Petcock with 4 settings?

Ok, so I know the three settings on a vaccuum operated petcock are on, res, and prime. But mine also has a setting at the top called Fuel. I was hoping someone could tell me what that is for.

Also, the previous owner told me to leave the petcock in the reserve position all the time, but I've run out of gas and been stuck twice now. The fuel light doesn't work. He put a shut off valve in the fuel line, and I have to turn it on and off to control the fuel flow. However, I still have a bit of a fuel leak when the bike is off and sitting over night.

There is only one fuel line connected to the petcock and the vaccuum at the engine is capped off. Would it hurt anything to use the petcock as normal the way it is currently rigged? (meaning running the bike in the on position and switching to reserve as needed).

And what the heck is the fuel setting for at tht top?

Setting order of petcock from top going clockwise, FUEL, PRIME, ON, RESERVE.

 

"fuel" is not a setting it is a label

 

Then how come the knob turns to it like it's a setting?

 

don't know

 

Sounds like your petcock is in seriously bad shape -- downright broken I'd say. If the selector switch spins around so you can get to the FUEL label, I'd say it's not even worth trying to rebuild, just buy a replacement.

 

What altus said.
it should only turn 180 degrees. Mine says fuel at the top too

 

The PO probably removed the petcock from vacuum because the mambrane is shot causing fuel to be sucked-up the vacuum line and flooding-out the cylinder the vacuum line was attached to.

You deserve to have a bike with a vacuum operated petcock that functions as it should. Shutting-off the fuel when the engine's stopped and with a reserve function to get you to a gas station so you don't get stranded out of gas.

All that in mind there is a couple of ways to go:

Rebuild it with a kit. Which is tricky and could be troublesome because the kits are too generic and many of them leak ... or, ...

Buy yourself a Brand New Petcock and start at Day One of the twenty-plus years the old one worked without a problem.

A new one would be my recommendation.
No fuss. No muss. Ride the bike!

 

Thank you guys for your help. Couple more questions. Do you think I could ride with the present petcock in the ON position the way it is set up, and then switch to reserve like normal, or would it mess up the carbs somehow? Because I'm really tired of leaving it on Reserve all the time and having to look in my tank every time before I ride.

Secondly, where can I find a new petcock for that bike? I already have to replace a bunch of other things and I don't have a lot of money to spend on it. I've found that it is difficult to locate good parts for this bike.

 

Yamaha part number: 31A-24500-01-00 - $101.10 from YamahaPart.com

 

$101.10!!! Aye Chihuahua!

 

Sorry dude! I don't set the prices!! You might check with your local Yamaha dealer, but I doubt it will be any cheaper.

 

Calling Chacal - oh Chacal where are you?
(Chacal's the local parts guru extraordinaire)
I'm sure he'll chime in here soon -- hopefully with a better price than that!

 

RIGHT HERE

 

Yeah, they're right, it be broke. Looks like Paul T solved your problem but from the looks of the pic I would definitely invest in a new filter (the one in the pic is VERY fuel-stained and is probably all crispy now that the unit has been exposed to air for a while.)

 

I wouldn't go that route, especially since you may end up with one in the same condition you have. I'd get with Len (chacal) to see if he has a complete new petcock, if not, I'd get the one I noted.

Good luck!

 

Thank you for all your help guys. It's great to know there is a place to come and ask questions about my seemingly rare hog. It's my first bike, so it's been a learning process.

I also have to get a new gas cap, and a new radiator, so I may try to put off the petcock for a bit. (The locking clips broke off of the gas cap and fell into the tank! So for now I have a bungie cord over the gas cap to keep it from flying open.) I'm weary about the petcock on ebay because there is a chance it is no better than the one I already have.

Its been raining here so I haven't had a chance to try and ride it with the petcock set to the ON position yet, but I guess I will try it and see what happens. Hopefully I won't flood anything or dump a bunch of fuel. However, I don't see how it would make a big difference. But I'm nervous about it because the PO told me to leave it in the RESERVE position.... any thoughts about this?

