No fuel in bowls after carb maintenance

[signart]

Thought I'd ask before I tear back into it. Worked twelve hours solid over Labor day to try remedy for slow speed burble and very slight flat spot barely rolling on throttle. Figure a good carb cleaning, suspected maybe slow jets clogged. No visible clogs or varnish which I actually hoped to find, but gave a good soaking and cleaning anyway. What I did find was lots of silt in bowls. I pulled tank filter, lots of rusty red stuff. Gave tank a rinse, big chunks of rusty stuff, balls of wadded up plastic. Rinse, repeat, rinse, repeat, till clear. Inside tank itself is not rusty. Back together, fresh fuel, can't get fuel to bowls, completely dry.
Some trick to prime?

[Patrick]

OEM style petcock ?? Supply vacuum to it..

[Chrisj CMA]

It could be that you inadvertantly clogged up the internal vent system inside the tank.  I would unbolt the tank (both ends) lift the tail, remove the vent hose and blow some compressed iar up the vent and see if it is clear. 

If the tank cant vent gas cant flow.  You can also try starting it with the gas cap open...if that get gas to flow then you know its a venting problem

[signart]

Stock petcock, but no problem history with that so far. Good thought on the vent tube, as many times as I twirled and dumped junk, could have some clogged in there. I thought of opening the gas cap, but could not get the key out to crank, spare key is awol (wifey hides stuff off my dresser). Thanks.

[Chrisj CMA]

Stock petcock, but no problem history with that so far. Good thought on the vent tube, as many times as I twirled and dumped junk, could have some clogged in there. I thought of opening the gas cap, but could not get the key out to crank, spare key is awol (wifey hides stuff off my dresser). Thanks.

Open gas cap press on the pressure ring (the part that seals against the tank) key will rotate crossways and then can be removed

[Michvalk]

If your petcock is working correctly, it Will NOT flow fuel without the engine running. You may have to apply vacuum to the petcock for a bit before it will flow enough fuel to fill the carbs. I use human powered suction, and then use forceps to clamp off the vacuum hose. after a couple of min. you should have the carbs full. Then you can reinstall the vacuum hose and should start. 

[Hoser]

Another good reason to have a manual petcock.  Hoser 

[Chrisj CMA]

If your petcock is working correctly, it Will NOT flow fuel without the engine running. You may have to apply vacuum to the petcock for a bit before it will flow enough fuel to fill the carbs. I use human powered suction, and then use forceps to clamp off the vacuum hose. after a couple of min. you should have the carbs full. Then you can reinstall the vacuum hose and should start. 

This is moslty true........engine not running and not turning over NO FLOW.   If the carbs are dry it takes a while of cranking but with the engine turning over it does supply enough vacuum to get the gas dribbling in.........I found out the hard way (running out of gas) that a Valk with the OEM vacuum valve is hard to start if you run it out of gas! 

But it can be done

[signart]

First off, thanks to all for helpful resonses, learned a lot. Did take vent hose loose applied air with tank cap open to clear tube, should have done this when tank was off. Was about to try to apply vac manually to petcock, but decided to give it a crank with fresh charge on bat. One cyl, was trying to catch, then 2, then 3 or 4. Once all seemed to catch let run 4-5 min. then decided to take a test ride. Did not seem to run any better than before maintenance. Rode 1/2 mi. tried w.o.t. but no. Let off and back to 3-4 cyl shaking & knocking. Tried to clear it enough to make it back home, had wait for traffic to clear out completely, it was that bad. Pulled out then suddenly all 6 came to life, smooth and powerfull like a rocket. I forgot how good it could run, the downturn was so gradual. Maybe prime carbs before tank replacement next time? Thanks, again. Happy boy now.

[Chrisj CMA]

Great!  I love it when we steal the job from the Honda Dealer by doing it at home and it works out!!!!!!!!  Good for you

[old2soon]

Great!  I love it when we steal the job from the Honda Dealer by doing it at home and it works out!!!!!!!!  Good for you

   And a large attaboy for that.  I was at my local dealer again today and reminded him again i can't afford $65.00 an hour.  Got the same blank look-again.  RIDE SAFE.

