'97 Standard starved of gas after 3ish miles every day

[WESTSRIDES]

Long time member of the VOAA forum, but that seems to be defunct now.

Anyway, I haven't been riding my trusty '97 Valkyrie much in the last two years since my daughter was born, but I was commuting with it daily for years and have loved many tours with it.  She's pushing 85k miles now and has survived more than any other motorcycle I've owned.

So, after a long NW winter under cover where I'd start her up ever few weeks just to warm her up, I rode her to work a couple weeks ago and everything felt fine.  Next day I saw some fuel on the ground under her and new immediately what had happened, since her petcock failed once a couple years ago.  I drained the #1 carb and then she started up fine.  I switched petcock to "off" and left it alone thinking that I must need to rebuild the petcock again (even though it had only been about a 1000 miles, maybe, since rebuilding it 2 years ago).

Monday I rode her to work and at about the 3 mile mark she started to act starved of gas.  I believed I had plenty of fuel in the tank, but wasn't sure how much had leaked through the petcock earlier.  I switched to reserve and crossed my fingers that I'd make it one more mile to work.  She got within 100 yards, where I parked it.  My wife brought gas at lunch and it didn't even take 2 gallons before it was full, so there was still gas left in it when it died.  I rode it home at the end of the day, and it started to feel starved again just as I was approaching home.

Tuesday I rode it to work very gingerly trying to maximize my economy and was able to make it to work, but again it felt very starved last quarter mile regardless of the petcock position.  I ordered a petcock rebuild kit and was able to ride it back home, again feeling very starved last quarter mile.

Last night I pulled the tank and took the petcock apart.  I blew air through the whole thing in various positions trying to clear any crud out since all the rubber looked great and nothing appeared fouled.  I put it back together, crossed my fingers, and she started right up.  I rode her hard for about half a mile last night and she felt great.

This morning I rode her to work moderately and she felt fine, no sign of starving.  

What do you think is going on?  Was the leaky petcock just a one time fluke caused by some particle that got stuck in there?  Has it been getting starved at the 3+ mile mark because that's about as much fuel as rests in the line?  Was there minuscule crud in the petcock that was impeding the vacuum so it wasn't sucking sufficient gas while in operation?

Thanks for your suggestions.

[old2soon]

Check that T-fitting vent line thingy under the back of the fuel tank and see if something moved in. Gravity feed fuel system needs air or they become vacuum locked. RIDE SAFE.

[Daniel Meyer]

TEST the petcock...

Set tank on bench. Petcock off. Apply vacuum to vacuum port. Should NOT drip even a drop of fuel. If it does, valve side of the petcock is bad. Replace entire petcock.

Vacuum should not bleed down. If it does, vacuum side of petcock is bad. Rebuild using cover set.

Remove vacuum. Turn petcock on or reserve. No fuel should flow. It it does, vacuum side is bad. Rebuild using cover set.

Apply vacuum. Fuel should flow instantly and fast. Pull vacuum line, fuel should stop after a few seconds.

Also check tank vent line for clogs and the presence of the "T" about half way down.

I would also suggest that you have a bad float valve (at least one) if you had gas overflowing the carbs. Fix that too.

[WESTSRIDES]

TEST the petcock...

Set tank on bench. Petcock off. Apply vacuum to vacuum port. Should NOT drip even a drop of fuel. If it does, valve side of the petcock is bad. Replace entire petcock.

Vacuum should not bleed down. If it does, vacuum side of petcock is bad. Rebuild using cover set.

Remove vacuum. Turn petcock on or reserve. No fuel should flow. It it does, vacuum side is bad. Rebuild using cover set.

Apply vacuum. Fuel should flow instantly and fast. Pull vacuum line, fuel should stop after a few seconds.

Also check tank vent line for clogs and the presence of the "T" about half way down.

I would also suggest that you have a bad float valve (at least one) if you had gas overflowing the carbs. Fix that too.

Great suggestions.  Will check the fuel lines.

How do I "apply vacuum" to the petcock?  Don't really want to suck on it

Would a bad float valve cause gas to overflow into the carbs just once?  Like I said, it hasn't happened since regardless of the petcock position.

[Daniel Meyer]

Vacuum can be applied using a couple pumps on a mighty vac

https://amzn.to/2MKpe2X

Available at any auto parts store...but the link above is a decent price. Just a couple inches will do, you don't have to pull hard vac...

[Daniel Meyer]

Would a bad float valve cause gas to overflow into the carbs just once?  Like I said, it hasn't happened since regardless of the petcock position.

Had to have been bad or at least sticking to overflow...after you verify petcock function maybe run a can of seafoam or such...

[Fla. Jim]

Could have also been a pinched vacuum line. And you cleared it when you removed and put back on your tank.

[BIG Bopper]

If you are running an electric solenoid setup, check the power to the unit. Will run about the distance you said and then poof as if out of Gas

[hubcapsc]

Fuel should flow instantly and fast.

Think: six carburetors, WFO 

-Mike