Bulkhead fitting

spearman

Premier Member
#1
I am looking for a recommendation for a bulkhead fitting.

I am planning to install a bulkhead fitting on a 2020 BMW R1250RT. I am planning to reuse a Maple Farkles fuel cell from my former K1600GTL. I am modifying it from a rear rack mount to a pillion seat mount. I have watched the Maple Farkles video on installing the bulkhead fitting.

Thanks
 

Greg Rice

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#2
I am looking for a recommendation for a bulkhead fitting.

I am planning to install a bulkhead fitting on a 2020 BMW R1250RT. I am planning to reuse a Maple Farkles fuel cell from my former K1600GTL. I am modifying it from a rear rack mount to a pillion seat mount. I have watched the Maple Farkles video on installing the bulkhead fitting.

Thanks
I mounted a Langford tank on my 2016 RT and drilled a hole in the tank for a bulkhead fitting. It is a very tight spot and no room for error. See photo below.

A few years later I bought a new 1250 GSA and I had heard about the idea of tapping into the vent line so you do not have to drill a hole in the tank. It is a nice easy way to not have to drill a hole in your fuel tank and you can easily return to stock at any time.

Some who did this method did not have good results but most of of us did and I did the same thin on my FJR when I installed the aux tank . Here is a link to a long thread here on the IBA forum. there is a lot more information out there on the web also regarding this way of tapping into the vent line for your aux tank.

http://forum.ironbutt.org/index.php?threads/aux-tank-installation-2018-gsa.3008/


Bulkhead Fitting I used.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008I581KK/

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0045LNDP4/

RT Tank Bulkhead Fitting Photo
 

SteveAikens

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#6
I used a far better method when I installed my fuel cell.

It was called the "JAFO method" AKA, I didn't do the work - I helped by standing out of the way visiting with Voni a lot.

I was Just Another Friggin Observer - staying out of good friend Paul Glaves' way while he did a ton of work on my RT prior to the '11 IBR.

Thanks again Paul and Voni for your generous hospitality and all your help in getting me to the IBR finish.

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EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#7
I am looking for a recommendation for a bulkhead fitting.

I am planning to install a bulkhead fitting on a 2020 BMW R1250RT. I am planning to reuse a Maple Farkles fuel cell from my former K1600GTL. I am modifying it from a rear rack mount to a pillion seat mount. I have watched the Maple Farkles video on installing the bulkhead fitting.

Thanks
Go talk to the guys at Champion Hydraulics https://www.championhydraulics.com/ Ask them for Stat-O-Seal washers and a bulkhead fitting in the size you want with a hose barb in the size you want to use.

Sunsource might be worth checking out too.
(800) 875-2324
8448 N Mallory Rd
Mooresville, IN 46158

Oil Filter Service Co is another option, for online - https://www.ofsco.net/
 

spearman

Premier Member
#9
With northern hemisphere winter in full swing, I am installing my aux fuel cell.

I have decided to go with the bulkhead fitting. The vent hole in the gas cap appears to be too small to pull gas from the aux cell. I did not measure it, but it is about the diameter of a paper clip. A bulkhead fitting may be easier to install and operate than enlarging the vent hole.

Thanks for the discussion.
 

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#10
Tom did you only look at the pin hole vent in the cap?

I think this discussion is not about the cap, but using the vent line/hose/pipe whatever you may call it, the rubber tube that vents the tank. On many bikes it is one of two similar looking tubes (along with its twin the overflow tube) that often meander their way from the tank downward toward the underbelly of the bike.

These tubes tend to be about 4mm to 6mm internal diameter making them adequate for the job.

Something like these:
 

Attachments

OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#12
True Eric.

I've only used the vent tube technique on two bikes. One was a BMW F800GT that had the tank under the seat. The other was the Yamaha TMax scooter that had the tank even lower down between my knees. Both of those had gravity well and truly assisting the fuel pump as it sucked.

F800GT


TMax


TMax


TMax



Of all of the bikes I put aux fuel cells on the only one I had to put my lips on the aux cell filler spout and blow was my bulkhead-plumbed FJR1300 on a scorching outback day.

 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#13
I too have had to put lips to a fuel cell on the FJR with a Tanji cell that still had the check valves in the vent lines. That was a good idea that didn't really work too well in real world use, imho. The check valves would get stuck, or if they had gas on top of them, wouldn't vent, causing the flow issues.

The aux tank I installed on a F800GS with the tank under the seat and aux above the passenger seat was easy. Vent line??? Why on earth did you do that, for that bike. It had a vent line hole on top of the tank on a plate for the charcoal canister on the Califormia bikes, and I would imagine the rest of the world bikes had that same plate. I fabbed an aluminum one, deleted the charcoal canister and added two fittings, one for main tank vent and one for aux fuel line in. Super easy, no altering of the OEM tank. Gravity is a law. ;)

I'm not saying vent line method won't function. I'm saying it's not the best method. I have stronger opinions about it, but will leave it at that today.
 

spearman

Premier Member
#14
My concern is the pressure drop using the vent line will over work the fuel pump. Englarging the vent connection the vent connector and tubing will be more work and less reliable than the bulkhead method. Thanks for the discussion, it helped me think it through.
 
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OX-34

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#15
. Vent line??? Why on earth did you do that, for that bike. ..
Eric I did that for that bike because it required no mods, no fabrication, cost zero, the plumbing took less than 5 minutes to do and it worked.

I used the vent hose/line/tube with the red arrow in the pic below (not my bike, but similar). I pulled off that hose and left it sitting there unattached, fitted the outlet hose from the aux in its place with a simple pipe clamp and bolted on the aux tank.

 

EricV

Premier Member
IBR Finisher
#16
That's a great pic of the non charcoal canister version. Pretty much the same as the GS I did. I just didn't see the point in fussing with little lines and made an aluminum plate with an o-ring seal and drilled/tapped it for fittings to the aux. It was only a little more work than your hose clamp. :) As handy as you are, and as many fuel cell set ups as you have done, I'm just surprised you didn't go a little farther and do it right. Easiest aux tank I've ever done. The mounting for the tank itself was more work.