what would happen if..... (petcock idea)

[alph]

what would happen if you put a check valve between the carb and the petcock?  so that fuel could NEVER get down past the check valve?? 

anyone ever try that??  it would prevent the dreaded "HYDROLOCK"!!

[Joe Hummer]

Flow direction would kill that idea. The check valve would be open for flow to the carbs all the time. But you would not allow flow from the carbs to the petcock. If you turned it around. You would never get flow to the carbs.

Joe

[sugerbear]

i think no matter what you do, there's still enough gas in the float bowl to hydro lock.
even putting electric shutoffs at EACH fuel line as it goes into the carbs would help.

a good filter and quality gas seem to be the best, maybe the #38 jets  would help(and don't let it set too long)

[JimC]

Actually, A lot of people are doing just that, but they are using an electric shut off valve in the line, (do a search on Dan Marc (sp))

I plan to use a non vacuum petcock from a 600 or 650 series Honda because it looks the same as ours and it will accept our knob and extension, PLUS, an electric in line shut off valve from danmarc.  
The part number for the petcock is 16950-MBW-023. I am not 100% certain that it will work as planned yet because I have not had a chance to hook it up, but I will post after I do.

Jim

[98valk]

I guess the honda service bulletin about hydro-loc on the GL1500 GWs that I have posted afew times is not enough for people to understand why it happens and how. 

[ricoman]

I guess the honda service bulletin about hydro-loc on the GL1500 GWs that I have posted afew times is not enough for people to understand why it happens and how. 

well why not post it again?

[Patrick]

I can't see how a check valve would help in either the fuel or vacuum line..
I'm one that happens to believe a fuel-lock can happen with just bowl and supply line fuel.. Some disagree with that however..
I've posted for about 12 years what I feel are the main helps against this terrible thing..

[PhredValk]

Also, the check valve would hold vacuum after the engine is turned off, holding the bladder open so fuel would flow. That would just make things worse, no?
Fred.

[HayHauler]

How about turning the fuel valve off about 2 miles from home and emptying the bowls (mostly) before you park the bike at the house?

Just a thought....

Hay 
Jimmyt

[Ferris Leets]

Never messed with these carbs.  Most carbs have an overflow vent.  If the float sticks the excess fuel flows out the overflow.  Why would the Valks be any different?

[Pete]

What is setting in the bowl will not reach the cylinder unless additional fuel flows INTO the bowl in sufficient quantity to OVERFLOW the bowl INTO the intake track .

A flood of fuel will generally exit the overflow tube as it is larger and less restrictive than the jets.
Given enough fuel and flow the intake track can gather sufficient fuel to hydro lock.

A slow flow may just exit via the jets into the intake track.

Hope this helps

[Ferris Leets]

What is setting in the bowl will not reach the cylinder unless additional fuel flows INTO the bowl in sufficient quantity to OVERFLOW the bowl INTO the intake track .

A flood of fuel will generally exit the overflow tube as it is larger and less restrictive than the jets.
Given enough fuel and flow the intake track can gather sufficient fuel to hydro lock.

A slow flow may just exit via the jets into the intake track.

Hope this helps

"Intake track"?  I was talking about the over flow vent on the carb.  All of the carbs that I have dealt with had an overflow vent to prevent exactly what we are talking about.  If the float sticks the fuel is vented out and falls to the ground.  Why are these different?

[PhredValk]

It happens if that carb is sitting over an open intake valve. It would slowly flow into the cylinder and the bowl would never overflow. That's why its rare; it needs a petcock leak, a stuck jet and an open intake valve all at the same time.
Fred.

[Ricky-D]

The scenarios for a hydrolock are many.

A vent is always present in a carburetor bowl.

Most all hydrolock problems occur with the bike on the sidestand causing the carburetors to be at an angle that may or may not be a contributing factor, but definitely has to be considered.

There is plenty enough volume in the intake riser to hold the gas so the instant the intake valve opens the gas flows into the cylinder, then = hydrolock!

***

[Pete]

What is setting in the bowl will not reach the cylinder unless additional fuel flows INTO the bowl in sufficient quantity to OVERFLOW the bowl INTO the intake track .

A flood of fuel will generally exit the overflow tube as it is larger and less restrictive than the jets.
Given enough fuel and flow the intake track can gather sufficient fuel to hydro lock.

A slow flow may just exit via the jets into the intake track.

