So last night, I was up riding on a really nasty, steep, and bumpy trail. I get to the top and notice there's splash marks in the dust on the back of the cvt cover. That's weird I thought because I didn't go through any water to splash up there. I get home and take the middle plastic off to see where and what is leaking. It was then I noticed a hairline crack in the frame right where the battery sits, and it's all wet. Turns out that the splashing was gasoline dripping from the crack! Why is there gas in my frame? Because Kawasaki runs the vent hose for the gas tank through the frame for some odd reason instead of just keeping it in a hose the entire length to the vent hose loom under the gauge pod!
Now, here's my theory why this happened. Three months ago, I was out in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden, my Kawie wouldn't stay running on any slightest incline. Died like the carbs were flooded. I take the gas cap off and gas comes gushing out like a geyser. Yep, another *##^ing check valve had gone bad. This was like the 5th one! So I stick a $3 fuel filter I had kicking around in my glove box in there in lieu of a check valve. At that point, i was so sick of this bike burning through check valves that i didn't give a crap if i smelled gas vapors all day from the vent. I'd rather smell gas than have a fuel geyser and a stalled machine. But apparently, the way these Kawies are set up, it doesn't just let vapors out the vent.....it let's teaspoons of gas pass right through the frame!
So now I guess I'm stuck buying more damn check valves. The question is, why are they failing so often?? I ordered some generic aluminum body check valves off Amazon last time. Got a two-pack for $10 and put one on my machine, and one on my buddy's 650 Prairie. Both went bad in less than six months. I buy an OEM for $40 and it goes bad in less than six months. Wtf?
I see that Kawie has used different check valves for Prairies than for Brutes, and the older Brutes are different from newer Brutes. Does anyone know the difference? Should I try one for a 2020 Brute and see if it's any better?
Now, here's my theory why this happened. Three months ago, I was out in the middle of nowhere when all of a sudden, my Kawie wouldn't stay running on any slightest incline. Died like the carbs were flooded. I take the gas cap off and gas comes gushing out like a geyser. Yep, another *##^ing check valve had gone bad. This was like the 5th one! So I stick a $3 fuel filter I had kicking around in my glove box in there in lieu of a check valve. At that point, i was so sick of this bike burning through check valves that i didn't give a crap if i smelled gas vapors all day from the vent. I'd rather smell gas than have a fuel geyser and a stalled machine. But apparently, the way these Kawies are set up, it doesn't just let vapors out the vent.....it let's teaspoons of gas pass right through the frame!
So now I guess I'm stuck buying more damn check valves. The question is, why are they failing so often?? I ordered some generic aluminum body check valves off Amazon last time. Got a two-pack for $10 and put one on my machine, and one on my buddy's 650 Prairie. Both went bad in less than six months. I buy an OEM for $40 and it goes bad in less than six months. Wtf?
I see that Kawie has used different check valves for Prairies than for Brutes, and the older Brutes are different from newer Brutes. Does anyone know the difference? Should I try one for a 2020 Brute and see if it's any better?