[3W-lonerider]

Great!  I love it when we steal the job from the Honda Dealer by doing it at home and it works out!!!!!!!!  Good for you

   And a large attaboy for that.  I was at my local dealer again today and reminded him again i can't afford $65.00 an hour.  Got the same blank look-again.  RIDE SAFE.

65 an hour..thats a bargin..my local honda dealer charges 110. an hour..which is why he'll never see my bike in his shop. BTW..i know for a fact his mechanics are only making 12 an hour.

[signart]

Wish somebody would come up with a throw away screen filter to use at the pump such as paint strainer only made to fit a cycle tank. If you think about it, refueling every 100-150 mi. you get a sample of a lot of filling stations uderground tanks not to mention tankers. Large chunks of crap you could turn to silt between your fingers came out of my tank. My first attempt at remedy was to try all the different additives, which probably turned the tank junk to the fine particles resting in my carb bowls. No telling if it was a collection or all came from one fill up.
Man, she purrs like a fuel injected kitten now!

[Michvalk]

Wish somebody would come up with a throw away screen filter to use at the pump such as paint strainer only made to fit a cycle tank. If you think about it, refueling every 100-150 mi. you get a sample of a lot of filling stations uderground tanks not to mention tankers. Large chunks of crap you could turn to silt between your fingers came out of my tank. My first attempt at remedy was to try all the different additives, which probably turned the tank junk to the fine particles resting in my carb bowls. No telling if it was a collection or all came from one fill up.
Man, she purrs like a fuel injected kitten now!

There used to be a fuel filter to use when putting fuel in the tank, made especially made for motorcycles, ATV's, ECT. Can't remember the name of the thing. Sold quite a few when I worked at the bike shop. There made out of paper, with a screen like a nylon sock on the end. bought them in a package of 10, and they were flat, like a coffee filter

[signart]

That's what I'm talkin bout. I want to find something like that, I can carry and not take a lot of space, just drop in the recepticle by the pump when done while epa 's not lookin.

[Ricky-D]

Get them at the local auto paint store.

Paper filters used to filter the paint before pouring the paint into the sprayer.

Very fine screens in the filters. Actually funnel shaped.

Just what you are talking about!

***

[Farther]

Wish somebody would come up with a throw away screen filter to use at the pump such as paint strainer only made to fit a cycle tank.

In area of the country where I live and work the fuel dispensers have filters on them and are changed periodically.

[sugerbear]

did some searching around, and all i could find was this.
http://www.atvsource.com/articles/product-reviews/2006/080406_mr_funnel_removing_gas_contaminants.htm

prolly too big to carry around.
would the paint filter stand up to gas?

[signart]

I use those cone filters quite a bit in my shop for paint and other things.
I used a clean one each time I rinsed my tank on Labor Day to examine what all came out. I always use them when pouring gas from a can, and will experiment at the pump next fill up with one of those. I would love to have something shaped like a cup that fits in the tank somewhat. My pressure washer fuel tank has a plastic cup strainer in the mouth of the tank that is serviceable and flows very well. It's hard enough to fill the Valk tank without splashback, but I'm willing to take extra effort to assure that I don't trash 6 carby's.

[signart]

Yeah Sugarbear, paint filters stand up to fuels and the most powerful thinners. I would want something I could toss at the pump station trash recepticle, and avoid storing something with the fumes in the saddlebag, but something serviceable that stayed in the tank would be great.

[sugerbear]

never though about thinners 

[Skinhead]

Never tried this, but how about a pice of old panty hose wrapped around the end of the nozzle?   If you used a small piece, you could stuff it in a small bottle or jar to reuse and keep the fumes down while storing.

If anyone tries this, post if it works.

[fudgie]

Never tried this, but how about a pice of old panty hose wrapped around the end of the nozzle?   If you used a small piece, you could stuff it in a small bottle or jar to reuse and keep the fumes down while storing.

