a few questions on fuel petcocks

[Anonymous]

My bike is leaking fuel out the exhaust pipe so I went to take off the tank to see what I could find. In the manual it just says to unhook the vaccum and fuel lines and take off the tank. Well the fuel just ran out all over the place, is the petcock not supposed to leak at that time? Could it be the carb floats not stopping the fuel is why I have fuel in the pipe? What to do?
Please help! I need to ride.
Thanks
Ian

[Hap Call]

Re: a few questions on fuel petcocks

My bike is leaking fuel out the exhaust pipe so I went to take off the tank to see what I could find. In the manual it just says to unhook the vaccum and fuel lines and take off the tank. Well the fuel just ran out all over the place, is the petcock not supposed to leak at that time? Could it be the carb floats not stopping the fuel is why I have fuel in the pipe? What to do?
Please help! I need to ride.
Thanks
Ian

Sounds like you need to get a rebuild kit and rebuild the petcock. When the petcock is in the RUN position, no fuel should come out when the motor is not running. It will come out if it is in the PRI (Prime) position. You use the PRI position when your carbs are dry then switch over to run once the bike is running.

If you have fuel coming out the exhaust pipe, you will have fuel in your oil...change your oil before starting the bike.

Another option is to replace the petcock with a Pingel aftermarket petcock.

Hap

[Billy Ricks]

If it is in the prime position it will let fuel flow. If not the petcock has a problem. If you had enough fuel in the cylincer to have fuel come out of the exhaust you have some big problems. The crankcase is also full of fuel from gas seeping past the rings. Check the position of the petcock lever then get back. You may be able to do some adjusting on the petcock rather than replace it.

[Anonymous]

I didn't notice any problem in the time since I bought the bike and filled up the tank a few month ago but I did move the petcock to res. during my first ride after replaceing the fork seals on it's first run over the weekend that may have done something to the seals in the petcock? After I parked the bike the next day was when I noticed the gas. Thanks for the input I'll let you know what happens.
Ian

[Billy Ricks]

Is the end of the lever facing forward or backward? Move it straight up and down in the run position and see if you still have fuel flowing.

[Billy Ricks]

This is copied and pasted from an earlier post of mine.

If it is the petcock and it is anything like mine you either have a diaphram leaking or there is a rod on the right side of the diaphram that activates the prime function that needs adjusting. The rod has half a loop of spring built into it. If you disassemble the petcock be careful with the diaphram. Try stretching the spring that returns the diaphram to its closed position. It is located on the motor side of the diaphram. Also the length of the rod may need adjusting. It is on the left side of the diaphram as you sit on the bike. Be careful disassembling that part of the petcock. Pull everything straight out so you don't mangle that rod. It likely needs to be shortened a bit. Just push it to make it shorter, don't cut anything.

Before taking it apart see if you have fuel flow with the motor off in the run and reserve position. In those positions it should only flow with vacuum applied to the petcock. Then turn it to prime and you should have fuel flow.

[Anonymous]

Before I would sink money into rebuilding the stock petcock I would spend the extra few bucks and get a Pingel. I did that on my 1980 GS850G last month and it works great. Very simple to install with a simple MAIN RES OFF setting. Just turn the gas to MAIN when you start up and turn it OFF when you stop. Having an off position also allows you to run all the gas out of the carbs at the end of the riding season. The Pingel does not use the vacuum line at all. Just plug it up with a bolt and put silicon over the end so no air slips in. I also installed a clear glass in line fuel filter. Costs less than $100 to do and works like a charm so far!

Terry

[Anonymous]

Anybody wanna make it easy for me and gimme a part number for a pingel replacement for my 81 GS 1100?

puh, puh, puh, please?!?!?

I've looked at their site, and can't seem to find it.

[MichaelHoward]

http://www.pingelonline.com/non-flash/

Here is a start.

[Anonymous]

Before I would sink money into rebuilding the stock petcock I would spend the extra few bucks and get a Pingel. I did that on my 1980 GS850G last month and it works great. Very simple to install with a simple MAIN RES OFF setting. Just turn the gas to MAIN when you start up and turn it OFF when you stop. Having an off position also allows you to run all the gas out of the carbs at the end of the riding season. The Pingel does not use the vacuum line at all. Just plug it up with a bolt and put silicon over the end so no air slips in. I also installed a clear glass in line fuel filter. Costs less than $100 to do and works like a charm so far!

Terry

I did the Exact same thing and it works just fine. It is an Easy and Simple fix that works

[earlfor]

I put Pingel petcocks on both my bike and neither one had a leaking or faulty stock petcock. I figure the stock petcock is going to leak, I just dont know when. I fixed the problem before I was going to have it. :-)

Earl