2013 Speed Triple Fuel Tank / Petrol Cap Drain

Cave Bob · May 5, 2020

Hello All, Hope everyones well and virus free.
I washed my bike at the weekend and took it for a quick spin up the road and stopped for some fuel on the way back. When I opened the fuel cap, the moat around the filler was full of water and a small amount dripped into the tank before I could get some wipes to soak it up. When I got home I checked things out and the drain looks to be blocked. The rubber drain pipe from under the tank is free (I blew air through it), but trying to push air up through the drain pipe through the tank (I used a big brake bleed syringe) met with solid resistance. I've tried pushing a length of solder down from the inlet at the top of the filler, but it meets with solid resistance again and the end came out with rusty water on it. I've also pushed a straightened coat hanger wire up from the bottom outlet, but I cant get this far enough up to get to the blockage. Any suggestions a better way of going about unblocking this? Its one of those things I feel should be really easy, but I'm struggling at the moment?

Cheers, Bob

Col_C · May 5, 2020

Hi Bob, and welcome in.
There are slight variations depending on year but in general there are 2 rubber pipes that connect to the underside of the tank, on my later model they are slightly different diameters so it's easy to get them back in the right order, but earlier models I seem to remember them being the same size (I've had a few Triumphs).
One pipe is for the drain that you have the problem with, the other is for a breather to inside the tank to stop a vacuum forming and that pipe has a one way valve fitted part way down to stop fuel getting out.
So on models where the pipes are the same size it's too easy to fit them the wrong way round, your tank is bound to have been removed at some point for plug / filter change / valve clearance checks, so odds on somebody's refitted them the wrong way round.
All you need to do is lift the tank (hinge back on the rear mount after removing the front fixings) and swap the pipes over, checking the other pipe is clear through. Take care not to trap the pipes as you lower the tank back in position.
Hope that sorts it for you.

Cave Bob · May 5, 2020

Hi Col, Many thanks for your reply. I'll double check things out, later this afternoon.

Cheers, Bob

Cave Bob · May 6, 2020

Hi Folks, Hope your all good n well.
After a frustrating two and a half hours of backache and swearing last night, I finally got the drain tube unblocked. Successful technique was threading a thin bit of wire up from the outlet under the tank and squirting a bit of WD40 down the hole from the top. Once I'd noticed a bit of WD running back down the wire, I attached my syringe to the drain tute outlet under the tank and gave it a whack, which resulted in a lump of oily black crud shooting out the top. Cleaned it all through and re attached the flexi drain hose. Job done......

Cheers, Bob