I have a ’97 Tourer I got in May of this year with just over 11,000 mi. Now almost 19K. I am sort of compulsive shutting off petcock when I stop and trained myself to switch it off as I pull out key. Went out for ride of about 100 miles about a week ago and as I am walking into house from garage I looked back to make sure petcock was off because I didn’t remember shutting it off. No, it was off. Then I start worrying, “did I just automatically shut it off like normal and not remember?” or was it off the entire time I was riding.
The next few days I look at every post in tech forum on petcocks. Now I am getting PARANOID.
Every post is about leaking problems, hydrolock, etc.
I’m off work again a few days later and decide to check it out. I am not an expert wrencher at all, but have replaced oil, brake and clutch fluids and front tire. Air filter was changed by PO at 8,000 mi. Will take off and replace back tire over Christmas holidays, service rearend/final drive and replace brake pads. I took off tank (first time for me) and get off petcock. Pretty tight under there getting off those hoses. I disassemble petcock and it all looked good. Diaphragm seemed in great shape. The knob to turn it on, off and reserve seemed to switch properly though I did not look inside at that.
Light was reflecting off diaphragm a little in pic above, but rubber looks good and without wear.
Reassembled and put back on with tank and by now it was dark (I did waste about 20 minutes retrieving the collar from the front mounting bolt when it dropped down in the engine and I’m looking around with LED light and trying to fish it out with a long screwdriver with tape on the end). Put the gas back in tank that I had drained out and took off around a few blocks to make sure it ran. Right away it started sputtering and missing and I think to myself, “Way to go DUMB A$$, you took a bike that was running great and now it sounds like crap.” Then I remembered to switch to reserve as I had run most of gas out of tank before starting and it went right back to the smooth bike I know. I went a short distance with petcock off and it ran smooth. Then back home to worry about it running so well in off position.
Worked a few more days with time to worry more and thinking I had better go with Pingel. Today I was off and rode about 60 miles. Tested valve with same routine over and over. Riding about 65 mph, switch off valve, bike starts missing in 2-2.5 miles and back to normal when I turn it to “run”. Did this about 4-5 times. Then up to 75 mph and sputtering at 1.7 miles after off position. Back to normal with “run.”
So I have concluded:
1. Petcock was working properly all the time and I had just turned it off when I stopped the first day. After I put tank and petcock back on I didn’t go far enough to empty out fuel in line, thus running in “off’ position without problem.
2. I got PARANOID thinking I must have gone 100 miles in the off position and
after reading of all the problems others have had with petcock.
3. I now know I can get the tank and petcock on and off and will be much faster at it next time.
So a couple of questions for you with more expertise.
If petcock lever is not exactly in the “off” position (with the little ball in the hole) does fuel continue to flow without restriction?
If I switch to Pingel, how do I extend the pickup tube to get more reserve like OEM?
Do you need a quick disconnect with the Pingel? Was sort of a PITA getting those tubes on and off petcock for tank removal and installation.
