TOPIC:

Petcock is off. The carb overflow tubes go out the right side of the bike right by the rear tire. I'm not getting anything out of them. No drips below the bike on the ground. The leaking I was getting around the carbs was fairly minor. Looked a little like condensation, but was gas. I tightened all the float bowl screws and loosened a clamp on one of the gas lines and that light weeping has gone away. The clamp on the fuel line was slightly deforming the line which was letting a tiny bit of gas seep by.

It's not super hot here. 80s ish lately. And I keep the garage at 80 when I'm not in it, a little cooler when I know I'm going to be out there for a bit.

I've noticed the same thing with my old bikes. I usually just park them outside for a while to let them cool down. Then push them inside after.

My bike looses the gas in the bowls after about a week so when I get ready to ride I have to prime the carbs.
being in Virginia you have easy Winters I'd guess so maybe you could drill a couple of holes low in the big door and 2 high on a opposing wall and install something like these and have cross ventilation like someone suggested.
www.amazon.com/Maurice-Franklin-Round-Pl...c-Vent/dp/B01DH9B2C0

I don't think it's a good idea to let gas fumes get into a hot attic,or cold one for that matter

bluej58 wrote: My bike looses the gas in the bowls after about a week so when I get ready to ride I have to prime the carbs.
being in Virginia you have easy Winters I'd guess so maybe you could drill a couple of holes low in the big door and 2 high on a opposing wall and install something like these and have cross ventilation like someone suggested.
www.amazon.com/Maurice-Franklin-Round-Pl...c-Vent/dp/B01DH9B2C0

I don't think it's a good idea to let gas fumes get into a hot attic,or cold one for that matter

So the other complicating factor is that my other hobby is playing in loud rock bands. I'd like to be able to play in the garage and not piss off my wife or neighbors. Unfortunately if air can go through those kind of vents, sound will too.

A few days ago I ordered a petcock o-ring as I noticed a little "weep" around the petcock lever. Again, really minor, but there. It arrived and I installed it yesterday. The only thing I'm still waiting on are replacement float bowl drain screws. But I'm not seeing any weeping around them.

If all that doesn't get the fumes under control I'll have to install some sort of venting. The space above the garage is vented. There's a ridge vent all along the length of the garage and soffit vents down each side. When I installed the insulation I used those plastic inserts that help make sure the soffit vents don't get obstructed. So I don't think that fumes would stay in the attic space. I think that's how they were getting out before. But I am hesitant and very much on the fence about passive venting to the attic.

I've seen a few people wall/surface mount a bathroom exhaust fan and use some flexible ducting to vent through an exterior wall. If you put a few bends in the flex duct and seal the exit really well, less sound will escape, though still quite a bit. Plus those will only pull air out when turned on.

Letting fumes build up in the garage isn't any better than letting them vent through the roof.

I know what I SHOULD do is put in a vent pipe like a plumbing vent stack that goes out through the roof. But that's complicated and expensive. But I know it's what I should do.

For now I'm crossing my fingers that I can minimize the source of the fumes to the point that it's safe and tolerable.

The fart fans have a door that opens when turned on. You can install a timer that fits in the switch box and have it go on and off at will. The duct work is small, flexible and can be routed in any direction. My little shop doesn't smell like gas as long as I turn the petcock off.
I do like the fart fan idea though for ventilation while painting or other things. They're quiet, cheap and easy to install.
Steve

And installed a window unit AC to keep it cool.

I suspect you've probably already considered the possibility of using the A/C if it has a setting to import fresh outside air, something such as "fan only" or "exhaust" setting. If so, could incorporate a separate timer switch.

Good Fortune, Topper!

Topper wrote: Yeah, or drain the float bowls. That's the kind of trouble shooting I've been doing and eliminating as many small leaks as I can.

I guess my question is more, "is it just normal for a 40 year old bike to have some gas fumes?" Because if so, I need to look into ventilating the garage.

Hi Trey,
My wife has a world class smeller. She complains every time I start my propane powered fork truck, "I smell propane!" If my collection of old Kaws made the level of odor you're describing she would never tolerate it.
So no it's not normal for a 40 year old bike to be that odoriferous.
Bill