2001 KAWASAKI VULCAN — Problems, Recalls & Safety Data

ON 2 OCCASIONS MY 2001 KAWASAKI VULCAN 800 WAS LEAKING FUEL IN MY GARAGE. HIS MOTORCYCLE USES A KEIHN CVK-36 CARBURATOR. REPLACED GASKET BETWEEN FUEL BOWL AND CARBURATOR BODY AS WELL AS NEW FLOAT, AND NEEDLE. *AK PROBLEM CONTINUED, WHEN MOTORCYCLE SEEPED FUEL ON A NEAR CONTINUOUS BASIS. IDENTIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP DIAGPHRAGM IN THE CARBURATOR HAS FAILED WITH CRACKS AND RUBBER TO MATERIAL SEPARATION. THE PART # KA43028-0002 ITEM 43028A IN KAWASAKI'S PART MANUAL IS $50.99. PARTIAL ROOT CAUSE BEING THAT DESIGN OF THE FUEL TAP. THIS ITEM HAS THREE POSITIONS, ON, RESERVE AND PRIME. THERE IS NOT AN OFF POSITION WHICH I FEEL INCREASES THE FIRE RISK FOR PEOPLE STORING THESE IN THEIR HOME GARAGES. ON MY 2001 VULCAN 800 , THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET INTERNAL TO THE FUEL COCK, FAILED DUE TO A PIECE OF OF THE RUBBER GASKET TEARING OFF UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. THIS ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAK OUT WHEN THE MOTOR IS NOT RUNNING. THE FUEL TAP IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW FUEL FLOW WHEN VACUUM IS APPLIED TO THE FUEL COCK. THIS FUEL TAP GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $6.00 EACH. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 PROBLEMS AND HEARD OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE NEEDLE AND SEAT STICKING ON THE VULCANS. GIVEN THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET ON MY OWN MOTORCYCLE AND THE FACT THAT THE NEXT COMPONENT IN THE FUEL FLOW IS THE NEEDLE AND SEAT, I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE A ROOT CAUSE. WHEN I DISASSEMBLED MY CARBURATOR I IDENTIFIED SMALL BLACK ITEMS IN THE FUEL BOWL WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE PART OF THE FAILED FUEL TAP GASKET. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE WHY I AM HEARING COMPLAINTS. THIS FUEL TAP FAILURE IS BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CARBURATOR. HAVING HEARD ABOUT THE REACLL 04V008 FOR 2003 AND 2004 MOTORCYCLES I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WITH THEACCELERATOR DIAGPHRAGM STARTED EARLIER THAN IDENTIFIED, AND THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TAP DESIGN AND MATERIALS.

ON 2 OCCASIONS MY 2001 KAWASAKI VULCAN 800 WAS LEAKING FUEL IN MY GARAGE. HIS MOTORCYCLE USES A KEIHN CVK-36 CARBURATOR. REPLACED GASKET BETWEEN FUEL BOWL AND CARBURATOR BODY AS WELL AS NEW FLOAT, AND NEEDLE. *AK PROBLEM CONTINUED, WHEN MOTORCYCLE SEEPED FUEL ON A NEAR CONTINUOUS BASIS. IDENTIFIED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PUMP DIAGPHRAGM IN THE CARBURATOR HAS FAILED WITH CRACKS AND RUBBER TO MATERIAL SEPARATION. THE PART # KA43028-0002 ITEM 43028A IN KAWASAKI'S PART MANUAL IS $50.99. PARTIAL ROOT CAUSE BEING THAT DESIGN OF THE FUEL TAP. THIS ITEM HAS THREE POSITIONS, ON, RESERVE AND PRIME. THERE IS NOT AN OFF POSITION WHICH I FEEL INCREASES THE FIRE RISK FOR PEOPLE STORING THESE IN THEIR HOME GARAGES. ON MY 2001 VULCAN 800 , THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET INTERNAL TO THE FUEL COCK, FAILED DUE TO A PIECE OF OF THE RUBBER GASKET TEARING OFF UNDER NORMAL OPERATION. THIS ALLOWS FUEL TO LEAK OUT WHEN THE MOTOR IS NOT RUNNING. THE FUEL TAP IS DESIGNED TO ALLOW FUEL FLOW WHEN VACUUM IS APPLIED TO THE FUEL COCK. THIS FUEL TAP GASKET IS APPROXIMATELY $6.00 EACH. ADDITIONALLY I HAVE EXPERIENCED 3 PROBLEMS AND HEARD OF NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH THE NEEDLE AND SEAT STICKING ON THE VULCANS. GIVEN THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL TAP VALVE GASKET ON MY OWN MOTORCYCLE AND THE FACT THAT THE NEXT COMPONENT IN THE FUEL FLOW IS THE NEEDLE AND SEAT, I THINK THAT THAT MAY BE A ROOT CAUSE. WHEN I DISASSEMBLED MY CARBURATOR I IDENTIFIED SMALL BLACK ITEMS IN THE FUEL BOWL WHICH I BELIEVED TO BE PART OF THE FAILED FUEL TAP GASKET. IT IS UNDERSTANDABLE WHY I AM HEARING COMPLAINTS. THIS FUEL TAP FAILURE IS BETWEEN THE FUEL FILTER AND THE CARBURATOR. HAVING HEARD ABOUT THE REACLL 04V008 FOR 2003 AND 2004 MOTORCYCLES I BELIEVE THE PROBLEM WITH THEACCELERATOR DIAGPHRAGM STARTED EARLIER THAN IDENTIFIED, AND THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL PROBLEM WITH THE FUEL TAP DESIGN AND MATERIALS.

NOTICE A SMALL PUDDLE OF OIL ON THE GARAGE FLOOR, ALSO NOTICE BIKE HEATED UP VERY QUICKLY AND INTENSELY WHEN RIDING EVEN FOR SHORT DISTANCES, DEALER SAID OIL LEAK RESULTED FOR THE BIKE BEING NEW. BIKE STARTED STALLING, OVER HEAT LAMP STARTING COMING ON, R/R SEAL OIL, ORING, COLLAR GASKET AND FAN FUSE.

THE WATER PUMP SHAFT SUR-CLIP WAS NOT INSTALLED AT THE FACTORY WHICH CAUSED COOLANT TO POUR ON TO THE ROADWAY MAKING IT UNSAFE TO OPERATE THE MOTORCYLE AND NEARLY CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. *AK