petcock malfunction

[Mountainman]

I had the Valk out the other day and had to hit the resurve at 88mile on the clock. dropped 4 gal. in and got another 70mile and it shut off again ( hit resurve and off we went ) it would only take 2 gal. to fill the tank and in 11mile I had to hit the resurve again. I guess the petcock will have to be rebuilt or replaced. ........ any ideas ?

[paul]

Hey,,if you research the petcock you will have plenty to read!! I would save yourself a lot of greief and put a pingel non vac on,, ch1311..on it and forget it,,,I have done this on two other bikes I owned also,,a 1978 kz100 with vac op petcock and an flht both of them acted up as with my valk,,when you have them both in your hand,,the pingel and the oem  there is no comparison i.m.h.o. good luck..

[Smokinjoe-VRCCDS#0005]

I don't have a petcock comment however I will say you are asking for a tank full of rust by not filling your bike up at the end of every ride. It's worse in the winter but it happens in the warm weather also. You park the bike with a near empty tank the motor is hot the fuel tank is cold and just like that ....Condensation in the tank.

[Gryphon]

I'm not dismissing that you might have a petcock problem, but I would check the vacuum line going to the petcock before I ordered one.  If that line come loose, or has a crack, the OEM petcock looses it vacuuma and shuts off.  It thinks the engine is off.  The other thing to check is the tank vent.  If the problem can be solved by loosening the cap, it is your tank vent.  

[paul]

BIG  + one with smokin joe.....last stop of the day should be gas stop....always enjoying your valk post smokin joe,,,i envey your stomping grounds,,,smokeys rock....been through once and did the dragon,,awsome....Fort worth tx.

[rmrc51]

Hey,,if you research the petcock you will have plenty to read!! I would save yourself a lot of greief and put a pingel non vac on,, ch1311..on it and forget it,,,I have done this on two other bikes I owned also,,a 1978 kz100 with vac op petcock and an flht both of them acted up as with my valk,,when you have them both in your hand,,the pingel and the oem  there is no comparison i.m.h.o. good luck..

DITTO!! 

[rmrc51]

I don't have a petcock comment however I will say you are asking for a tank full of rust by not filling your bike up at the end of every ride. It's worse in the winter but it happens in the warm weather also. You park the bike with a near empty tank the motor is hot the fuel tank is cold and just like that ....Condensation in the tank.

Ditto again!! 

[Farther]

I had a similiar problem and it turned out to be a pinched tank vent line.  I would check both the vac line to the petcock and the tank vent line for conditions.  Replacing is cheap.  If you do have rust in your tank, you will probalby need a new fuel filter.

[Gryphon Rider]

Mountainman,
If you've lifted or removed the fuel tank before this problem started, I suspect a pinched or plugged vent hose.  To test this, when you seem to run out of gas, don't switch to reserve, but pull over and open your fuel tank filler.  If you hear a hiss as you open it, it's practically guaranteed that the vent is the issue.  Regardless of whether you hear this, try starting it with the fuel valve still in the on position.  It'll take a pit of cranking.  If it starts, great, the vent is the issue.  If not, put it to reserve and start thinking of other possible causes.

For those of you thinking it might be the vacuum line to the fuel valve, how would turning to reserve make it run all of a sudden?

[1FAST6]

Pull the vac line off #6 intake and see if it will hold a vacuum.  If it leaks, you either have a leaky vac line or bad diaphram in the petcock.  If it's the diaphram, you can get a petcock rebuild kit (COVER SET,rooster 16953-MBZ-B51 $28.91) at hdlparts.com  After having my buddies fail on the second day of a week-long trip to Key West, I rebuild mine every 3-5 years just for good measure.  Keeps her running and may reduce chances of hydro-lock.  Easy preventive maintenance. 

If the vacuum holds, ride it until it acts like it's running out again, open the tank and see if she returns to normal.  If it does, you probably have a pinch or clog in the vent line.

