New Guy needs help

[scoobydoo]

I have had my 98 standard about 2 months and love it, but now I am starting to have problems. Gas getting in a cyl. and locking up. It's happened 3 times. I have been reading other posts about it, but really still don't know where to start. My local Honda Dealer in southern indiana is not much help. I thought I would start with rebuilding the petcock. Tried to buy a rebuild kit but was told Honda does not offer it. I know it can be done I read about it in other posts. Where do I get a rebuild kit? I would like to keep it stock if possible. Any help ???    Thanks

[fudgie]

Yes that is a good place to start. They have a rebuild kit from honda. Its listed under 'cover set'. I would go with a pingel fuel valve myself. Having a piece of mind that it wont hydrolock is better then keeping it stock. Also check with Gilligan, he lives down there and likes his dealer.

[f6john]

You can get the rebuild kit from HDL, Honda direct line. Rebuild is east enough just pay attention to what you are doing as you take it apart. I was having an issue with my Valk 3 years ago that was allowing gas into at least one cylinder on the right side and I had to replace the carb needles to correct my problem. I never hydro- locked completely enough to damage the starter or any gears but enough that gas ran out the weep hole in the exhaust on the right side. No problems since! But take no chances it can get expensive quick.

[Kingbee]

By all means, shut the fuel off at every stop until you get the petcock rebuilt, and afterwards too!

[fudgie]

run some carb cleaner through it also.

[Thunderbolt]

Petcock rebuild kit Part # 16953-MV9-000.
I think the part no. might have been superseeded, if so they can tell you at Honda Directline Parts.  Be sure to look closely as you disassemble the old one or take pictures.  You can put some parts in backwards if you are not careful.  Knock on wood as they say, I have not had what you are describing.  If gasoline is going into #6, the back cylinder on the left side,  the culprit could be the petcock for sure, as that cylinder provides vacuum through a line to the petcock.  If another cylinder, that cylinder must have trash in it.

[Tundra]

Last time I tried to order PN 16953-MV9-000, I found it has been replaced with PN 16953-MBZ-B51.
 



 

[hubcapsc]

You can do it. Search the old tech archives for "petcock" and "cover set".

From this web site you can order basically every single part for your bike... the only OEM parts
I know of that you can't get are accessories like bag rails and stuff...

http://www.hdlparts.com/fiche_select2.asp?category=Motorcycles&make=Honda&year=1998&fveh=3477

You'll have to take your tank off and fight with a few hard-to-manipulate gas and vent lines,
but it's not bad.

The cover set (petcock) is easy to rebuild, the articles from the tech archives have lots of pictures
and verbage.

Besides the articles in the tech archive (some of which have better pictures than this), there's
this article in shop talk that includes a test you can do after your rebuild to ensure that you did
the rebuild correctly (recommended...)

http://www.valkyrieriders.com/shoptalk/petcock.htm

Along the top of each VRCC page (probably the one you're reading now) is a line of clickable links
that looks like:

 Homepage : Photostash : JustPics : Shoptalk : Old Tech Archive : Classifieds : Contact Staff

Which will lead you to the tech archives and shoptalk...

Plus there's about 100 of us here who are willing to talk endlessly about petcocks if you need
help once you get started 

-Mike

[Lucky Duck]

Scoobydoo,  I live in Mt. Vernon and have 2 '98 std's and neither one has ever been to a shop for anything --- thanks to help from this board.  If you'd like some help with the petcock let me know, Ill be glad to help.  480-1993, you'll probably need to leave a msg but I'll get back to ya real soon.

I'd be real nervous about hydrolock until that petcock is right!

[franko]

I noticed a mention of having gas in #6 indicating a possible petcock issue, I removed my carbs last night, I am going slow because I have never attempted a project such as this, but after looking into intakes i wonder what the condition of the back of the valves is telling me? My #3, #2 and #6 valves looked like they had more crud than the others and also had a small amount of visible gas settled in the bottom around the rim of the valve.

