PETROL FOUNTAIN

[stivesvelo]

Buzzing along in the outside lane of the A11 in the direction of Norwich yesterday when the bike cut out.

Coasted into the hard shoulder & pushed the bike to the exit road, thankfully only a couple of hundred yards away & the biek was easier to push than I expected. (btw - rwb boxer cup)

Found that when I turned the ignition on there was great fountain of petrol spurting out from under the battery tray. Was on the way to see someone so fortune shone & he rescued the bike to his house in a van.

Took it down to the battery tray coming out & found that the fuel pipe from the left injector comes from a plastic 'manifold' with 4 pipes, feed return & 2 injector feeds, it had broken off level with the end of the rubber pipe, leaving a stub of about 15-20mm in place on the plastic thingumy.

The remaining pipe wasn't long enough so we managed to bodge it with some other pipe in his garage & some hose clips which fortunately was successful.

I am really surprised as this was all original as it left the factory before it broke & it appears that the pipe to the injector was just the right length to reach it's destination & I guess had been under a little stress, & with the vibes of a sustained motorway drive had broken the pipe.

It would have been better if it had a bit more length in the pipe for a bit of movement.

Has anyone else had this go?

Fortunately the bike was decatted, so only a hot pipe for the petrol to hit but have to wonder what would have happened with it spurting onto a nice hot catalist just below!

Definitely worth checking it out just in case you have the same problem, I'm going to see if there's a stronger version of the manifold thingy, also any recommendations re: fuel hose & clips?

Rob

[Grip Fast]

Sounds like that ended a lot better than it could have, under the circumstances. But also sounds like a poor design if a fuel pipe is under enough stress to break.

Thanks for the advisory.

[mh374]

My bike is subject to a recall re a fuel pipe. BMW have been vague about which one.
My nearest dealer cannot do the work for 4 weeks and advise that I don't ride the bike, but when I ask how to get it to them suggest I ride it ( and have a cup of coffee whilst it is done) or they can collect it for £110.