressure was escaping from the tank?

[chuckxc]

Originally Posted by Newhorizons

 hot humid weather ???? locked up in a steel garage on the Gold Coast for 6 weeks ...

Ideal conditions for accumulation of condensing water vapour in the tank. Water settles to the bottom, first time starting the water shows up in the injectors, then finally clears with additional turnover.----
Tank pressure irrelevant, it's a simple fluid pump in the tank.

[Stevie.P]

Originally Posted by K1W1

The tank should not pressurise it has a vent tube.

  ... and the 2015XC should be the same setup as my 2015XR .... so easy to check.

https://www.tiger800.co.uk/index.php/topic,30498.0.html

[Newhorizons]

Okay, this is simple, NOT
So when I opened the Cap I did not hear any noticeable hissing that might suggest pressure and certainly not like a fuel can.
I know about the over flow line from the Tank, only did that once.

Fwiw Chuck, I had done 1300k in 2 days from Jindabyne (last Snowy ride was a miserable wash out) to Gold Coast. From Sydney up the weather was mid 30's in April but further up the Coast they were only just at the tail end of their floods and there was plenty of water around and maybe just maybe the floods, humidity and whatever had an impact. Having said that I had topped up up in the GC Hinterland on a lunch ride before I flew back home and that was a BP station in the middle of town.... in the Hills.

Main thing is it did start .... and started first hit for the rest of the Trip, the rest is speculation. Thanks guys.

[K1W1]

Originally Posted by Newhorizons

Fwiw Chuck, I had done 1300k in 2 days from Jindabyne (last Snowy ride was a miserable wash out) to Gold Coast. From Sydney up the weather was mid 30's in April but further up the Coast they were only just at the tail end of their floods and there was plenty of water around and maybe just maybe the floods, humidity and whatever had an impact. Having said that I had topped up up in the GC Hinterland on a lunch ride before I flew back home and that was a BP station in the middle of town.... in the Hills.

You may have picked up a little water in the fuel with all those floods around. Leaving the bike parked would have been enough to let the water settle to the bottom where the fuel pump was trying to convince the engine it was 91 Octane water,.
Easy fix is some Meths in the tank, 200-300ml. It will break up the surface tension between the water and the fuel and allow them to mix. The water will then pass harmlessly through the bike and out the exhaust as steam. It won't hurt the engine so i would be inclined to throw some in and then run the tank as empty as possible to make sure all the water if any was gone.

[Newhorizons]

You know what. I have some Metho, just for that. (about 150ml pill bottle)
Plus my little camp stove also uses Metho.

I started carrying it on my Bandit many many years ago after I picked up some water from the Mitta Mitta Servo opposite the Pub.
That time it only took a few minutes to work out of the tank into the bowls but could work it through the needle, whilst riding... it was fluffy but I was on the road..

So did the same on the Tiger, tucked up in the tail.... but given I didn't have problems coming down from the hinterland I never would have thought that was an issue.

That probably makes sense now ... and I now have a plausible reason for the dns.

Yeah come to think of it it was also fluffy when I got it started but I associated that with a flooding equivalent from so many starting efforts.

Cheers guys.

[K1W1]

Originally Posted by Newhorizons

I started carrying it on my Bandit many many years ago after I picked up some water from the Mitta Mitta Servo opposite the Pub.

I doubt you would have that problem these days the place is chockers on the weekends and during the better months. They still only have two pumps and you can be in the queue to get to a pump for 30 minutes if you hit the place soon after a group of sports bikes. I always try to make sure I can get the the next stop north or south without needing fuel there now.
The woman who runs the place is still rude and obnoxious.