Dripping gas ?

[bondobill]

97 Yamaha 200 V6 carbureted.
I got fuel dripping off of the lower bolt on the starter. At first I thought it was oil...there are a couple oil lines that run thru that area....but it smells like gas,looks like gas and tatse like gas.
No fuel lines in that area except for small hoses that run from the Reed plate back to the block. I have had a issue in the past with those return lines coming off the nipples but I replaced them all and fastened them with zip ties
Going pull the starter and see if I can trace it. Of course I won't be able to run it with the starter off. Anyone have any ideas ?






Bill

[TownsendsFJR1300]

First, I'd use Simple Green or a de-greaser of some sort, make sure its dry after that. Get it spotless / dry in the area.

Priming the fuel bulb may very well be enough to get it to leak. A spritz of baby powder will stick to anything freshly wet (fuel).

I'd probably pull the starter before hand and do the same procedure for easier access.

Last resort (for the potential fire hazard), start the engine (on muffs), spritz with the baby powder (if just the primer doesn't find it) and it should show as well.

It's in a small area, shouldn't be too hard to find...

I'd keep a fire extinguisher close...

[zenoahphobic]

A long shot, I wonder if that starter bolt thread has a crack or hole going through to the crankcase and that is where the fuel is coming from? I'd check the length of that bolt to see if it hits the bottom of the thread as remote possibility that that has caused damage.

[robert graham]

I notice the fuel pump and hoses are close by....maybe a pin-hole leak in pump or hoses squirting a small stream of fuel towards that bolt?...

[Jason2tpa]

It is a strange spot to have a fuel leak. Which makes me think that bolt is getting splashed or sprayed by the leak. The fuel pump is directly adjacent to the bolt. Could there be a crack behind the pump? The pump looks clean and dry from front view. Is the backside just as clean and dry?

[bondobill]

Thanks guys for the suggestions.
Pulled the starter. Found somewhat loose bolts on the fuel pumps. I checked the bolts on the intake manifold also. Thinking maybe it was coming from the fuel pumps although while running and priming the bulb I couldn't see any spray coming from there.
After tightening up the fuel pumps put the starter back on and fired it up. Still fuel dripping from that lower bolt.
Pulled the starter again and gave a gook look at the return lines located directly behind the starter. Those are the lines I replaced maybe a year or two ago cause they kept blowing off the nipples.
Found the problem



Cut off the bad end put starter back on and fired it up. No more fuel dripping.
Looks like I may have to find the proper replacement hose for those lines. They should last longer then a couple years I would think.

Anyways Thanks all for the help.

Bill

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Congrates on the find!

IMO, pick up an OEM line and be done with it. It's probably formed from the factory which lasted MANY years, before your last replacement...

It's NOT worth the potential fire hazard.

[99yam40]

Dang if solo was here he would tell you about blowing the cowling off of one of his f225s do to fuel leaking

[zenoahphobic]

Forgive me if I am wrong.
That hose looks like it's ID is to large for the exposed nipple in the picture seeming to explain the blowing off problem.
And that nipple is an oil input and not fuel?

[bondobill]

Forgive me if I am wrong.
That hose looks like it's ID is to large for the exposed nipple in the picture seeming to explain the blowing off problem.
And that nipple is an oil input and not fuel?

Like I said earlier...these lines I had replaced a couple years ago.
The originial lines had no clamps holding them on to the nipples. I added the metal clamp to hold the line onto the nipple. Just SW of my thumb you'll see what is a oil line feeding the carburetor.
The line in question runs from the reed plate to a nipple valve on the block and then runs from that to another nipple valve on the block. All total there are 3 of these lines on both the starboard and port side running from the reed plate back to the block.

I ain't no outboard mechanic but I can tell the difference between straight oil and gas .
Either these lines serve the purpose of bringing back unburned mixed gas and oil from the crankcase back to the Reed plate or visa versa I have no idea.
All I know is if one of these hoses is disconnected the motor coughs and sneezes something horrible at idle.

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Forgive me if I am wrong.
That hose looks like it's ID is to large for the exposed nipple in the picture seeming to explain the blowing off problem.
And that nipple is an oil input and not fuel?

I know most Honda (Japanese) fuel lines ARE smaller (especially ID) than what you'll get off the shelf (hardware store) in the US.

I suspect the Yamaha, (under cowl) are also slightly smaller than what the OP replaced with.