1981 GS450TX petcock rebuild

[schmitty78]

Has anyone ever used a rebuild kit from this site?

http://www.oldbikebarn.com/Suzuki-GS300-GS1150-Petcock-Rebuild-Kit?sc=12&category=73760

The petcock on my bike was pretty 'stiff' or difficult to turn, so I decided to take it apart and clean it. Well, when I did, I found metal pieces from what looked like a stainless, very thin disc, that used to be on the back of the diaphragm inside. Everything else looks to be in order, so I went looking for a rebuild kit. This is one of the few I've found so far...

 

[Bonehead]

Before you do anything, check out Bikecliff's greeting as well as his website.

Some people, myself included which is what I did, would recommend just getting a brand new one especially with the vacuum petcocks on our GSes. If you have never taken one apart before, it is recommended to just buy a new one. But if it i too much as this one is over $100, just wait for someone who has done this repair before.

 

[Guest]

Dunno if yours uses the same style as my '82 450E does, but a brand new one from Boulevard Suzuki was less than $80. Far less pain than a rebuild...

My fuel tap did exactly the same thing too, couldn't turn it, and inside the metal disc was just shattered...

 

[BentRod]

go to a bike wreckers. Suzuki still makes and uses the same petcocks, so they are pretty easy to find. I got a brake master, petcock and a few other parts from a crashed savage, to say nothing of other older suzuki bikes.

 

[Guest]

Before you do anything, check out Bikecliff's greeting as well as his website..

Bikecliff's or Basscliff's website is having some issues right now. He is very busy trying to rectify the problems.Though do check at times to see if he if has some of the links back up yet.

 

[schmitty78]

Before you do anything, check out Bikecliff's greeting as well as his website.

Some people, myself included which is what I did, would recommend just getting a brand new one especially with the vacuum petcocks on our GSes. If you have never taken one apart before, it is recommended to just buy a new one. But if it i too much as this one is over $100, just wait for someone who has done this repair before.

So, I take it a petcock rebuild is more difficult than it looks? The kit only has a few pieces in it, so I figured it looked to be a fairly simple task. I agree that it is probably optimum to just replace with new, but in the interest of saving money I figured I'd try to rebuild. I found a link on here somewhere to a rebuild article, but I didn't get through the whole thing and now I can't remember where I found it.

 

[Bonehead]

So, I take it a petcock rebuild is more difficult than it looks? The kit only has a few pieces in it, so I figured it looked to be a fairly simple task. I agree that it is probably optimum to just replace with new, but in the interest of saving money I figured I'd try to rebuild. I found a link on here somewhere to a rebuild article, but I didn't get through the whole thing and now I can't remember where I found it.

Well, in the same way you want to save money the manufacturers use inferior parts in rebuild kits. For me, the rebuild was about $30, and a brand new petcock was $42 so I sprang for the brand new one. I don't really know if it is harder than it looks, but it may backfire on you in the near future and you will end up having to get a brand new one anyways. You can try your luck on eBay as well. I took the liberty of starting the search for you and all are under $80.

 

[schmitty78]

Well, in the same way you want to save money the manufacturers use inferior parts in rebuild kits. For me, the rebuild was about $30, and a brand new petcock was $42 so I sprang for the brand new one. I don't really know if it is harder than it looks, but it may backfire on you in the near future and you will end up having to get a brand new one anyways. You can try your luck on eBay as well. I took the liberty of starting the search for you and all are under $80.

Well, I guess you have a point, with the quality of parts. I was rather disappointed to see they didn't offer the internals on BoulevardSuzuki.com, which is initially why I started this thread. Kinda iffy buying a kit that looks right, but has no reviews. Thanks for starting the search! I'll check it out and see what I like.....

 

[Guest]

Old Bike Barn, from your E-bay address post, well that rang a bell, now why........ oh, they're on the GS Resources Dead Beat List.

You might want to look through this thread before you bid! or buy!
http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=71246

 

[Bonehead]

Well, I guess you have a point, with the quality of parts. I was rather disappointed to see they didn't offer the internals on BoulevardSuzuki.com, which is initially why I started this thread. Kinda iffy buying a kit that looks right, but has no reviews. Thanks for starting the search! I'll check it out and see what I like.....

No problem
Just shop around and I'm sure you will find something that works. Even if you don't find one, there is always the option of gravity feed (Like a dirtbike system). The only reason I didn't do this, is because I wanted to keep the fuel system stock from tank to carb so I can get it running well. Maybe I will later do it who knows

 

[Guest]

I've never understood that year, model number.
Could it be this chart is wrong?
Should that 450T be listed as an E for years '80-83?
Then below that you have the model 450TX for years '82-'83.
http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_modelchart.htm

Looking at that chart you could have a 450T and the '81 year making it a
450TX, but if you drop and see the model
450TX for the years '82 and '83.

So, using that chart you could have a '81 450TX or a '82 450TXZ or '83 450TXD.
OK I can live with that until I go to the parts fiche.
There's a E model that our chart doesn't show. So I think the first 450T on our charts should be a 450E and everything else would fall in place.

The whole reason behind all this is just I wanted to look up the petcock on the parts fiche.
So, is this the petcock? They're having a sale soon.
http://www.boulevardsuzuki.com/fich...y=Motorcycles&make=SUZUKI&year=1980&fveh=2093

 

[schmitty78]

I've never understood that year, model number.
Could it be this chart is wrong?
Should that 450T be listed as an E for years '80-83?
Then below that you have the model 450TX for years '82-'83.
http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_modelchart.htm

Looking at that chart you could have a 450T and the '81 year making it a
450TX, but if you drop and see the model
450TX for the years '82 and '83.

So, using that chart you could have a '81 450TX or a '82 450TXZ or '83 450TXD.
OK I can live with that until I go to the parts fiche.
There's a E model that our chart doesn't show. So I think the first 450T on our charts should be a 450E and everything else would fall in place.

The whole reason behind all this is just I wanted to look up the petcock on the parts fiche.
So, is this the petcock? They're having a sale soon.
http://www.boulevardsuzuki.com/fich...y=Motorcycles&make=SUZUKI&year=1980&fveh=2093

Yes, I have noticed it can be difficult to find parts for my particular year/model. Though I completely understand your explanation of the chart, looking at the chart sure gave me a headache! The petcock fiche you linked is indeed the petcock on my bike. I did look at eBay search Bonehead linked in his post and found the exact same, brand new petcock, for $70/free SH...so I decided to order that one.