Fuel shut-off

[recman25]

Yesterday while playing around with my new to me '99 I/S, I closed the fuel shut off to see how long it would take to actually run out of gas. After what seemed to be several minutes it was still running. Eventually it did start to sputter a little bit, but it just seems like it took too long to use up the gas in the bowls. I did rev it up and held it at a fast idle. Has anybody have an idea how much fuel is in the lines? Im doing this in preparation for storage.

[Gryphon Rider]

Recently discussed here:  http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,99227.0.html

[97BLKVALK]

Pet Rooster function is checked while riding and shutting the fuel off.  I prefer open highway as I will reach the no gas in carbs issue sooner.  When bike stutters flip over to on again and keep riding.  This way your checking mechanical and vacuum of your pet rooster.

When we are on long rides we also switch over to reserve for 10 miles after fill up while riding to make sure we didn't get bad gas in our tank. ( which can happen at Taco Bell too).  We've had a couple times of sputter but as the water settles to bottom of tank it easily works its way out and before we have to switch to reserve.

Have a great day.

Michael

[Willow]

My Valkyries run approximately two miles under speed to empty the carb bowls.  At idle that take forever.

Switching to reserve at ten miles after a fill is probably not effective.  The mere filling of the tank will mix the contents.  Further down the tank or road may find some separation. 

[Jess from VA]

Don't hold your breath waiting for the Valk to shut down with a closed petcock (sitting).

You won't be awake to hear it quit.

And running it that long with no fan can blue your pipes.

Best way to clear lines/carbs (short of some disassembly), is to turn off the petco-ck a few miles from home, and drift up the driveway as it is sputtering.  And our bikes don't just shut down either, they will sputter and choke along for some time before they will quit.  And don't forget that if you add Marine Stabil/Startron enzyme (for corn gas)/Seafoam/Berryman's B-12 to the gas for storage, you absolutely want that mixture run through the lines and carbs for a while before final shutdown.

So for storage, you hit a gas station a short distance from home, add your additives there, then top up, then ride home, turning off the petco-ck 2-3 miles from home.  There are various plans, that's one of them.

[Dirty Dave]

Draining the float bowls is so simple with the Standard Valk so that is what I do to store after adding a fuel stabilizer. The combined gas comes out of one little hose under the bike. A couple of the Interstate drain screws are hard to reach though.

[recman25]

And running it that long with no fan can blue your pipes.

 Thats interesting! Never knew that. As far as draining the carbs, I finally took her out, shut the valve off andtimed it perfectly as I drove up the driveway. That'll never happen again...lol

[Jess from VA]

And running it that long with no fan can blue your pipes.

 Thats interesting! Never knew that. As far as draining the carbs, I finally took her out, shut the valve off andtimed it perfectly as I drove up the driveway. That'll never happen again...lol

Well, in your garage or shed, the bike fan should come on when it's supposed to, but if you let it keep running in that confined space long enough the fan cannot do the job reliably for long. The fan is designed for operational use, not sitting in a shed running for a long time use.  On the rare occasions I run my bikes in the shed over the winter, I let it run long enough for the fan to come on, but that is when I shut them down (and some here say the downside can exceed the upside of this practice anyway).  If you're working on something and need to keep them running longer, you really should add some additional fan(s) or other cooling assistance.  Or just roll them outside into a cooling airflow (and maybe still add an electric fan anyway).

[CleoBen]

Related question from a new IS owner to the OP’s question. What is the best way to replenish the bowls after they run dry. I’m concerned that extended cranking will overheat the starter and drain the battery, 

I have changed my shutdown habit to include turning off the petcock, but I am still working on the new startup step of turning the fuel back on.  I think this experience will lock the new sequence in for me!

[Paladin528]

Other than cranking the engine there is only one other way to get fuel to the carbs.  Pull off the vacuum line and suck on it.
You will have a tough time overheating the starter on the bike.

[CleoBen]

Other than cranking the engine there is only one other way to get fuel to the carbs.  Pull off the vacuum line and suck on it.
You will have a tough time overheating the starter on the bike.

Choke full on, partially on, or no choke while cranking?  Throttle open or idle?

Thank you

CB

[gordonv]

Other than cranking the engine there is only one other way to get fuel to the carbs.  Pull off the vacuum line and suck on it.
You will have a tough time overheating the starter on the bike.

Choke full on, partially on, or no choke while cranking?  Throttle open or idle?

Carbs are gravity feed, so once there is vacuum on the stock petcock, fuel should start to fill the carbs, and it should start fairly quickly. Some say they empty their carbs for winter storage, and I do not recall anyone saying they have any difficulty starting.

Each bike is different to start, and you need to learn what yours likes.

With fuel in the carb, crank engine for about 5 sec, and if it doesn't start, stop.

Apply chock (called the enricher). You turn the chock till it stops, then start to apply greater force to make those 6 chocks move. Try it, then set it back, you'll see what I mean. Crank it again for a good 5 sec.

If you smell fuel from the exhaust, you want to turn the chock off again. Give it some time to clear out.

Again, crank for 5 sec, and if it doesn't start, try a little throttle this time.

The fun part is any combination of the above may or may not work on your bike.

My 1st Valk almost always wanted the chock, cold or hot, bike or season, but only to start, and I could turn it off right away or withing 30 sec if engine was cold.

Another needed nothing, unless I hadn't ridden ti for days. But as a daily rider, it would start withing sec.

Another one now, and chock when cold, and off when I get on the bike and start to ride (30-60 sec).

[CleoBen]

Thanks for all the advice. I was cranking for 30-45 seconds with no results, so something else had to be out of whack. I raised the tank and started tracing all of the vacuum lines. #s 1, 4, & 5 are all capped. #3 was pinched. #6 was hanging loose at the top end, and the tip was split. So, with no vacuum at the petcock, no fuel flowed!  Trimmed the split end, replaced on the petcock vacuum port, cranked it up, and it started within 3-4 seconds! 

Lesson for the day:  check the simple, obvious, cheap solutions first.

CB

[The emperor has no clothes]

Thanks for all the advice. I was cranking for 30-45 seconds with no results, so something else had to be out of whack. I raised the tank and started tracing all of the vacuum lines. #s 1, 4, & 5 are all capped. #3 was pinched. #6 was hanging loose at the top end, and the tip was split. So, with no vacuum at the petcock, no fuel flowed!  Trimmed the split end, replaced on the petcock vacuum port, cranked it up, and it started within 3-4 seconds! 

Lesson for the day:  check the simple, obvious, cheap solutions first.

CB

If it is cracking and splitting, it’s probably time for a new vacuum line.

[CleoBen]

If it is cracking and splitting, it’s probably time for a new vacuum line.

New line is in the mail already, Meathead! 

[The emperor has no clothes]

If it is cracking and splitting, it’s probably time for a new vacuum line.

New line is in the mail already, Meathead! 

check your vacuum caps on the other intakes also.