The Valk ran well other than dumping gas, so Iw as looking at a carb rebuild. Are those valves telling me something? should I be looking to the petcock as well? Could this be a condition of just running to rich? All my plugs had carbon and seemed rich except #2, it seemed to have other issues, the plug in general was very corroded and ashen white.


Thanks

[Ghillie]

I'm not the most experienced guy in the room, but running a couple of cans of seafoam through mine and replacing the plugs made a huge difference. I was running rich because the plugs were fouled. My understanding of the fuel in the cylinder is that it is a two fold problem. first there is failure of the petcock that allows fuel to continue to flow. Second is that a carb has to be leaking through the needle valves. Pretty much everyone on the site that has posted in reference to this issue seems to agree on several things.

First, the OEM petcock is not nearly as good a failsafe as a pingel.
Second that putting a small inline fuel filter goes a long way in keeping the carb issues to a minimum.
Third that although not as popular as a simple pingel replacement, an electric shutoff is better than OEM for stopping fuel flow.
Fourth and most importantly, ignoring a leaky petcock becomes not a matter of if but when will you trash something expensive to repair.

[franko]

From what i have read, and what I am trying to fix, i agree on those points. I have ordered parts to fix the potential petcock problem. As far as the carb issue, will a good cleaning solve the float / needle issue or is it recommended that new parts be on order?\

Thanks again

[scoobydoo]

YOU GUYS ARE A LOT OF HELP. i WENT BACK TO THE HONDA DEALER TODAY AND ORDERED THE COVER KIT. WILL BE HERE IN 3 OR 4 DAYS. IN THE MEAN TIME I AM SHUTTING OFF THE VALVE ABOUT 1 MILE OR SO BEFORE I STOP AND THE WAITING UNTIL IT STARTS TO SPUTTER TO SHUT IT OFF.DO YOU THINK IT'S SAFE TO RIDE OR SHOULD I PARK IT UNTIL THE PARTS COME AND I FIT IT?
   THANKS   SCOOBY

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I did away with the vac side of the stock peacock about a year ago. Took the guts out and made a gasket to go in between the two halves of the valve . I now have developed the habit of turn key on turn fuel on,  turn key off turn fuel off. It works for me, sometimes I forget to turn fuel back on but the lady will let me know about it in a short time.

[1FAST6]

Taking a big chance every time you hit the starter until you have it fixed.  I'd park mine, but that's just me...

[Wago]

YOU GUYS ARE A LOT OF HELP. i WENT BACK TO THE HONDA DEALER TODAY AND ORDERED THE COVER KIT. WILL BE HERE IN 3 OR 4 DAYS. IN THE MEAN TIME I AM SHUTTING OFF THE VALVE ABOUT 1 MILE OR SO BEFORE I STOP AND THE WAITING UNTIL IT STARTS TO SPUTTER TO SHUT IT OFF.DO YOU THINK IT'S SAFE TO RIDE OR SHOULD I PARK IT UNTIL THE PARTS COME AND I FIT IT?
   THANKS   SCOOBY

Like some have said, you're playing with fire if you have had gas in one or more cylinders a couple times. And if your petcock IS shutting off the fuel supply - and the diaphragm holds a vacuum - your issue might be one or more stuck floats. Seats in these carbourators are not rebuildable so replacement might be needed BUT if there's some crud between needle and seat in a carb, try the Seafoam solution first. A couple HEAVY doses of Seafoam might clear up your problem.

Has the fuel always been in the same cylinder? If so that is the carb to be concerned about.  And if it has been in the same hole each time, which cylinder is it? Facing forward the numbering is 2-4-6 from front to back on left side and 1-3-5 on right.
Wago

[Baloo]

In my understanding of the hydrolock problem, 2 things need to happen together for hydrolock to happen: 1- The petcock has to be leaking, allowing fuel to flow from the tank to the carbs, and 2- One carburator needle has to be leaking to to allow the carb to overflow and fill the cylinder with gas. So, rebuilding the petcock will sure stop the gas flow to the carb, but you still have a leaky carburator needle. If I'm not mistaking, you'll need to have that needle repaired too. Running sea foam through the system might take care of it, but I would definitely make sure that the carb is not leaking anymore, or else you might find yourself with a pretty nice bill soon or later. Just my 0.02

