fuel line & quick release

[belfastguzzi]

How does a so-called quick release fuel fitting release?

I need to get the tank off my Griso to confirm where oil is escaping, but I have never been able to get that dreadful connector apart. I haven't asked here before because the topic has been raised in the past – but I'm desperate now, so I'm repeating the old question.

 

Separation of this fitting seems to be an all or nothing affair. From past posts, people find it impossible – then it 'just pops off when pulled' with no real explanation. I have pushed, pulled, squeezed the parts together, pulled them apart – and there is no sign of the connector coming apart. Manipulation of the fitting is made difficult because there is no free play in the fuel line. The tank has to be lifted to get at the connector, but it will only lift a little because of the taut one-into-two fuel hose.

 

• How does it work? Can someone explain how to take it apart?

Could the mechanism / bits of plastic have been damaged / broken by the mechanic who did the recall work, so causing it to not operate?

 

The fuel line is another worry.

Since the bike had the recall work done, a pronounced kink has been evident in the fuel pipe just behind were it joins the QR connector. As the fuel line is some sort of stiff plastic material, the damage is permanent. The pipe is flattened and weakened where it is sharply creased. The damage must have been caused by the mechanic was working at the pipe to disconnect it. This would be easily done because of the lack of free play in the fuel line, causing the pipe to kink almost as soon as the tank is lifted to get a hand in to the connector.

As an aside, the drain pipes were never reattached to the tank - again because there is no free play and they are so inaccessible. Stupid short-changed design / fitting. For the sake of an extra inch or two of hoses, removing and refitting the fuel tank and its fittings becomes a nightmarish trial.

 

• The second question is, how strong is that plasticky fuel line – how resistant to splitting? I'm worried about it splitting at the crease. The smallest split would have pressurised fuel spraying over the engine.

[Greybeard]

About mid-way along the QR assembly you'll find a metal tab.

Pull that straight away at a 90 degree angle from the plastic QR and you'll be able to separate the connector.

 

When reassembling, a light wipe of silicone grease on the O ring will keep it from tearing.

 

Dunno about your plastic fuel line but I'll bet it'd fit neatly up the nose of the mechanic who did the recall work.

[The Monkey]

Get rid of the nasty cheap plastic line and put on proper fuel line with enough slack to avoid binding and to disconnect easily. Good luck

[pete roper]

Get rid of the nasty cheap plastic line and put on proper fuel line with enough slack to avoid binding and to disconnect easily. Good luck

 

 

Um. Not that simple. It's a QD fitting, not a hose that causes Dave's problem.

 

Pete

[belfastguzzi]

Anyone interested in an update?

Where to start?

 

I'll not go into the whole story, even though it might be amusing.

 

Anyway, it's disconnected now.

But the red plastic outlet elbow from the tank is broken. The part isn't available separately. You're meant to pay ££hundreds for a complete pump assembly.

I suspect that I couldn't get the unit to disconnect because the grey disconnect ring was indeed partially broken. I'm not sure. It's hard to see how exactly it works. The grey ring only moves a fraction, perhaps less than .5mm, but it wouldn't move properly because two of the four thin plastic straps that connect the outer ring to its internal parts were broken. This may have been done at the recall work. (And I've found more damage.)

There is very little free play in the fuel line, so it's hard to lift the tank enough to get at the connector.

I've just realised that the whole tank set-up is fundamentally different from the 1100 Griso and there is less free play all around.

 

I see that someone in USA has made up a part to replace another broken plastic fuel pump connector. I wonder how common this breakage is? There must be more than a few, as so many people report a lot of difficulty in getting the Quick Release separated. I'll have to see what sort of repair can be bodged if I can find suitable parts to use. However I want to get rid of that dreadful so-called quick release connection. If anyone knows of alternative parts I'd be glad to here.

As for the hose end: I'll either have to buy a complete new fuel line assembly (with half of the QR connector at end) or else replace all the hose with separate lengths, connectors and hose clamps. That would seem better. It looks like that is how the earlier 1100 Grisos were done.

I've been asking for advice on getting the fuel line off the connectors. There hasn't been any, so I went ahead and tried heat. It doesn't work. The pipe just deforms and melts rather than softening/expanding/easing off. I'll cut it off, slice the line.

 

I haven't posted here about the rest of the ongoing problems with this bike, as this is a V.11 forum, but it's been grim. The bike is once again off the road indefinitely. Everything stems back to the factory faults with the tappets and cams and the terrible lack of aftercare to get things fixed. I'm on my own and any fixes are coming out of my pocket. I shouldn't have to bear the cost or the loss of the bike – but that's another story and one that Piaggio doesn't care about.

