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GS1100EZ petcock options

D

dweller

Forum Apprentice
My bike still has the stock petcock and i"d like to replace it judging by the condition of the rubber bits in the carbs (which I already rebuilt). I want to avoid having the petcock send small bits of rubber into my mint carbs. I've done alot of reading on here and it sounds like rebuilding the stock petcock is a hit or miss option. Not sure I want to go all the way to a Pingel. Are the OEM petcocks a good option? After all, haven't these things been laying around for many years in a warehouse? Any recommendations on what guys have had good, lasting results with? Thanks!
 
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And, ... there is a pretty good chance that they have not been exposed to very much fuel.
dunno.gif


.
 
I think I'm in the same basket. Exploring one of the reasons an 11E is so hard to start after a few weeks of sitting, I turned my petcock to "off." Gasoline started to pour out of...I don't know where. Seemed like the bottom of the carbs, but being that the bike was in my living room, I thought it best to go back to "on."

I'd read somewhere that running the carbs dry on "off" would empty the float bowls. Then, even if it's been months, you refill them on "prime" and it starts right up.

The other solution I've read about is just raising the float bowl level.
 
Rob S. said:
I think I'm in the same basket. Exploring one of the reasons an 11E is so hard to start after a few weeks of sitting, I turned my petcock to "off." Gasoline started to pour out of...I don't know where. Seemed like the bottom of the carbs, but being that the bike was in my living room, I thought it best to go back to "on."

I'd read somewhere that running the carbs dry on "off" would empty the float bowls. Then, even if it's been months, you refill them on "prime" and it starts right up.

The other solution I've read about is just raising the float bowl level.
Click to expand...

What kind of petcock do you have? The stock petcock doesn't have an "off".
 
You're right. Back is "Prime." Just got the out the owner's manual and there it is.

48 hours ago I could've just gotten off the couch to check it.

So can the carbs be purposely run dry while there's still fuel in the tank (above the reserve)?
 
The only way to run the carbs dry with a stock petcock is to pull the vacuum line (and plug it) to prevent it from moving the diaphragm to allow fuel flow. Yeah, you could remove the fuel line, too, but if you don't also pull the vacuum line, you will have to catch the fuel that WILL flow.

.
 
What are your thoughts on replacing it? I know it could probably be left as is, as long as "on" works, but it worries me. I'm thinking NOS.

You should remember that I won't be doing the work myself, and I put great stock in what my mechanic suggests. If it's a matter of saving $30 or $40, I'd just as soon keep it stock. That's not to say I'm made out of gold, like I thought I was a few years ago. I've already decided to forgo the front air suspension, even though I've got the parts gently stored here and ready to be installed. I just think it's going to be hundreds of dollars, and I've already got new Race Techs in there.

My real fear is that it's going to be time to clean the carbs, and that could be a hornet's nest. In the past, my mechanic said, "It runs so good. Why would we want to clean the carbs?" And there's the tank, and that 2 1/2 year old gas.
 
Rob S. said:
What are your thoughts on replacing it? I know it could probably be left as is, as long as "on" works, but it worries me. I'm thinking NOS.

You should remember that I won't be doing the work myself, and I put great stock in what my mechanic suggests. If it's a matter of saving $30 or $40, I'd just as soon keep it stock. That's not to say I'm made out of gold, like I thought I was a few years ago. I've already decided to forgo the front air suspension, even though I've got the parts gently stored here and ready to be installed. I just think it's going to be hundreds of dollars, and I've already got new Race Techs in there.

My real fear is that it's going to be time to clean the carbs, and that could be a hornet's nest. In the past, my mechanic said, "It runs so good. Why would we want to clean the carbs?" And there's the tank, and that 2 1/2 year old gas.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your petcock is working correctly: fuel flows when on prime (engine off) but not when set to ON. If fuel is spilling out of the carbs that's a different unrelated problem (related to the carbs). One exception: if fuel is back flowing down the vacuum line and into the carbs that way.
 
Nessism said:
Sounds like your petcock is working correctly: fuel flows when on prime (engine off) but not when set to ON. If fuel is spilling out of the carbs that's a different unrelated problem (related to the carbs). One exception: if fuel is back flowing down the vacuum line and into the carbs that way.
Click to expand...

But fuel leaving the vehicle, even when on prime? I don't remember that ever happening, and I have fiddled with prime more than once when trying to get her going after a few weeks of sitting.

I guess I'll just tell mechanic to check it, along with a lot of other things.
 
I use a vacuum tool such as the mighty vac to put a vacuum on the vacuum port to check the diaphragm operation . Simple and easy way to verify .

Terry
 
If your carbs are overflowing on prime then the needle seats controlled by the float are not working. I only use the prime while the motorcycle is vertical and only for about 10 seconds. Once in a while even good needle valves can stick open until the vibrations from the motorcycle jostle them around, especially on the side stand. A tap tap tap on the float bowls will also encourage them to work.

The inside walls of the brass needle seat can be polished with some Mothers on the end of a Q tip in a drill next time you have the carbs apart.

With the seat in your hand put the needle in it and tip it out observing how much resistance it takes to dump the needle out.
Then polish the inside walls gently with the Q tip until they are bright and shined up.
It only takes a little smear of polish on the Q tip and about 30 seconds till the Q tip is black and the seat is brilliant.
Then repeat the tip out test and watch the needle practically jump out of the seat.
 
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