Pingel Fuel Petcock

[Jethro]

I recently bought a used gas tank in mint condition for my 81 GS1100EX. It came through with a Pingel fuel petcock which I hear are quite nice. The action is 10 times better than the stock unit. I am going to mount the tank this weekend. In a previous post I noticed some talk of having to do something funky with the vacumm line coming from the carbs. What do I need to do? Also, is it rue that I need to make sure I shut off the fuel valve whenever I shut the bike down? Do I need new fuel lines? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

yes shut it off and put a vacuum cap ocer the port on the carb

[Anonymous]

Re: Pingel Fuel Petcock

I recently bought a used gas tank in mint condition for my 81 GS1100EX. It came through with a Pingel fuel petcock which I hear are quite nice. The action is 10 times better than the stock unit. I am going to mount the tank this weekend. In a previous post I noticed some talk of having to do something funky with the vacumm line coming from the carbs. What do I need to do? Also, is it rue that I need to make sure I shut off the fuel valve whenever I shut the bike down? Do I need new fuel lines? Thanks.

I trimmed mine back and stuck a sheet metal screw in it---i always use high tech methods

[Anonymous]

If my memory serves me right (jeez.....like that will ever happen 8O ) you just need to cap off the vacumn line. If your fuel lines are in bad shape, replace them. I think, total, there isn't more than 12 to 18 inches of fuel line. Shouldn't run more than a couple of bucks.

[Anonymous]

I went to Scotty's School to Mechanicing

[earlfor]

Re: Pingel Fuel Petcock

I just left a 1 inch piece of fuel line on the vacum nipple on the carb and turned a setscrew down into the fuel line. Then filled over the setscrew with black silicone to guarantee an air seal. In theory, the float valves should stop fuel from seeping through and getting into the crankcase oil, however even if new now and not allowing seepage, at some point in time, they will wear enough to seep.
Since there is no way to know when this will happen, it is necessary to turn the petcock to off whenever you shut down the engine. To keep from forgetting, I made a rule for myself.
"the engine cannot be shut down unless the fuel is already turned off".

Earl

[Jethro]

Lets say that gas does get in the oil, could the darn thing explode? I'm beginning to think I want the original vacumn petcock.

[Anonymous]

I went to Scotty's School to Mechanicing

Mechanicing...........Mechan Icing? Is that the brown crud they dip Ding Dongs in? 8O

[earlfor]

Probably about the same chance of it exploding as there is of having a meteorite land in your corn flakes. The diaphram in the stock petcock can also wear out allowing fuel seepage. My view is that a positive mechanical off is an improvement.

Earl

Lets say that gas does get in the oil, could the darn thing explode? I'm beginning to think I want the original vacumn petcock.

[SqDancerLynn1]

The stock Vacuum petcock does not have an off position where as the pingle does have an off position all you have to do is remember to turn it of. this is why alot of people replace there's with a pingle

[saaz]

Having had standard taps on previous bikes, I like the vacuum operate standard one. has never given me any problems, and it is the original one.

[Jethro]

Thanks everybody! I am going to try the Pingle, but one last question. I removed my tank without taking note of which hose is the vacumn hose (duh). There are two hoses other than the fuel line that seem to come from my carbs. One is a fatter hose that is to the rear of the carb assembaly (I am thinking this is an overflow hose from the floats), the other is a smaller diameter one that is to the front of the carbs (almost at the large intake gaskets- I think it's the vacumn line). Is it the smaller one towards the front? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

The two large hoses that go to the T's between the outer and inner carbs just hang down behind the air box. The vacume hose goes into the top of the #2 just behind the intake manifold. The other one is the fuel supply. It goes down to a T that is between the center carbs. I think.