[alsvalk]

Hey fellow Valk riders. I have a petcock question. I discovered a leak in mine, replaced it yesterday. Rode about 50 miles, when I stopped, I realized that the switch was in the "off" position. I called the suplier that I bought it from, he says there is no "off" on the Valks. He says it is not necessary with a vacuum system. I'm confused. I have read over and over how necessary it is to turn the gas off. There is an off position on the switch, and the old one cut the gas of just fine. Supplier says the positions are, on, reserve, and prime. Anyone have any knowledge with this? It is a Honda petcock.

[Farther]

Your supplier is talking out of his ass if he means that the Hondaline petcock does not have an off setting.

[Pete]

Just FYI

There were some on/reserve/prime petcocks. But I have never seen one on a Valk. I think they were on older Suzukis. They actually had PRI for Prime stamped on them though.

[alsvalk]

My first thought exactly, about which end he is speaking from. However, I rode around to the local Honda shops today, picking info from the mechanics. I actually spoke with 3 different mechanics, although they could not give me specifics, they all agreed that the supplier was correct. I cant find much info at all on the subject. I would love to figure this one out. Do I dump another $100 for a new one, or am I ok with what Ive got?  Thanks for the help!

[larryh0841]

My Valkyies have a gas off position on the petcock and when the gas is shut off nothing flows through.  The vacuum side has been eliminated on both of them.  If you have one of the Honda petcocks and it flows gas in the off position you have another problem. 
                                                                  Larry

[alsvalk]

The petcock part# is 16950-MBY-033, it replaces parts 16950-MBY-003, -013, -023. Anyone know whats up with the one part replacing all others? It was in a sealed bag with a Honda OEM sticker on it.

[MP]

You run into updated parts numbers all the time.  Sometimes just different suppliers, sometimes they switch to an improved version, and replace all the previous numbers.  Run into that all the time in older farm machinery.  Sometimes there are 3 or 4 superceded numbers, to get to the current one!

MP

[asfltdncr]

I just got one a few weeks ago and have yet to put it in.
The one HDL sent me is a K&L  FCK38 Petcock Rep Kit.
It has two different style diaphrams, an o-ring, and spring and cost $17.

[alsvalk]

Hey, thanks MP. I figured something like that. Do you know of any way to research modifications to the parts? If you saw my earlier post, you know that I have installed a petcock that allows flow in the "off" position. If I order another one, how can I know that it will be like the one that came off of her? I would prefer original equipment top to bottom.

[asfltdncr]

If it has an "off" position,the fuel should be off.If not, it must be malfunctioning.

[MP]

You have a failed petcock.  Order the one from Honda, will have all new innards, and will be OEM.

MP

[Hoser]

My first thought exactly, about which end he is speaking from. However, I rode around to the local Honda shops today, picking info from the mechanics. I actually spoke with 3 different mechanics, although they could not give me specifics, they all agreed that the supplier was correct. I cant find much info at all on the subject. I would love to figure this one out. Do I dump another $100 for a new one, or am I ok with what Ive got?  Thanks for the help!

I don't want to offend the few good Dealer mechs out there, but most have never touched a Valkyrie.  Not enough out there that are not self maintained.  Ever had them mount a tire backwards cause they thought it was off a VTX?  I have.  They did'nt know the Valkyrie shaft was on the right side instead of the left!   Hoser  

[alsvalk]

Beginning to unravel it. Found where Honda "recycled" parts from other models after production of the Valk was halted. Thats where the single "classification number" replaced three other "classification numbers" in the part number. It appears I got a hold of one that got built without an "off position". You are smart to buy the rebuild kit, but if your leaking gas, I dont think the kit will fix it. Mine was leaking from the switch side of the petcock that is bradded on.

[valkyriemc]

I don't have a petcock comment however I will say you are asking for a tank full of rust by not filling your bike up at the end of every ride. It's worse in the winter but it happens in the warm weather also. You park the bike with a near empty tank the motor is hot the fuel tank is cold and just like that ....Condensation in the tank.

+1 I like to keep it full too...

[SgtBunny]

I bought a plate from one of the other members and converted my petcock from a vacuum petcock to a manual petcock and put an electric solenoid inline.  Seems to have done the trick to stop any fuel from flowing when I want it turned off.

[1FAST6]

Make sure you put it together the right way...  The spring goes on the vacuum side and I think the diaphram only goes one way.  If you forgot the spring or put it on the wrong side, it will be on all the time...