 

I'll put pics in posts following:

[belfastguzzi]

Pic post 1

 

That 'Quick Release' (sic) connector.

 

Hmmm

 

This is the danged connector, or most of it. It's not yet released, quickly.

 

I still couldn't get it separated. I could see that the grey part is indeed broken. I used a screwdriver to release the plastic catches and get the red pipe end out.

 

You can see here the broken parts. Two of the four straps that connect the grey outer ring to its inside part were broken. When the grey ring was pushed, it just hinged rather pushing down on the interior part. Is this why I could never get the parts to disconnect? Was this damage done at the time of the recall work? More on that later.

 

 

The broken elbow. Why do they make it so fragile? Given that it is so fragile, why can a replacement part not be bought? Can the part really not be bought on its own? Will I have to buy a complete pump assembly?

 

 

– Continued in next post–

[belfastguzzi]

Pic post 2

 

The kinked high-pressure fuel hose that I have complained of before. Seems to me that this happened during the recall work.

 

A clear crease in the line. This has been there since the recall. As soon as the tank is lifted slightly and pulled back a bit, the hose folds.

 

Confirmation of bad stuff. The other side of the hose shows a split in the outer. This is crap.

 

How do I get the pipe off the barbed connectors? Apply hot air to soften it? Same procedure to put a new piece on?

– Seems not. I'll have to slice it off.

[belfastguzzi]

Pic post 3

 

Lumpy Metal Bits

 

This is one reason that I have been trying for so long to get the fuel line disconnected and get the tank off.

Since the recall work, there has been oil leaking from the right barrel base

 

In between the barrels.

The 'bolt heads' are caps on the tubes to the cam chain tensioners. Since the recall work to (eventually) replace the cams and tappets, there has been oil leaking from the barrel base. Recently I have wondered could it be coming from the 'bolt' head, rather than the base gasket. That's why I started into this job.

 

Threaded cap off and you can see that the sealing face is in fact damaged with a couple of gouges!

 

How did that happen :!: :?: At the factory assembly – or during the recall work? More crap.

 

The edge is clearly gouged, but there is also a v-shaped indentation that runs across the face to the inside.

 

 

 

[belfastguzzi]

The fuel pump assembly.

 

The red plastic elbow is not made to come out.

The complete unit has to be replaced!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I did try to disconnect the fuel line at the injectors. so that I could pull the complete hose assembly out. The whole injector pulled out of the head. The end of the fuel pipe is tight on the end of the injector and won't easily pull off. I didn't want to force it incase of damage. I'll have to pull it off or cut it off when I get new hoses.

 

I'll put a new post in the CARC section about the differences between 1100 and 1200 Griso tanks & fittings.

[raz]

I really hope there's an end to your trouble. To help the odds a little, cut/slice the hoses off the injectors. Someone (here?) reported breaking a V11 injector fitting in a way similar to your QR fitting. Not replacable, hard to come up with a bodge fix and injectors are not cheap.

[belfastguzzi]

Someone (here?) reported breaking a V11 injector fitting in a way similar to your QR fitting. Not replacable, hard to come up with a bodge fix and injectors are not cheap.

 

Uh oh, THANKS for the warning!

– Pete did warn me about the elbow breaking, but I had hardly lifted the tank at all when there was a snap.

They seem to break easily.

[mike wilson]

Do you want to post the whole unit to me and I'll make up a new elbow in something more substantial?

[John in Leeds]

Probably won't help with the broken elbow but looks like a better coupling alternative

 

Fuel line coupling from Motorworks

 

I've seen a 6mm version too

[belfastguzzi]

Do you want to post the whole unit to me and I'll make up a new elbow in something more substantial?

Mike, that is a fabulous offer, hugely appreciated.

I'll see if I can find any suitable parts locally this week. If I can't, then I'll contact you.

 

D

[belfastguzzi]

Probably won't help with the broken elbow but looks like a better coupling alternative

 

Fuel line coupling from Motorworks

 

I've seen a 6mm version too

 

Thanks John

This is probably what I will fit when the elbow gets replaced and then I'll put on all new hoses with hose clamps. I phoned BMW here yesterday to ask if they had connectors in stock. They have one half only. I also asked about an all metal connector. The said there isn't one. There is though, apparently it's an aftermarket option for GS models. I saw a the part on an American BM site. The plastic may be good enough, as long as it is more substantial and works better than the one that Guzzi use.

Good to get the Motorworks site reference.

There is a spigot shown. It could the type of thing that's needed for a plate fitting. It's probably plastic though. An elbow would be better and probably necessary because of the under-tank clearance issue.

The picture isn't good, so can't tell much from it, I presume it is a threaded end: