fuel valve

[LinnB]

I've got a rookie question.  This winter I removed my fuel tank to install a K&N filter and everything went fine as expected.

For some reason now I can't seem to get any fuel to the engine and have tried the fuel valve in both the run and reserve positions and yes there is gas in the tank 


Thanks for your help.

[Willow]

Be sure the vacuum line to the petcock is still connected on both ends.

[LinnB]

I was wondering about the vacuum line so I'll check that first.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[DFragn]

I was wondering about the vacuum line so I'll check that first.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Just to be sure, the vacuum line attaches at the petcock to the horizontal nipple on the right side (facing forward), not the small vertical vent/spill nipple on the bottom.

[Curmudgeon]

When you check the vacuum line be sure to check the entire line. Some times it gets crimp on the other spaghetti.

Don't ask how I know! 

[LinnB]

Ok, I pulled the tank again (much easier the 2nd time) and checked the vacuum line and it was connected at both ends and not tangled up or crimped, the vent line was on at the back of the tank and the fuel line was on good too.

I put everything back on, connecting all lines, etc. and it still acts as if it's not getting any fuel to it.  I did examine the petcock while I had the tank off and turned the fuel valve from off to run and looked into the inlet where the fuel hose connects.  It did not appear to be opening and no gas would come out.  My guess is that it requires a vacuum to open and supply fuel to the engine though so maybe that is by design.

Any other thoughts?  Am I missing something obvious?

[Willow]

Your guess on the vacuum is correct.

[LinnB]

The other end of the vacuum line connects close to where the #6 carb intake meets the engine, right?  It seems like a short tube from the petcock to this place, maybe 12-18 inches.  This seems like it should be an easy set up to diagnose between the vacuum, vent and fuel lines so I think I'm missing something. 

The only other thing I did besides change to a K&N filter was to install new plugs this winter, everything else was in good shape.  I am using the K&N with the foam pre-filter that lays on top of the filter but I can't imagine that being the problem.

If the petcock needs a vacuum to open and send fuel to the engine, how does it do that while starting?  Is the vacuum immediately there while the starter is doing it's thing?


 

[Willow]

Yes and yes, but normally there is fuel in the carb bowls that will start and sustain the engine for about two miles.

[LinnB]

What else should I try to get it started?

[MP]

How warm is it there?
Since you are new, maybe you do not know about the choke lever.  The Valk NEEDS choke when cold.  Push the choke lever down until it stops.
Now, you do not have ANY choke yet, ZERO!
Now, push down HARD on the lever!
It will go more.  Go until it stops.  NOW, you have choke!  Also, be sure your battery is charged full.  If weak, although turning the engine over, it will not fire.
Try the choke first.  Let me know.
MP

[LinnB]

It's in the high 60's here (St. Louis) today, almost 70, so spring is finally here.  I've tried the choke and the previous owner had pointed out how that works, exactly as you described.

Still not having any luck, without the choke it does nothing at all but with the choke on it tries to start but still seems starved for fuel.  I tried for a while today so maybe the battery is low as you suggested so I have it on a charger now.

I'll try it again later this evening or tomorrow morning and post a new message.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[Madmike]

Make sure that the choke is fully slid as per someone else's suggestion.

If it won't start you may want to check that your battery voltage is up and if it is ok and you suspect that it isn't getting gas then you can check the control side of the fuel valve.


If you have a mity vac or equivalent you can apply vacuum (or remove the ambient however you want to look at it) to the control port and open the valve with that to ensure that gas is flowing.  If you don't have a Mity Vac then you may be able to fake it by putting a piece of tubing on the control port and then draw on it with your mouth (in this case suck isn't just a figure of speech) and do it that way.

[Fla. Jim]

Probably you know this but....If the carbs were completly out of fuel It takes a Loooong time of continuous cranking to get enough vacuum to open the fuel valve and get fuel to the six carbs to start up...Even here in the land of perpetual Sunshine! ( - =

[Gryphon Rider]

Kill switch on?
Did you mess with the bank angle sensor behind the centre cover under your seat? It can be put on upside down.
Side stand is down?
Bike is in neutral?

[LinnB]

The electrical parts seems good as it has good cranking power, that is until I try starting it too long and then I had to hook up the charger again.  I'm not sure what the bank angle sensor is and I didn't bother anything in that area of the bike this winter or at least I didn't intend to.     The side stand is down, the bike is in neutral and the kill switch is off (meaning it's ready to start). 

This morning I pulled the tank again and turn the petcock to the run position, attached a mighty vac to it and while there was suction gas was coming out of the petcock and then when the vacuum stopped so did the fuel flow so that seems fine.  I also checked the vent tube and it may have had a small kink in it so I straightened that out.

I put the tank back on and attach the mighty vac to the vacuum tube inlet and was pumping that while cranking the starter with the choke on but I think I had already drained my battery too much by that point.

The bike was sitting this winter for about 2 months while I was putting in the K&N filter and plugs and general detailing.  I did let it run before I put it away until it was ready to die so I probably had the carb bowls drained or fairly close anyway.

It's back on the charger now and have vacuum tube attached like normal so I'll try again once the battery gets charged up.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and advice.  It's killing me because the weather is finally nice enough to ride and I can't. 

[VALKAHOLIC]

You could do what I do when things like this happen  -  go back to the original setting ( change the air filter back to the original and see if that's the problem ) - if not, at least you have eliminated that as a possibility.

[Chrome]

Hey Something very simple to check out. When you attached the arm to the petcock,are you sure it's in the right position. I did mine,once and I had it 45 degrees off so when it showed it as "On",it was turned off.Being that the arm and petcock are both square,its was an easy mistake to make.
Adrian

[MP]

+1 on Chromes suggestion.  Make sure the front plate matches what is happening.

[John U.]

It sounds like your battery may be the problem. The charger can show fully charged but the battery won't put out sufficient power.
By any chance did you regap or install new plugs? If the gap is too wide the plugs won't fire.

[LinnB]

I have the fuel switch off for now and am turning the petcock on/off with an adjustable wrench just so that I know it's in the right position but thanks for suggestion.  I did do what you said earlier by the switch not matching the real position so I've learned at least one thing in this experience. 

The battery may be down too much and was wondering if I could jump it with on of my other vehicles. 

I did install new plugs so maybe that's the problem.  What should the gap be?

[John U.]

You can jump thebike from a non-running car/truck. The gap should be .031 to .035 inches

[fast black]

Have you pulled a spark plug to see if it smells of fuel?  If it smell of gas  then the petcock should be working if in fact the carbs were completey out of gas. 
imho
fast black

[LinnB]

Ok, problem solved. 

As embarassing as it is to admit this I feel obligated to the many of you who have taken your time to offer a lot of good advice.  The #1 lesson I take away from this is to never think that you know how much gas is in the tank and just because the fuel valve is in the "on" position doesn't mean there is enough fuel to start the bike.  In summary, I had run the regular tank down too low in my various attempts to start it and testing the petcock, etc. and it was basically out of fuel. 

This morning, after letting the battery charge all night, I turned the fuel valve to the reserve setting and with a few cranks of the starter the Valkyrie came to life, as if by magic.  That really is a nice sound that I've missed all winter.

Anything that gives me an opportunity to learn by doing it myself doesn't seem like time wasted but it sure is aggravating. 

Thanks again for all of the help from everyone.

[fast black]

    good to hear
adios
fast black