Loss of Power....'01 Interstate...RESOLVED!!

[mhallock]

Recently, I have experienced an intermittent loss of power, usually going uphill, (like she's running out of gas) for only a few seconds, then everything is back to normal. This morning I drove for about a half mile (uphill) with continuing loss of power for maybe 30 seconds, then back to normal. Bike has 90,000 miles....I figure there are several possibilities....where should I start to look for a fix? Thanks in advance....

RESOLVED:
Thanks Mike & HarryC for your input....vacuum testing proved that petcock was the problem. Thanks Stan (aka NJF6COWBOY) for calling when you saw the post and giving me an extra housing from your spare parts.....installed and resolved....as many have said before, "Is this a great club or what?"

Mark

[hubcapsc]

Petcock, vent line at back of tank, and is it an OEM gas line
setup with no dips or extra filters or stuff...

-Mike

[mhallock]

Mike,

Thanks. I always leave the petcock "ON"....never switch to off or reserve. Will check the vent line when I get home...it is OEM...no extra stuff...Thanks again.

Mark

[hubcapsc]

Mike,

Thanks. I always leave the petcock "ON"....never switch to off or reserve. Will check the vent line when I get home...it is OEM...no extra stuff...Thanks again.

Mark

I never turn mine off either. The problem you describe could be caused by a leaky
diaphragm, though. There's an easy on-bike test that involves pulling a vacuum
on the petcock with a mity-vac, hopefully someone will describe it in detail. I use
the harder (take off your gas tank and remove the petcock) vacuum test described here:

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

-Mike

[Harryc]

Mike,

Thanks. I always leave the petcock "ON"....never switch to off or reserve. Will check the vent line when I get home...it is OEM...no extra stuff...Thanks again.

Mark

I never turn mine off either. The problem you describe could be caused by a leaky
diaphragm, though. There's an easy on-bike test that involves pulling a vacuum
on the petcock with a mity-vac, hopefully someone will describe it in detail. I use
the harder (take off your gas tank and remove the petcock) vacuum test described here:

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

-Mike

I keep seeing folks mentioning pulling a vacuum with a 'mity-vac' to test the petcocks on these Valks. It is absolutely not necessary to go out and get a Mity-vac. Put a tube on the petcocks vacuum port, suck on it, and clamp it. Done ... (old hippies know how to clamp it). LOL

[hubcapsc]

I keep seeing folks mentioning pulling a vacuum with a 'mity-vac' to test the petcocks on these Valks. It is absolutely not necessary to go out and get a Mity-vac. Put a tube on the petcocks vacuum port, suck on it, and clamp it. Done ...

I can relate.

The test I use (referred to above) gives me something to see... the little flap
opening and closing in response to the vacuum I pull on the vacuum line.

A mity-vac has the little dial... you'd either see it stay the same or go down,
maybe slow, maybe fast.

When you clamp the tube, how do you know the vacuum held? You hear a
whoosh when you unclamp it?

-Mike

[Harryc]

When you clamp the tube, how do you know the vacuum held? You hear a
whoosh when you unclamp it?

-Mike

Mike, I hear you but if the gas flows when you apply vacuum to the diaphragm and does not flow or leak when you remove vacuum to the diaphram does it matter? It either works or does not.

[hubcapsc]

When you clamp the tube, how do you know the vacuum held? You hear a
whoosh when you unclamp it?

-Mike

Mike, I hear you but if the gas flows when you pressurize the diaphragm and does not flow or leak when you depressurize the diaphram does it matter? It either works or does not.

That's what I was missing... you're watching gas flow and stop as you apply and
release the vacuum...

I remember now about what we did when we rebuilt Stanley Steamer's petcock.

We put a vacuum on the petcock and gas dribbled out - we both knew that wasn't
enough gas to make a Valkyrie go.

We rebuilt the petcock and used the test I referred to to see the little flap open and
close.

Then we put the petcock back on and did another gas flow test - it flowed like
water out of a four inch pipe 

I guess if you have a mity-vac, you don't have to take the petcock off to test it,
or even remove the gas line and flow gas out to somewhere... you just hook
the mity-vac to the vacuum port, pump on a vacuum, and watch the needle...

-Mike

[Harryc]

When you clamp the tube, how do you know the vacuum held? You hear a
whoosh when you unclamp it?

-Mike

Mike, I hear you but if the gas flows when you pressurize the diaphragm and does not flow or leak when you depressurize the diaphram does it matter? It either works or does not.

That's what I was missing... you're watching gas flow and stop as you apply and
release the vacuum...

I remember now about what we did when we rebuilt Stanley Steamer's petcock.

We put a vacuum on the petcock and gas dribbled out - we both knew that wasn't
enough gas to make a Valkyrie go.

We rebuilt the petcock and used the test I referred to to see the little flap open and
close.

Then we put the petcock back on and did another gas flow test - it flowed like
water out of a four inch pipe 

I guess if you have a mity-vac, you don't have to take the petcock off to test it,
or even remove the gas line and flow gas out to somewhere... you just hook
the mity-vac to the vacuum port, pump on a vacuum, and watch the needle...

-Mike

Ok I see what you are saying. I just had my tank off last week and tested it with the clamp method. I can see where you might test the diaphragm without removing the tank with a mity-vac. Personally I' like to see the gas flow (or not) doing this test, but that's me.

[Pete]

Please folks be careful sucking on the vacuum line. Check for the presence of gas in the vacuum line first.

[Tfrank59]

Mike,

Thanks. I always leave the petcock "ON"....never switch to off or reserve. Will check the vent line when I get home...it is OEM...no extra stuff...Thanks again.

Mark

I never turn mine off either. The problem you describe could be caused by a leaky
diaphragm, though. There's an easy on-bike test that involves pulling a vacuum
on the petcock with a mity-vac, hopefully someone will describe it in detail. I use
the harder (take off your gas tank and remove the petcock) vacuum test described here:

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

-Mike

Aren't you afraid of hydrolock by never turning off your petcock?  Because of stuff I've read on this forum I always try to turn mine off.

[pancho]

No Fear!! 

Just got to check your vacuum petcock often enough to trust it, like each time you remove the tank, and open the carbs every few years just to check things out.

[Beardo]

Mike,

Thanks. I always leave the petcock "ON"....never switch to off or reserve. Will check the vent line when I get home...it is OEM...no extra stuff...Thanks again.

Mark

I never turn mine off either. The problem you describe could be caused by a leaky
diaphragm, though. There's an easy on-bike test that involves pulling a vacuum
on the petcock with a mity-vac, hopefully someone will describe it in detail. I use
the harder (take off your gas tank and remove the petcock) vacuum test described here:

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

-Mike

Aren't you afraid of hydrolock by never turning off your petcock?  Because of stuff I've read on this forum I always try to turn mine off.

When I first bought the Valk and joined the site, I was happy to read that people were getting hundreds of thousands of miles out if these bikes and they are quite reliable. Then, as I read more, I read about hydro lock and got worried. Replaced the original OE petcock with a new OE. Then the more I read, I worried about wheel bearings...driveshafts/pinion cups...u-joints....final drives....timing belts....starter buttons/kill switches....apparently the Honda oil I am using is junk...the Honda moly paste I used is junk...you can get to the point where you're worried every time you throw a leg over the bike, something bad is going to happen.  I've spent more time wrenching on this bike than my last 5 bikes combined...which I enjoy almost as much as riding, so I don't mind at all.

Good thing most of these things are cheap/easy to maintain and if you ride it regularly...and do some basic maintenance, you have nothing to worry about.

[gordonv]

Aren't you afraid of hydrolock by never turning off your petcock?  Because of stuff I've read on this forum I always try to turn mine off.

Also never turn it off. I rely on the vacuum turning off the fuel. Since I don't ride daily, every long trip I take down the Hwy, I turn my petcock to the off position, wait till it sputters enough that I'm sure fuel isn't getting to the carbs, then turn it back on.

Daily driving, I would do it every Monday morning on my way to work.

You got to remember what section of the forum you are in. When you are where you read nothing but problems, then it seems there is nothing but problems. I read so I can identify what a problem might be, and how I might be able to fix it.

The only things I recommend for new riders, is the rear end maintenance, and how to identify a hydro lock. Both of these can cost a lot of $ if not done or identified.

[Firefighter]

Beardo, If you took a 16 -19 year old car and drove it on accasion with old gas, changed the oil every so many years, never knew it had brake, clutch, rear end fluid or coolant, left it sitting around stacking boxes on it, then drove it like a sprint racer when you did use it, you would experience some of these same issues.

Many of us do the preventative maintenance and do not have very much trouble, I think these machines are bullet proof.

[Ricky-D]

Solving pretty much, all fuel related problems, for years.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=SC

***

[Beardo]

Beardo, If you took a 16 -19 year old car and drove it on accasion with old gas, changed the oil every so many years, never knew it had brake, clutch, rear end fluid or coolant, left it sitting around stacking boxes on it, then drove it like a sprint racer when you did use it, you would experience some of these same issues.

Many of us do the preventative maintenance and do not have very much trouble, I think these machines are bullet proof.

I absolutely agree and if my post made it sound like the bike is a piece of crap, that wasn't what I meant. You are right, when you ride an 18 year old bike, you expect to have to do some preventative maintenance once in a while. I think as long as you ride it regularly and pay attention to your bike's sounds and behaviours, you will be fine.

Gordonv made a good point...if someone based their opinion of the Valk on the tech forum, you'd think every Valk has had hydro lock at some point and Honda engineers are morons. Mine is 18 years old, the carbs have never been touched, I'm running an OE petcock(new but OE), and I think there are a lot like that.

[falconbrother]

I just got off of a 28 year old Harley Electraglide.  The Valkyrie Interstate is like a space shuttle in comparison.  I wouldn't hesitate to ride my IS anywhere where there are paved roads.  I worried about leaving the city limits on the old HD. 

[Bighead]

Falcon don't be afraid at all I rode my 99 IS coast to coast two years ago and took her north of the border around Nova  scotia and to Colorado in the same year  can you say dependable

[Gryphon Rider]

Falcon don't be afraid at all I rode my 99 IS coast to coast two years ago and took her north of the border around Nova  scotia and to Colorado in the same year  can you say dependable

Bighead, re-read falconbrother's message.