problem with a fuel petcock

[blackcat]

friday i was cruising on the interstate when the bike started acting like it was running out of fuel, i was only 48 miles into the tank so that wasn't it but when i hit reserve nothing happened, coasted to the side of the road gagging the throttle    when i let it come down to a idle it leveled out and ran fine again, that happened several more time so i would just clutch it and idle until it pick up more fuel

got it apart today and inspected the diaphram it looks ok, but i can only keep it open with constant vacuum, but it wont hold vacuum UNLESS i plug the weep hole,

if i plug the weep hole everything works just fine, what would happen if i run it like this until i get a repair kit

nick

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I'ld run mine that way, until parts came in to fix it. About 3 years ago I had the same thing happen soI just made the vaccum valve into a manual valve by removing the diaphram and replacing it with a heavy piece of gasket material. Now I just shut it off when I shutdown the bike.

[Valkpilot]

friday i was cruising on the interstate when the bike started acting like it was running out of fuel, i was only 48 miles into the tank so that wasn't it but when i hit reserve nothing happened, coasted to the side of the road gagging the throttle    when i let it come down to a idle it leveled out and ran fine again, that happened several more time so i would just clutch it and idle until it pick up more fuel

got it apart today and inspected the diaphram it looks ok, but i can only keep it open with constant vacuum, but it wont hold vacuum UNLESS i plug the weep hole,

if i plug the weep hole everything works just fine, what would happen if i run it like this until i get a repair kit

nick

It will work, just make sure you always turn the petcock to the off position when you don't have the engine running.

[blackcat]

i solved my problem for now, used a piece of vinyl tape in the center of the diaphram and put the plastic washer over that

nick

[Chrisj CMA]

Once the OEM petcock starts its "swan song"  you can rebuild that, or jerry rig that but the bottom line is.....ITS A PIECE OF JUNK...GET RID OF IT  Get a Pingel and never look back.......or be ready for these headaches to return and return and return.....Been there done that

[fudgie]

Yea what Chrisj said. Unless you like redoing things over all the time. 

[fiddle mike]

Once the OEM petcock starts its "swan song"  you can rebuild that, or jerry rig that but the bottom line is.....ITS A PIECE OF JUNK...GET RID OF IT  Get a Pingel and never look back.......or be ready for these headaches to return and return and return.....Been there done that

Odd that you should mention Pingle.  I signed on to ask a Pingle question and saw Nick's question.
It seems that my Pingle begins leaking  every two years. I like the unit but not the  down-time when it is rebuilt at the factory.  Do you know anything about it's innards?
Its the model make for metric Sportster, lever on the left.

[Mildew]

Mine acts up every now and then. I need to take my tank off tomarrow and see what's going on. My shutoff hasn't worked for many, many miles. 

[fiddle mike]

Mine acts up every now and then. I need to take my tank off tomarrow and see what's going on. My shutoff hasn't worked for many, many miles.  

How about posting your findings?
I may pull my tank tomorrow but it will only be to inspect and see if I can tighten the fasteners any.

[BigM]

So your saying that the pingle give problems regulary also?

[BigM]

Also, will the pingle work with the chrome engine hangers?

[hubcapsc]

if i plug the weep hole everything works just fine, what would happen if i run it like this until i get a repair kit

I wouldn't even think of plugging the weep hole. Apparently there's something wrong with your petcock... if gas wants
to leak out the weep hole, and can't, it is probably going to leak down the vacuum line to #6... then you'll have
raw gas spewing out the exhaust, and maybe even end up with hydrolock...



-Mike

[AussieValk]

Also, will the pingle work with the chrome engine hangers?

No it won't, but I just cut my engine hanger cover with a cut off wheel, filed down the rough edges, and all is good. You get used to reaching in and turning the thing on and off with one finger.

[fiddle mike]

So your saying that the pingle give problems regulary also?

I  had to have it re-built two yrs ago.  Before that, it was longer than two years.  Since  Pingle has a system for returning for rebuild (which is inexpensive) you got to figure that the diaphragm wears, just as drive cushions or shock bushings do.

I've never had an OEM petcock fail on any other Honda.

[Hoser]

I assume you are talking about a vacumn pingle, the manual pingel should be fine.  Hope so, that's what I use.  Hoser

[fiddle mike]

I assume you are talking about a vacumn pingle, the manual pingel should be fine.  Hope so, that's what I use.  Hoser

Affirmative.
I bought the vacuum model after experiencing hydrolock with the faulty OEM. I hadn't developed the habit of turning the fuel off after riding. If I was going to buy another, I'd buy what you are using.

[Hoser]

I,m old enough to not have had Vacumn petcocks on bikes, when I stated riding,  Never did get out of the habit of turning it off.  Have forgotten to turn it on though, doesn't take long to notice that, a little embarassing when you slow to a stop a mile from home cause you have'nt quite woke up yet.      Hoser

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I'm also old enough to not have used the vac shut off. I converted my stock valve to a non vac model and just turn it off and on manually. I've been running this way for over 3yr and about 40 thousand miles with no problem. Yes if you forget to shut off you cold hydrolock but the same hold true for the pingle valve.

[fiddle mike]

I'm also old enough to not have used the vac shut off. I converted my stock valve to a non vac model and just turn it off and on manually. I've been running this way for over 3yr and about 40 thousand miles with no problem. Yes if you forget to shut off you cold hydrolock but the same hold true for the pingle valve.

How did you convert the unit?

[BigM]

What is difference of petcock rebuild kit and cover set rebuilt kit some have reffered to.if any?

[fudgie]

What is difference of petcock rebuild kit and cover set rebuilt kit some have reffered to.if any?

Ones a rebuild kit for the rebuild kit. 


Ah just kidding, I believe they are both the same, just the way it is labled for ordering.

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

Mike, I took the stock one apart and replaced the diaphram  with a piece of thick gasket material. The shut off and res still work as they did before. JP (hard 6) has also done it by jb welding up the vac side where the vac hose hooks and the weep hole is and getting an o ring to seal between the two parts where the diaphram was. Hope this helps.   I was also gonna put an electric shutoff in the fuel line just haven't done it yet.

[fiddle mike]

Mike, I took the stock one apart and replaced the diaphram  with a piece of thick gasket material. The shut off and res still work as they did before. JP (hard 6) has also done it by jb welding up the vac side where the vac hose hooks and the weep hole is and getting an o ring to seal between the two parts where the diaphram was. Hope this helps.   I was also gonna put an electric shutoff in the fuel line just haven't done it yet.

I've had the tank up on the bench, vacuum pulled and outlet seal off and let it sit like that for a couple hours.
It seems the gas was leaking around the diaphragm box when I released the vacuum. I tightened the screws and repeated the test without getting a leak. I am cautiously optimistic.

What kind of shut-off are you looking at?

[Mr.BubblesVRCCDS0008]

I had saved the website for the shutoff but computer died and lost all my good stuff. Several people are running an electic shutoff maybe some one will chime in.

[3W-lonerider]

http://www.dan-marc.com/79-afc11112.html

[Mildew]

I got my tank off and the fuel was on the "on" position for the last 3 or 4 months. Ofcourse that really dosen't matter if the petcock is faulty anyhow right. No fuel spilled out anywhere when I took off the tank and it dosen't run through the petcock when I turn it on. It's the first time I had the tank off and don't have a clue what I'm doing but I'm going to order me a new kit this week or maybe make a gasket.