Okay, I want to throw my petcock into a busy highway

[castlekin]

I do thank everyone for their advice, I don't mean to sound angry in text form, just confused and frustrated. I had the bike running for a bit today, but I will get rid of the extra fuel filter next, only after I adjust the carbs ( not going to trust my custom built "external fuel cell" a.k.a a clean empty old antifreeze container hanging above the bike).

any other advice is always welcome, though.

And I hope that my experience will help others.

I guess this is what I get for buying a Bike off craigslist, and the bike has possibly pasted hands several times.

[tkent02]

They still make new ones, might be better.

[cowboyup3371]

I do thank everyone for their advice, I don't mean to sound angry in text form, just confused and frustrated. I had the bike running for a bit today, but I will get rid of the extra fuel filter next, only after I adjust the carbs ( not going to trust my custom built "external fuel cell" a.k.a a clean empty old antifreeze container hanging above the bike).

Why wouldn't you trust this? As long as it is at the same level as your gas tank or at the highest connected to the bars, it will do good for you. Heck, Tkent02 uses a fuel can from stores like REI (I finally found it Tom) to do his carb syncs and it works great.

any other advice is always welcome, though.

And I hope that my experience will help others.

I guess this is what I get for buying a Bike off craigslist, and the bike has possibly pasted hands several times.

There's nothing wrong with this. Heck, I bought mine off of craigslist where the PO essentially lied to me about a lot of the bike's condition. I've almost got it where it needs to be after working over 4 months last summer to get it running (I actually rode for the next two months). It happens and as long as you just take a deep breath and try to do what's needed, you'll do fine with it.

Or, you can take Tkent's advice and just go buy a brand new one and still have problems with it.

[castlekin]

well, i do have a bit of a dry sense of humor, using the external fuel filter will allow for me to see the fuel being fed to the carbs a bit better. I am just a bit upset today also, because its 63 toady and 70's tomorrow, and I have to work the 6pm to 2 am shift at work, so no riding for castlekin ( cuz I ain't riding tonight when its in the upper 20's and lower 30's, call me a wuss).

[cowboyup3371]

Why not just go buy a new clear fuel line from your local parts house? I think I paid a couple of dollars for mine.

[castlekin]

well now, the strangest thing, now the dang fuel line works just fine. stupid bike.

[cowboyup3371]

what did you do to it? Did you finally take the filter off?

[castlekin]

that's the funny thing, I have done nothing. the second filter filled and has stayed full. However, I have noticed that my bike wants to idle high( like 2000) and then drops to 1500, then a few seconds later to 1000, and then 500 then dies. the second filter still full. So, you think it's a vacuum issue?

[cowboyup3371]

Actually it sounds like mine - running lean and starving for fuel. Get rid of that filter.

[castlekin]

oh, I will. So, this is possibly just the bike?

Do you think that this has any correlation with the post,

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=171896

possibly a vacuum issue causing all this?

[sedelen]

These petcocks can be really frustrating. I have four for one bike, each one has it's own peculiar problem. I have one which is on the bike and operating as it should, but it has the wrong filter, and I haven't been able to remove it for fear of breaking it. Two I have slow leak when switched to the "on" or "res" with no vacuum applied, and the fourth just flows freely no matter what position it's in.
Gas should flow freely when in "Pri", you can disconnect the gas line at the petcock and put on another one on it and run it to a gas can to check it. When in "On" or
"Res" it should only flow when a vacuum is applied to the vacuum line. So, switch it to "Res",
disconnect the vacuum line to the carb and suck on it, that should open the diaphram and allow fuel to flow, once the vacuum is gone it should shut off, you can do the same thing in "On" just make sure you have have enough gas in the tank (more than what your reserve fuel supply should be). If your petcock flows freely in "Pri" without vacuum applied and in the "On" and "Res" position with vacuum applied, and shuts off on "Res" and "On" without vacuum your petcock is working correctly.
If you get little flow, it could be a clogged vent in the gas cap, remove your gas cap and see if that helps. If it is a clogged vented cap as it uses fuel it will create a vacuum in the tank reducing or stopping flow. Also, as least with my tank, there is a little hole in the filler neck of the tank to allow air in, make sure that isn't clogged.

[cowboyup3371]

Castlekin, I didn't see where you answered Basscliff's question in the other post...have you gone through the ENTIRE list of maintenance tasks to include PROPERLY dipping and syncing your carbs? Have you removed that fuel filter yet? Done the valves? etc etc etc?

Start from the basic list and work from there. You've received LOTS of GREAT ADVICE but I'm not seeing answers back that you've done anything.

Good luck

[chuck hahn]

I got a 9 dollar UNIVERSAL wiper and coolant resivior from nappa and put lenght of fuel line on it and a barbed fitting at the end. It hangs off the bars with a shoe lace and my SHUTOFF valve is a pair of hemos to pinch it off..works great.

[castlekin]

Cowboy and BassCliff, I have checked valves( a little low for compression on the #3 cylinder), I am getting to the syncing of carbs, but I ran across the fuel issue i have described, timing's good, and I am not sure where the air hole in the tank is, but I just got the tank painted so it may be blocked. I know that the #4 is running rich by the look of the spark plugs, and I can't seem to afford the carbtune device needed to tune the carbs, nor can I afford to take it to a shop. I am trying to do this on a poorman's budget right now, as I am working part-time.

Anything else I didn't answer please let me know, and I really do enjoy the sounding board to bounce ideas and problems off of. You guys are sharing patience with me, and I thank you guys. I love wrenching things, but I haven't really messed with any motorcycle engines in 20+ years ( and that was a DR 80).

I just hope I am also helping someone else either now or later down the road.

Oh, and I got a good length of 5/16" hose sitting on the wall, so it looks like I got enough fuel line to replace what I need.

wonder if I can use the following for carb syncing if I got 4

http://www.harborfreight.com/fuel-pump-and-vacuum-tester-93547.html

[Tom R]

The vent is in the cap. Make sure your fuel routed with nice long bends and line isn't kinked anywhere. I sometimes find that PO's aren't so dumb when they add dumb things to bikes - like a fuel filter. It's possible that the screen on the tank or some of screen caps in the carbs are torn or missing, and that's why he threw it in (I offer my bike as exhibit A). I run a big clear filter, but I also know I can drain the tank through it in under 10 minutes - somewhere in the 20 - 30 gal/min range, more than enough for a 1100cc engine I'd think.

gal/hr that is.