Pingel yields what reserve?

[MarkT]

Installed a #1311-CH Pingel on Jade.  That's the usual metric model with outlet fwd.  Have you measured what main/reserve volume this petcock delivers with a std/tourer tank?  The main opening is a bit lower than the OEM petcock tube.  Thx.

[John Schmidt]

Mark, I don't recall what I found out some years back when I went with the Pingel. I do know the reserve is a fair amount less than OEM so I extended the pick up tube on the Pingel. Someone else had done it so figured I'd do likewise, at the local hobby shop I picked up some brass tubing just large enough to slip over the Pingel tube, it's fuel line for model cars/planes. I laid the two petcocks side by side and marked the new tubing for the length I wanted so to match the OEM, plus an extra 1/2" to slide down over the Pingel pickup. Prepped the Pingel tube with some sandpaper, got out some good solder...no core, and used some flux to make sure the solder flowed into the union like you do with plumbing fixtures. It's been in there probably close to ten years, my reserve is close to OEM although I seldom run it down that far. I'm getting too old to push. 

[MarkT]

Hmm.  Thx for sharing that.  Sounds like a good idea and an easy mod. The screen tube will have to be extended too.  As it is now, I have the belly tank plumbed as a large reserve. Typically I ride until I have at least 3 gallons of space in the main, then throw the pump switch.  It takes 9 minutes to transfer the 3 gallons up.  If I don't transfer it before it hits reserve, then reserve must be selected as the fuel won't transfer fast enough to recover when it's already sputtering.  Run on reserve for at least a minute while the fuel sw has been activated, then can go back to main on the petcock.  Now with the pingel, it's not as easy to flip it to reserve.  At least I have not been able to find the lever quickly yet. Never mind with gloves on.

It would still be helpful to know what the actual numbers are, for main and reserve with this pingel and a std tank.  I can of course run it to reserve to get a good idea. But then have to pull over since the lever is too hard to find especially in a hurry while rolling.

[Chrisj CMA]

I'd say the reserve is at best half what OEM is.  However, on a standard with no extra tank you have around 5 gallons right.  Everytime you leave a gas station with a full tank you can only go so far and no reserve actually gives you more gas.  On a road trip you're either going to make it or you aren't.

The real answer would be an accurate fuel gauge, that not happening, I advise (especially new Valkyrie riders) to set the trip meter and learn to judge conditions as far as how many miles you can go before getting fuel


It's not that hard to learn and it's worked for me for a long time.

[Harryc]

Is it possible to switch to reserve with a pingle while moving on the bike? All I've heard is it's hard to reach. So I guess minimally you are fumbling under the seat somewhere and not looking where you are going. That doesn't sound good to me.

[six2go #152]

Is it possible to switch to reserve with a pingle while moving on the bike? All I've heard is it's hard to reach. So I guess minimally you are fumbling under the seat somewhere and not looking where you are going. That doesn't sound good to me.

I never found it to be a big deal. Yes, you do have to reach under the tank instead of by your knee as with the OEM. It's all a matter of doing it and "muscle memory" will take over.

[MarkT]

Still looking for an actual measurement of how the pingel divides the main/reserve using a standard tank. This will tell me when I MUST pump up the belly tank or suffer pulling to the curb since I can't find the lever by feel especially with gloves on.  I have trouble feeling it with a bare hand.  Carpal tunnel sucks. Jade demanded reserve a couple weeks ago when I was in the middle of a 3-lane at a traffic light in rush hour traffic - no pulling to the curb there. In this case I still had the OEM petcock, switched to reserve.  Once I start the belly tank pump it's a minute before I have usable fuel.  Or switch to reserve on the petcock if you can find it.  This is why I hadn't gone to the Pingel years ago. Maybe I'll add an extension on the lever to make it easier to catch with a finger.  JB-Weld to the rescue!

[Chrisj CMA]

Is it possible to switch to reserve with a pingle while moving on the bike? All I've heard is it's hard to reach. So I guess minimally you are fumbling under the seat somewhere and not looking where you are going. That doesn't sound good to me.

BS!  easy to reach, maybe a tad farther stretch but you don't have to take your concentration off the road at all!  its NO PROBLEM.

[MarkT]

Is it possible to switch to reserve with a pingle while moving on the bike? All I've heard is it's hard to reach. So I guess minimally you are fumbling under the seat somewhere and not looking where you are going. That doesn't sound good to me.

BS!  easy to reach, maybe a tad farther stretch but you don't have to take your concentration off the road at all!  its NO PROBLEM.

Problem for me.  I have numb fingers. Imagine if you had little feeling in your digits. If you live long enough you might not have to imagine.

[Bighead]

Hey Mark have that Carpal Tunnel released   5 minute surgery, I had mine done last June. I worked all day in the Operateing room with my Dr and after we finished our last Surgery I said my time we went to an operating  room next to the one we were in and I had him do mine ( had all I could stand) I didn't take any pain meds after and worked the next day
Did it under local anesthesia so I even drove myself home I waited too long to do mine and it took almost 6 months to get full feeling back in my thumb and index finger but it came back and all is goodnow
If you wait too long your thienar muscle ( muscle at the base of your thumb)will atrophy and will not come back. Some say you lose up to 10% grip strength in the hand that you have released but to date have noticed no difference but I will say I have a pretty darn good grip strength and I could easily afford to lose 10%.

[mark81]

Mark could you make an extension for easier access to the pingle valve out of something like this?

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200637387_200637387?hotline=false&cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%26gt%3B%20Drills%20%2B%20Accessories&utm_campaign=Klutch&utm_content=42104&gclid=CLLi7M6Syc4CFQimaQodlKQPfQ

[MarkT]

Mark could you make an extension for easier access to the pingle valve out of something like this?

http://m.northerntool.com/products/shop~tools~product_200637387_200637387?hotline=false&cm_mmc=Google-pla&utm_source=Google_PLA&utm_medium=Power%20Tools%20%26gt%3B%20Drills%20%2B%20Accessories&utm_campaign=Klutch&utm_content=42104&gclid=CLLi7M6Syc4CFQimaQodlKQPfQ

That's an interesting idea.  I think it might create a problem with clearance with my belly tank plumbing though, and make tank R&R difficult.  An advantage to the Pingel is it is smaller profile than the OEM petcock which helped gain clearance for the belly tank filler line.

I have instead JB-welded an aluminum paddle onto the petcock lever to make it easier to find with my finger.  The glue is drying so I can't test it until tomorrow.

[MarkT]

The paddle glued to the Pingel lever makes all the difference.  Easy to find it fast now.  Maybe even with not-too-thick gloves on.  I still don't know the main/reserve volumes yet.  I can throw an empty 1 gallon can in the luggage, run til it hits reserve, drain the remainder to the can with the extra petcock, pump the belly tank to the main to resume riding, and accurately measure the contents of the can later. After I do that I'll post what I found.