[scoobydoo]

It's always been on the left side. The first time it was #6 and it was full, gas leaking out the exhaust. I did not have the shut off closed. Should have seen me trying to clean off the gas that blew all over my wife's car, had a paper towel in front of the cyl. but their was a whole lot more in it and it came out a lot quicker that expected.
The other two times it has been # 2 not much gas in the cyl. but enough to lock it. The petcock was closed both times. By the way I moved my wife's car this time.
Has not did it after I have been running about a mile with the petcock closed before stopping.  The rebuild kit should be here by the end of the week I hope. I looked an I do have a in-line fuel filter, don't know if it comes that way or not.
I did change oil after the first one due to the amount of gas in the cyl. thought some gas could have seeped past the rings, really don't know if that possible but I did it anyway.
Think I have more that one problem?

[1FAST6]

Baloo is exactly right.  You need a leaky petcock and a stuck needle in the carb to cause fuel to get into the cylenders.  The way our petcocks are made, shutting it off may not stop the leak if the diaphram is bad.  Fuel filter is an add-on and is intended to keep crud out from under the needles in the carbs.  Try a full can of Seafoam in 1/2 tank.  Run 1/2 through and let her sit overnight.  Repeat as necessary.  Another good add-on is the Dan-Mark electric fuel cut-off valve.  Only costs about $25.  Wire it to something switched by the key and it will automatically cut-off the flow of fuel when you shut her off.  Goes in line with the filter.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of busted gears inside the engine!

[hubcapsc]

Baloo is exactly right.  You need a leaky petcock and a stuck needle in the carb to cause fuel to get into the cylenders.  The way our petcocks are made, shutting it off may not stop the leak if the diaphram is bad.  Fuel filter is an add-on and is intended to keep crud out from under the needles in the carbs.  Try a full can of Seafoam in 1/2 tank.  Run 1/2 through and let her sit overnight.  Repeat as necessary.  Another good add-on is the Dan-Mark electric fuel cut-off valve.  Only costs about $25.  Wire it to something switched by the key and it will automatically cut-off the flow of fuel when you shut her off.  Goes in line with the filter.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of busted gears inside the engine!

A busted petcock alone can fill up number six, no need for a bad carb there... if your petcock is busted so
bad that it flows gas with no vacuum and the weep hole is clogged, gas will flow right down the
vacuum line to #6.

The previous owner of my buddy Gary's bike had attempted to fix his petcock with "ingenuity" (it is better to use
a cover set  ) and Gary had quite a mess on his hands when he first got the bike, fouled #6 plug, raw gas
shooting out the pipes on startup, blegh... don't ask me why he didn't get a hydrolock... is there a luck-of-the-draw
position for your valves to be in where gas can fill your top end and keep on flowing out the exhaust?

[scoobydoo]

Got my parts in yesterday, took off the tank & rebuilt the petcock. Not bad at all for the first time. Found the screen had some little grit in it. Cleaned it and put it all back together. Put a can of seafoam in, hope that was not too much. So far everything seems good. Thanks a lot for all of the help. My the way I found out I already had a K&N filter so now I have some cash to spend on bling.
Scoobydoo

[1FAST6]

Our bikes are getting old and the rubber doesn't last forever.  I had to rebuild my buddy's petcock in a motel parking lot on the way to Key West a few years back.  Of course, we topped off the night before and in the morning, he was getting no fuel.  Hole in the diaphram on the vacuum side prevented the petcock from opening.  Schmeared some RTV on it and hit it with the blow dryer in the room.  Ran it 2000 miles till we got home.  He ordered 2 cover sets, one for him and one for me.  I did mine as preventive and still carry the old one in the saddlebag, just in case...  I plan to redo it every 3 years or so to stay on the safe side, but will add the electric cut-off next time the tank comes off.

[old grouch]

Where can I get one of those Dan - Mark valves?  Not having much luck with Google today.  Stan

[Bone]

http://www.dan-marc.com/