hydrolock prevention

[groundpounder01]

What is the best way to prevent hydrolock? Do I need to rebuild my tank valve or something more fancy. I have had may bike for ten years and have just heard about this issue since i have been reading on this website. I am not scared to death of this problem but if i can prevent it  i am going to do what i can.

[Hoser]

Put on a manual, open,closed,reserve type of petcock valve, and always close it every time you park your bike, you know, like we used to do back in the day.  Also keep clean gasoline in the tank.   hoser

[BonS]

I added an electric solenoid valve in the fuel line. It gets its power from the 12 volt supply feeding the ignition coils. I also replace my petcock with a non-vacuum operated model. I usually remember to turn it off but as I get older . . .

[Patrick]

What my opinion?? I've stated it many many times..
1. You can't do anything to guarantee against it.
2. install a quality manual petcock.. And when the right hand goes to the key, the left hand goes to the petcock. The factory petcock can leak no matter what you do to correct it and its really fussy about how you operate it..Some will certainly argue this point..
3. install an in-line fuel filter.. Any 'plain jane filter' will work fine..I think this is the number one remedy for the fuel-lock..
4. tap the starter switch. Its natural to stick your thumb on that switch and squeeze as hard as you can..But, just tap/bump it..Chances are it'll start right up..If it ever makes that dreaded ' CLANK ' ,, don't hit the switch again.. Remove the sparklers[all 6 of them] and clear the cylinders..

[fudgie]

I put on a non vac Pingel and a inline filter. Not so much for a hydrolock preventer but for assurance out on the road. I like to take trips and don't like to get stranded. I try and take that precaution with everthing on the bike. I always have been good about turning my gas off. Sometimes I forget and a week later its still on. I been lucky I guess. Also use carb cleaner every so often.

[Friagabi]

For those guys that never make a mistake a manual shut-off valve is fairly good. For the rest of us Honda already knew we would forget now and again.

Clean, Clean and Clean again.

Several things have to happen to set up a hydrolock. Failure of a float valve in one or more carbs. A tank shut-off valve that fails to work.

If the fuel flows through the carbs to get to the cylinder then it is just part of a two part problem, not only did a float valve fail but at the same time a factory tank shut-off valve has failed. Why? Most likely dirt in the fuel, that dirt has to get past the tank filter. Are you sure yours is on the valve and not in the bottom of the tank? Then it passes the factory shut-off valve and reaches the float valves next. I installed a aftermarkey in line fuel filter between the tank valve and the carb rack. If the diaphram fails in the manual valve (develops a hole) the fuel can run down the vacume line and enter the cylinder that way. It will most likely also leak out the vent hole, but not always. The early valves were held together with screws and a kit is available to rebuild them. My IS was put together with built in rivets. I ordered a early kit and drilled the rivets and used screws to reasemble it. I will replace the kit every 100 K along with the inline fuel filter. Every time I pull the tank to service the air filter I also pull the shutoff valve and run the fuel out of the tank into the mower gas can, inspect the bottom of the tank and in-tank filter.

Have thought about brazing in a loop of tubing into the tank that would reach up to the top of the tank around the filler opening. Then run the vacume line to this loop, then from this loop to the shut off valve. For a bad tank-valve to run fuel down this line to the cylinder it would have to run higher than the level of fuel in the tank. Not to likely, as compared to a down hill run from the valve to the intake manifold.

[Friagabi]

If you really want to fix this problem make sure the fuel comes from below the carbs. Fuel don't run up hill without a pump.

Add a under battery/under swing-arm tank, there is a guy making these in Moses Lake, Washington. If you use the correct pump it has spring loaded valves in its out-put line and will not pass fuel unless the pump is running and developing enough pressure to open them. You could also install an electric valve in the line to the engine. Install a non-vacume manual valve or convert the one you have. Now there is no vacume line to feed fuel to #6 cylinder. You can run as far as your butt will allow your range will be in the over 400 miles on a IS. Just a side benny.

[Farther]

...there is a guy making these in Moses Lake, Washington....

  http://www.rmworksinc.com/

[bigvalkriefan]

This will prevent it. An electric fuel valve that only opens with 12v power.

[Friagabi]

It won't stop fuel leaking through a bad diaphram and running down the vacume line into #6 cylinder will it?

[bigvalkriefan]

It won't stop fuel leaking through a bad diaphram and running down the vacume line into #6 cylinder will it?

Uh Oh, I'm not sure. Anyone?

[flash2002]

I was wondering about electric gas valves; what if it breaks down ( won't go on or off, or worse, a short ). If you're on the road and it does fail, imagine the fun trying to fix the problem, especially at night....

[Wildman]

Get a Belly tank.
Increased range.
uses a fuel pump from the belly tank to the carbs.

[Foozle]

I agree with the previous post:  get a belly tank and kill several birds with one stone. First, increase your range (~250 miles on my tourer) - at less cost than an I/S tank; second, lower your center of gravity a bit; and third, virtually eliminate the hydrolock issue.  Plus, you get an in-line filter with this sytem.  No affiliation - just a satisfied user. Terry

[roboto65]

I was wondering about electric gas valves; what if it breaks down ( won't go on or off, or worse, a short ). If you're on the road and it does fail, imagine the fun trying to fix the problem, especially at night....

