Overfilling gas

[dududuckling]

Newbie 101 question here:

At the pump today, I might have filled up 1/4” above the bottom of the filler neck, thinking that once the bike is righted up, the gas level will drop even with the bottom of the filler neck. Bike rode fine and when I got home, parked it leaning on the side stand. Two hours later, there was gas seeping out of the gas cap onto the side of the tank and then disappeared. I suppose that hot gas expands. I have cleaned it all up, and put the side stand on a 2x4, so the bike is more upright. I plan to ride it out a bit in the morning to burn some of the gas in the tank.

Will the gas seep out of the cap again once I ride the bike, or will the level drop faster before it can expand? Am I looking at symptom if clogged evap in near future? First time seeing gas out of gas cap. I can syphon it out, but is it necessary?

Thanks in advanced.

PS: That’s the level after seeping and cleaned up, righted up.

PPS: I have also had the fuel filter replaced, which means removal of the gas tank. But thats 200 miles ago, a couple of fill ups and no issue then. Could any of the lines become pinched?

 

[Raven]

I would take it for a ride and burn some of the gas. After that you should wash and wax the tank. The gas running down it will have washed all the wax off and it may appear dull.

 

[dududuckling]

Thanks! I wiped it off with the GT-RX cleaner and wet towel, then reapplied some matte wax coating. I did almost 100 miles this morning to burn some of that gas. Seems like everything is good.

 

[Godfrey]

I stop filling as soon as the fuel is up to the vent relief holes in the filler guide so that when I stand the bike upright the level in the tank is a bit below the guide, maybe a quarter to half an inch. That allows plenty of room for expansion.

 

[dududuckling]

I stop filling as soon as the fuel is up to the vent relief holes in the filler guide so that when I stand the bike upright the level in the tank is a bit below the guide, maybe a quarter to half an inch. That allows plenty of room for expansion.

Is the vent relief hole, the tiny 1/8” hole on the side of the filler neck, about 1/4” below the gas cap?

I’ll take note next time in the gas station

 

[Godfrey]

I meant the two oval cut-out vents in the filler guide—using your photo ...



With the bike on the side stand on level ground, as soon as the fuel touches the bottom edge of those vents (on the left) I stop filling. When I bring the bike up to vertical, the fuel level is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch below the guide's bottom. That's full enough to give proper air space in the tank to accommodate fuel expansion and venting.

Whether I'm giving up a little bit of range or not, I don't know. Filled that way each time, my Low Fuel warning indicator flicks on reliably between 189 and 200 miles, and I've run up to 47 miles on the low fuel trip odometer so far. Filling the tank within 10 miles of the indicator coming on, it takes just about 4 gallons (US) to full.

 

[Mayakovski]

I meant the two oval cut-out vents in the filler guide—using your photo ...

Good to know, I was over filling as well. Well, not anymore. Now I know, and knowing is half the battle.

 

[dududuckling]

I meant the two oval cut-out vents in the filler guide—using your photo ...

View attachment 15186

With the bike on the side stand on level ground, as soon as the fuel touches the bottom edge of those vents (on the left) I stop filling. When I bring the bike up to vertical, the fuel level is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch below the guide's bottom. That's full enough to give proper air space in the tank to accommodate fuel expansion and venting.

Whether I'm giving up a little bit of range or not, I don't know. Filled that way each time, my Low Fuel warning indicator flicks on reliably between 189 and 200 miles, and I've run up to 47 miles on the low fuel trip odometer so far. Filling the tank within 10 miles of the indicator coming on, it takes just about 4 gallons (US) to full.

That makes complete sense. I normally fill it to slightly below the vents too (I call it the bottom of the filler neck). Anyway, this time round I made the mistake of filling up 1/4" pass that mark, thinking that when it sits upright, it will be level with the vent.

I've mostly been riding in the city with the occasional going out of town once a week or so. Last I fill was about 3.75 gal at 140 miles (about a week and a half, Santa Barbara is a small city), which gets me around 36 MPG (city mpg). Thanks for your input!