 

Chacal's parts page
http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2584.html
Take some time and review. He has help and amazed me many times.
I am a satisfied returning customer.
I would just cough up the ~50 bucks for the new petcock that Chacal has.
No worries for another 2 decades !!!!!!

 

I see no reason why you couldn't run in the RESERVE or ON position until you have sufficient funds to correct the problem. I would recommend that you set the valve to the OFF position though when parked.

 

Chadwickm, that's exactly what I do. I have to turn the little in-line valve to the OFF position when I park it. But I think the carbs are still flooding a little because there's always a small puddle of gas under my bike when I come back to ride it.

By the way, I noticed you are from Wichita! I grew up there, I lived off of 21st between Maize and 119th. During my last trip there I noticed how much the city has grown. Wish I could move back sometimes, I really miss Dog & Shake!

Ass Fault, thanks for the link man.

 

Sounds like the internals are shot in the petcock not just the twisty bits. A quick heads up that all the extra gas is going in your crank case not just on the floor and will thin the oil in short order. Smell the dipstick and see if it smells like gas.

 

That's different! If you're leaking fuel even in the off position. Park it until it's fixed.

 

+1 on the parking it... Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but if the leak gets any worse you will fill a cylinder and it will hydrolock when you go to start it. Fuel does not compress like air and it can snap a piston rod.

 

Definitely park it - at best you could ruint, at worst you can burn it ;-)

Check out this thread - this is the route I am probably going to go.. 50$ and no issues ;-)

Replacement Petcock

 

Hmmm, that doesn't sound good. But I haven't smelt any gas in the oil yet. The leak is coming from one of the over flow tubes coming off the carbs. I don't think it's a constant leak, because the puddle is not very big. But I will get a new petcock asap to be safe. Do you all think that is more important than getting a new gas cap though?

 

K9 ...

You got yourself a Low-miles Max-X !!!

Get it right and make it GO nice.
Put that baby on-the-edge and get some sun on you!

 

Something I just though of....

Even if the petcock was leaking, how could the gas get past the in-line shut off valve? Granted, I have forgot to shut it off a couple of times, so maybe those couple of times gas was able to get into the crank case, but other wise I don't see how gas could get past that shut off valve.

Ideas?

 

Supposedly it can't. Forgot about the shutoff valve. What would make the gas come out of the overflow tube however? Maybe leaning it on the side stand? Try the center stand next time you park it and see if it still leaves a puddle.

 

If it leaks every time you park it ... you probably have a combination of Float Heights too high and/or Leaking-by Float Valve Pins.

The gas left in the line and gallery after you shut-down is leaking into the Bowl(s) and going-out an overflow.

This could mean the Petcock is leaking-by a little bit and the Carbs need new Float Valves and Seats.

Whatever it needs ... get after it. You're just one hateful cigarette-flip from being burned out of business.

 

Rick, that makes perfect sense. Thanks man. But it doesn't leak every time I park it. Just sometimes. Usually the spot on the ground is anywhere from the size of a quarter to a silver dollar. And don't worry, I fully intend to restore it as much as possible! The PO sprayed down the tank and side panels with Rino Bed Liner, so this winter I plan to paint it perty. You can find pictures of it in my gallery now.

SyracuseXJ, unfortunately, I don't have a center stand. I wish I did cause it would make certain things a lot easier.

I'm gonna try to get an aftermarket gravity flow petcock this weekend and I will leave the in-line shut off valve installed as a fail-safe, if I can find the doe.

 

Update: I've been riding and parking the bike with the petcock in the ON position and the bike seems to run better and leak even less than running and parking in the RESERVE position. I forgot to turn off the shut off valve the other day.. again. The next morning I was kicking myself, but when I checked the bike, there was no puddle on the ground. I was shocked. I guess this means that the ON position works better than the RESERVE position. Any ideas?