Dreaded 80 petcock

[geobass]

I have recently purchased this bike and was not in running condition. I noticed the petcock was leaking and assumed this might be the problem with the no start condition. I got it home, drained the full tank and poured fuel directly into the hose. Within 30 seconds she was running... and running well.

I took the advice I read here and purchased a genuine replacement petcock.
Put two hundred miles on the bike before it left me stranded. Now I am at the same situation. Petcock is leaking from the front and I am not getting fuel to the carbs.

Is there something that contributes to this dilema? Is it in the design... or did I just get a bad part?

Thanks in advance,

George

[hampshirehog]

You got a bad part. I've got 3 of them - one original from 79 (yes we had them in 79 as well over here), one from 80 and one replaced in 2009 (from 79 again). All work fine.

[Vmass]

I replaced mine with and OEM part. No problems. But, I sure would prefer one with a shut off!

Are there other Suzuki petcocks with same bolt spacing and shut off?

[hampshirehog]

Are there other Suzuki petcocks with same bolt spacing and shut off?

No. Nothing else OEM fits.

[Chromedome]

Dreaded 80 petcock

Hi, we got our 1980 GS850L 17/18 years ago and the petcock has never gave us any trouble in all that time, apart from me not knowing how it was controlled, but that wasnt realy a bike problim, more like mine.



Stephen.

[Nessism]

None of the GS petcocks have a "shut off". The lever-less petcock is the same as the others in this respect.

[tom203]

When you replaced this genuine petcock, did you use new "sealing washers" under the attachment bolts? Anyways,the "fuel not getting to carbs" might be due to this petcocks odd method of flowing fuel- apparently it needs to be coerced.

[SqDancerLynn1]

I would carefully take it apart and clean it. May just have some junk from the tank clogging it

[Blastr2783]

I replaced mine with a new one from Z1 and have not had a single problem since then. bout 600 miles ago.

[madjack57754]

If you want a shut off , you need to get a pingle fuel valve (and adapter). No reserve or strainer but it shuts off

[Katarat]

My 80 GS1100 has a Pingel petcock with a reserve and filters on the main & reserve

[mrbill5491]

Can you post a couple pics, would like to see how you got it to fit.

I have a box full of these vacuum petcocks.

My 80 GS1100 has a Pingel petcock with a reserve and filters on the main & reserve

[old_skool]

One of my personal pet peeves, are the vacuum petcocks, I know some like them and they work fine for the most part, but I went with an adapter from Z1 to replace my petcock with the 3/8 threaded style, now I have a nice shiny chrome petcock with on/off/res, and if I need to replace it in the future, I spend only $15-$20 instead of 50+, I also like the fact mine has no o-rings.
I've always just preferred to be able to shut mine off, and I'm not so old yet that I can't remember to do that. No matter what petcock you use, you should always make sure you float needles seat and seal properly, I've heard others say that a full tank of fuel can sometimes over power the floats and leak by anyway....I say bunk, never had one leak that was functioning as it should. I also pull my carbs on any bike I've owned, annually, not for complete rebuilds every time, but at least to inspect for varnish, polish the float needles and re-set the float height, just another not always needed preventive maintenance thing I like to do. Never had an engine full of gas from any bikes I've owned and maintained.