Filler cap checked out fine.

Keep in mind there is zero smell most of the time. It only happens after a ride when the engine heats up the fuel tank and the vapors expand and escape from the vent in front of the rear tire. A faulty cap would smell like gas all the time.

But I do appreciate all the responses and ideas. I think I'm right on my diagnosis but I've been wrong before!

 

Lauren, I thought your bike being new would have a charcoal canister but surprisingly it does not, see item 30 in the attached diagram. I'm amazed HD can still build a bike with the gas tank vented to atmosphere in 2015.





However, similar to my model, CA models have a canister. If this works for me (which I am absolutely positive it will, is simple technology that's been around since 1968) and you are concerned, you could get the canister for your bike.

BTW you can just leave your garage door up about 6" if you have a fan to blow it out, gas fumes stay low to the ground, which is why every garage floor is 4"6" below the finished floor level of an attached house.

 

According to my manual you have to remove the primary to gain access to the canister. It may sound like a pain but on the later model heritage they hide them nicely.

 

On my 03 it's super easy. Two bolts to remove the plastic rear fender close out above the swing arm.

 

Tried an experiment today. If I turn a fan on the bike after a trip it doesn't smell of raw gas. I think the fan cools the engine off before it can heat up the gas tank and cause the vapors to come out the vent.

 

So does that mean your quest for a charcoal canister is over?

 

No, one of my Springer brothers on the HSOA forum in CA had taken his off and he's sending it to me. I'll install it and post up how it works.

I posted this fan solution for anyone else who has this problem and isn't as lucky as me to have a friend going to send them a canister.

I do have a question if anyone can help me. The canister he's sending has a fitting for "tank" and one labeled "carb". I understand that I should draw a vacuum on the canister from time to time to burn off the stored hydrocarbons.

Does anyone know how the moco designed this CA emission system for an older (2003) bike? Is it designed to have a vacuum on the canister all the time when running? I have to look tomorrow and see if I have a vacuum port on my FI bike, I don't remember from last time I had the TB off. I read that the newer bikes have a solenoid that opens up that connects to the FI unit to draw the vacuum but I don't think my older bike had that.

 

Joe why not just leave the garage door open for 30 minutes or so?

 

I try to remember to leave it open 6" or so, but I forget most of the time. The fan on the bike seems to work well, which I prefer as I don't like to leave my garage door open anyway.

I don't want to have to worry about it so I'm going to fix the problem.

I looked this morning and my bike has the vacuum fitting for the canister already on the throttle body so I'm good to go there.

 

Agreed and I do the same. I open the garage door for 10 minutes.
I think the air filter gets a bit of fuel splattered into it somehow and it takes a few hours for it to evaporate.

Also I think of the bike as a buddy. If he just ran 200 miles and ran into my garage he would smell too....