Most if not all fail in the open position so this would not be an issue of course there is always Murphy who steps in every once and a while 

It won't stop fuel leaking through a bad diaphram and running down the vacume line into #6 cylinder will it?

If you install a electric valve or if I did I would do away with the vachum line anyway and make the valve manual without the diaphram so one less vachum leak

[Patrick]

As long as you're using a vacuum petcock from a regular fuel tank, fuel can enter the vacuum line from/to the intake runner[ usually #6]..

[Blackduck]

Not to sure about the # 6 line passing fuel to the cylinder.
These valves are fitted with a drain port for that exact reason. Either the drain is blocked or the diaphragm cover has been fitted incorrectly.
Having suffered a hydro lock I have had a good look at it. Took 2 problems, a leaking needle and seat and the petcock passing fuel. Don't know what caused the needle and seat to leak, had had the carbs off and blown all lines and ports out with air. Must have been a bit that did not get blown out.
The petcock issue was the very small vent hole was plugged and would not allow air in to release the vacumm and allow the diaphragm to seat.
Drilled it out, added extra vacumm lines with small orifices fitted to #2 and # 4 cylinders. Checked with a vacumm gauge and no pulsing and have not had any problems since.
Cheers Steve

[Ricky-D]

It won't stop fuel leaking through a bad diaphram and running down the vacume line into #6 cylinder will it?

Uh Oh, I'm not sure. Anyone?

Friagabi is correct!  Another inherent weakness in the fuel delivery system.

***

[98valk]

What is the best way to prevent hydrolock? Do I need to rebuild my tank valve or something more fancy. I have had may bike for ten years and have just heard about this issue since i have been reading on this website. I am not scared to death of this problem but if i can prevent it  i am going to do what i can.

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.

or

http://www.thehulltruth.com/boating-forum/203184-seafoam-contains-10-20-isopropyl-alcohol-ipa.html
"Seafoam will absorb small amounts of water. What it will not fix is E10 that has phase separated.
PALE OILS are light coloured, non-staining naphthenic oils refined from specially selected wax-free crude through the use of severe hydrogenation. This process produces oils of excellent initial colour and colour stability while maintaining their compatibility with most synthetic elastomers. With a flash point of 330 degreee F or more. E10 flash point is around -40 degrees F. Diesel is around 143 degrees F by the way. Have you ever wondered why Seafoam will stall your gasoilne engine unless you rev the piss out of it. Well now you know; the stuff does not want to go BOOM.
Naphtha flash point is a little lower then gasoline. If want to buy Naphtha go buy some Coleman Stove Fuel.
Seafoam has a flash point of 55 degrees F and gasoline is -40 degrees F. That is why when you pour it in a carb the engine wants to die.
Bottom line is the stuff seems to work in the old 2 cycle outboards I have tried. Now filling the racor with straight seafoam seems like you are asking for trouble. The stuff does not want to burn like gasoline and by filling the racor that is exactly you are trying to do. Anybody hydrolocked a motor trying this?"

[John Schmidt]

I have one on my bike, along with a manual Pingel and an inline filter. In over two years...so far...so good. However, the question is always there as to whether it might fail while on a trip. Murphy's Law says it will happen, and at the most inopportune time....usually out in BF Egypt somewhere. So, this spring before taking any cross-country trips I plan to pull the tank and build in a by-pass system. Using one of the fuel tank selectors as shown in the Golan Products website would probably do the trick, and look nice as well. I want to install one of their low-profile outlets in place of the petcock and in line with a quick disconnect. The QD would run to a T, which in turn will run to the tank selector. One side of the selector will run to the inline filter and electric shut off as usual. The other side of the selector will run to a T on the back side of the electric shutoff, allowing me to continue on my merry way until I get to a place where I can replace the elec. shutoff since I always carry a spare with me. Essentially I'm building a by-pass for the elec. shutoff in the event it should fail. Even though the average "time to failure" of the shutoff should keep me going until I reach at least age 103,    it's manmade so it's bound to fail. At least that's my current plans....for the bike, not length of time left for riding.

http://www.golanproducts.com/fuel_valves.html

[3W-lonerider]

i would'nt get to uptight about that electric shutoff failing..i work at a pretty good sized machine rental yard. we have electric fuel shutoffs on every peice of equipment we have..one electric valve for gas and another for propane. at least half of our boom lifts and sizzor lifts are capable of handle both fuels. they are set up that way so you can use them in either an outdoor or indoor application. we have machines that are going on 20 years old. and as of today. they are still using the original factory electric solenoids. i carry one of each in my service van one for L.P. and one for gas..i've worked at this place over 10 years and have never replaced a solenoid in a gas powered unit..now the electric solenoids used on diesel engines do go bad. manely because they are set up to pull a lever in the engine that is spring tensioned. and that spring eventually takes it's toll on the solenoid. it's always good to have a back up plan. even if it never gets used..

[John Schmidt]

That's good to hear. But like you said, it's always good to have a backup, even if it's never used.