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Has anybody done this before?

  • Thread starter Thread starter KiwiGS
  • Start date Start date
K

KiwiGS

Guest
I am thinking of gutting my petcock, blocking the vacuum tubes and installing a solenoid valve which turns on with the key switch.
I have a friend who works in the petro business and can hook me up with a valve.
I know I could get an adapter plate but the freight from the States is a killer.(eg. Those little rubber bushes that are between the headlight mounting bracket and the forks are about $2.50 each and fecking $79 for frieght!)
Anyway it should work shouldnt it?
Cheers​
 
Sounds like a very neat idea - I can't envisage any problems with it and you'll have to put a photo on here to show how you've done it. (Not a lot of room down there).

And have you ever considered moving to the moon in search of cheaper postage? $79 - and I thought the UK was bad!
 
I notice people like to change out the vacuum style petcocks and wondered why, other than if it's just not working?
 
You might also look at your local Kawasaki dealer (if you have one). The KZ1300, or in your case, z1300 from 1979-1988 used an electric solenoid for fuel control. It also had a petcock for OFF, RUN and RESERVE, but nobody ever moved them and just relied on the electric valve. In fact, unless I had to remove the fuel tank from the bike for service, my petcock lived in the RESERVE position and I watched the fuel gauge for refill clues.


.
 
I have never understood why someone hasn't come up with a cheap alternative to the stock vacuum petcock.
 
They have, it's called a manual valve but if you forget and leave it on the carbs leak when the bike leans on the sidestand.
 
I have both a KZ1300 & 3 Zukes, In the past 25 years, I've rebuilt 2 zuke petcocks, that have worked perfectly ever since. Not bad for 25 yrs. The Kawasaki valve is defective now. Not enough pressure from tank to push fuel thru valve, when tank gets near empty. I only get about 10 mi. on reserve, but still have appx. 1 gal. of gas in it. The KZ1300 web sites advises to remove the electric fuel valve, because they, like the Suzuki, cause problems. For my use vacuum is best, electric is next, & the antique, manual petco. I like vacuum best, elect 2nd, & the antique manual would be last. Probably cause my memory isn't what it was 30 yrs ago. Just my opinion.
 
rphillips said:
I have both a KZ1300 & 3 Zukes, In the past 25 years, I've rebuilt 2 zuke petcocks, that have worked perfectly ever since. Not bad for 25 yrs...
Click to expand...


Please advise which model Suzuki petcocks you rebuilt. And also, do you remember whether you used OEM parts or aftermarket kits?

Thanks,

Tomcat
 
hmm seems a little overcomplicated changing to a valve the stock taps have been working well for years & still are in most cases + theres potential for yet another suzuki electrical related problem to rear its ugly head :?

ps 27 years to date of suzuki riding & only ever changed one fuel tap & that was on a 4 year old bandit 12 :shock: which i hope explains the above opinion :-D
 
I have modified the original petcock to be a manual one. A little jbweld in the "prime" hole of the barrel and seal everything else up. It works a treat. Now moving it to prime is the off position and run and reserve still function like normal.

I don't see why you couldn't build a solenoid valve. The petcock was easy to gut and seal up.
 
I forgot, I rebuilt a petcock on a 1985 GS 550 "ES", with a cheap rebuild kit from ebay. I replaced the petcock on my 1986 GS 1150 "ES".
 
This. Is. Ridiculous.

This. Is. Ridiculous.

Let's say your car tires wore out after 80,000 miles, but they worked very well the whole way. Would you:

A) Head to your local tire shoppe and replace them with the same kind of tires?

or

B) Curse them for daring to ever wear out, swear you'll never trust rubber tires again, then carve replacements out of granite?

C) Buy 50 pounds of used chewing gum from a guy on eBay, then spend three weeks in your garage with a hair dryer and a putty knife trying to retread them?

D) Fill the tires with cement so they won't lose air, carve a tread pattern in the remaining rubber, and drive on?

E) Buy a set of tires from a semi truck, then lift and modify your car so they'll fit?

F) Adapt a set of treads from a WWII surplus tank?

G) Bypass the need for tires by inventing a levitation system just like Star Wars.




Like any rubber item on any vintage vehicle, petcocks are a maintenance item with a useful lifetime of around 20 years.

A vacuum petcock is perfectly reliable for a couple of decades, then it will need to be replaced with a new one from Suzuki because the thin vacuum diaphragm will begin to deteriorate. Replace it at or before the first sign of trouble, and you're done until at least 2028.

Replaced. Not rebuilt with one of the dubious kits floating around on eBay, not arsed around with homemade chewing gum remedies, and not bypassed.

Replacing with a manual petcock doesn't make any sense to me either. A Pingel costs more than an OEM replacement, and unless you have a 100% reliable brain, you risk flooding your engine with gas every time you park the bike. The float valves in GS carbs are not designed or able to hold back gasoline on their own. Even if they're in perfect shape, they will seep enough gas in a couple of days to create a dangerous and expensive situation.
 
So Brian....are suggesting that a 25 year old part that has now failed, is a good design? :-D

I have to echo everything that you say. Spend the money on a new petcock and you won't regret it! :? Or...you can get a rebuild kit, as I did, and have a very nice paper weight sitting on your bench! 8-[
 
I think part of it is that,

A) I am cheap.

B) I wanted a Pingel.

C) I am cheap, and I already had a tube of rtv and JBWeld in the garage.


The OP said that he can get the parts to build a solenoid cheaper then he can buy the rebuild kit. I don't see the problem here....
 
Pingle Petcock

Pingle Petcock

I went the rebuild route a year or so ago with no luck. Bought a Pingle petcock and adapter for my '81 850 had to do a little work on the tank opening with a rat tail file but no problems since.
 
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