If anyone tries this, post if it works.

Yes, you can get a egg of knee high panty hose for $0.39 at wall mart. Reg or queen size. 

[signart]

I think I'll experiment with the p.h idea, see if it'll hold up to gas. Might can fold a time or two if it flows good, also could cut out splashback. Just not sure what size I wear. Cheap enough to toss. I have two big boxes thousands of filling station paper funnels I bought at an auction. Good angle.
I may not keep it up for ever and ever unless I find several samples of trash coming from the pumps. I'm a little paranoid right now with what I found in my tank.

[Farther]

Where do you get your gas that it contains crap?  Do you do your gas shopping in used car lots?  Try a tier I gas station with high through put in the future.

[signart]

I wish I knew where it came from. When you are on a ride, you get gas when you need it, every 100-150 miles. Don't know if it all came from one trashy pump or several over 14 yrs. Just know it could cost about $1000+or- to have a dealer clean up this mess.

[fudgie]

Just not sure what size I wear.

Get the queen size, it will me more comfortable. 

[Brian]

Really? A filter at the pump? I fill my bike while sitting on it that way I know the tank is full and then just pull away. How about an in-line fuel filter and change it everyear?

[signart]

I have an inline filter already. What was in my carbs was silt. Silt got by my tank filter and inline filter. What was in my tank was rust from transports or stations tank.
First started a little burble, then the slightest of flat spot. Then I started additive treatment, then again, and again. This made it worse, probably turning the rust to silt. Good for potential hydo-lock situation imho. The additive soaked rust rinsed from my tank, was easily turned to fine silt between my fingers. First tear down of carbs on low mi. '98. (11,000 mi.) No trace of varnish. Runs like my '97 now, which has 49,000 mi. and that makes me . Just gonna experiment, I'll report if I find anything.

[Madmike]

First off, thanks to all for helpful resonses, learned a lot. Did take vent hose loose applied air with tank cap open to clear tube, should have done this when tank was off. Was about to try to apply vac manually to petcock, but decided to give it a crank with fresh charge on bat. One cyl, was trying to catch, then 2, then 3 or 4. Once all seemed to catch let run 4-5 min. then decided to take a test ride. Did not seem to run any better than before maintenance. Rode 1/2 mi. tried w.o.t. but no. Let off and back to 3-4 cyl shaking & knocking. Tried to clear it enough to make it back home, had wait for traffic to clear out completely, it was that bad. Pulled out then suddenly all 6 came to life, smooth and powerfull like a rocket. I forgot how good it could run, the downturn was so gradual. Maybe prime carbs before tank replacement next time? Thanks, again. Happy boy now.

just pickup a Mity Vac so you can use that to supply vacuum to the petcock to open it - is the vacuum line that goes to the petcock OK???  you could check the system with the Mity Vac as well and make sure that the petcock holds vacuum and the hose is good

[Ricky-D]

When the conversation turns to fuel contamination my feelings are the majority of contamination would be water in the gasoline.

All the "silt" and sediment is fungus and algae that grows in the ethanol and will settle out in the float bowls.

If the gasoline sits for a prolonged period of time you will also have the same effect in the tank which is accelerated thru stratification of the fuel in the tank.

The best and cheapest way to mitigate the problem is with non-ethanol enriched gasoline.

A good habit would be to drain a few drops of gasoline out from the float bowl drains every three or four months.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

There is no gasoline better than 100% gasoline, it is worth the effort to use pure gasoline, especially if you store the Valkyrie over the winter season.

***

[Brian]

Every gas station I visit is this area has the lable on the pump stating that it could contain 10% ethanol. I now run about 1 oz. of startron fuel enzyme in each tank of gas when I can. I do drain each carb bowl every winter while I am doing my spline maintenance. Good point Ricky-D. Other riders reading this should do that periodically. I then run that gas through the lawnmower. Too expensive not to use it.