Hope this helps

"Intake track"?  I was talking about the over flow vent on the carb.  All of the carbs that I have dealt with had an overflow vent to prevent exactly what we are talking about.  If the float sticks the fuel is vented out and falls to the ground.  Why are these different?

The overflow tube has the largest opening for fuel to flow, but it is not the only opening from the bowl and is higher than the other openings. Most carb passages and jets are lower than the exit of the overflow tube. So while gas is flowing thru the overflow, it can also be passing thru the idle passages and jets and the main jet in much smaller quantities. Usually not enough cause a problem, but sometimes it is and results in hydro lock.

[Steve K (IA)]

Someone answer this.  When you turn off the stock gas valve, is it off?  I had the habit of turning the gas off from the time I was 10 years old.  Obviously, it is just a natural reaction to me.  I've tested both my Valks recently....turning the gas off while riding down the road, and after a short while, the engine starts to stumble so that tells me I don't have a problem...yet.

I am waiting to see the results Jim C gets putting the non vacuum petcock on from a 650 Honda.  If it turns out as he thinks it will, I just might do that instead of doing the rebuild.

[Ricky-D]

Someone answer this.  When you turn off the stock gas valve, is it off?  I had the habit of turning the gas off from the time I was 10 years old.  Obviously, it is just a natural reaction to me.  I've tested both my Valks recently....turning the gas off while riding down the road, and after a short while, the engine starts to stumble so that tells me I don't have a problem...yet.

I am waiting to see the results Jim C gets putting the non vacuum petcock on from a 650 Honda.  If it turns out as he thinks it will, I just might do that instead of doing the rebuild.

Well, I guess you can assume that, but the only real way to check the "off"/"on" of the petcock would be to disconnect the gas line at the petcock and see if there are any drips.

It only takes a few drops per minute to supply enough gasoline to cause a problem.  And that small amount will not let the motor continue to run.

So the test of shutting off the petcock while running is like comfort food. It makes you feel good!

***

[Farther]

I guess the honda service bulletin about hydro-loc on the GL1500 GWs that I have posted afew times is not enough for people to understand why it happens and how. 

  Got a link?  In the short time I have been on this forum, I have studied and cataloged all your post but must have missed that one. 

[98valk]

Here u go.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/bbs/index.php/topic,22852.msg200653.html#msg200653

Re: Another hydrolock question

Posted By: 98valk <
Date: 9/4/2008 at 12:30:31

In Response To: Another hydrolock question (G-Man (Gary in NY))

this is from Rider mag sept 1988 about the '88 goldwing Gl1500.
they had the hydro-lock problem and it turned out to be the bowl vent hose was sagging. "the low spotfills with gas and prevents air circulation, much like a sink trap. without a connection to atmosphere, the float bowls pressurize and raw fuel is forced up and out of the carbs through the needle jet. From there gravity takes the fuel down the intake runners. if that cylinder has an open intake valve, hydrolock." "The article states that honda issued a Product Update kit on a fix in feb of that yr which included a metal air-vent pipe and a vacuum fuel valve."

Looking at the service manual pics in the carb section it shows the vent hoses as straight sections just laying loosely on top of other hoses. My 98's vent hoses have a 90 degree end. the end is installed into holes in the rear carb support frame.
So this might be the reason and cause of the problem for some bikes.  any vent tube or pipe must be installed the same as a gravity drain line only in reverse to a higher level.

http://www.valkyrieforum.com/forum/vrcc_tech.cgi?noframes;read=1274246

honda service bulletin fix

http://www.goldwingworld.com/pages/sb1.pdf

[Steve K (IA)]

Someone answer this.  When you turn off the stock gas valve, is it off?  I had the habit of turning the gas off from the time I was 10 years old.  Obviously, it is just a natural reaction to me.  I've tested both my Valks recently....turning the gas off while riding down the road, and after a short while, the engine starts to stumble so that tells me I don't have a problem...yet.

I am waiting to see the results Jim C gets putting the non vacuum petcock on from a 650 Honda.  If it turns out as he thinks it will, I just might do that instead of doing the rebuild.

Well, I guess you can assume that, but the only real way to check the "off"/"on" of the petcock would be to disconnect the gas line at the petcock and see if there are any drips.

It only takes a few drops per minute to supply enough gasoline to cause a problem.  And that small amount will not let the motor continue to run.

So the test of shutting off the petcock while running is like comfort food. It makes you feel good!

***

When I take my tanks off, they are off from several hours to several days with no leaking.  I love comfort food, that's why I look the way I do.