fuel petcock on xs1100 e

[SIZZSAM]

I have a 78 xs1100 e and my "r" for reserve is toward the rear with "prim" being toward the front. My brother has a 78 xs1100 e and his "reserve" is toward the front tire and "prime" toward the rear. Could my previous owner have used different petcocks? The 1100 e user manual shows the reserve toward the front. any help in clearing up this mystery would be appreciated.

[AlanB]

Hi Sam,

You have two cocks; Have they been swapped side to side?

AlanB

[mro]

Should be a "R" on one and a "L" on the other.
The "L" could mean it's for the left side, and the "R" ?
(was that way on my 80G)


mro

[SIZZSAM]

The 78 1100 e doesn't have the "r" and "l" on the inside of the petcocks. I have a 79 xs1100sf and also an 80 sg that do. Their petcocks are different than the standard 1100 e in that they have an off whereas the 1100 e just has on, reserve and prime. I had them both off while cleaning and replacing a torn diaphragm but feel sure I didn't reverse them. When you look at them it doesn't look like they will go but one way. The smaller vacuum tubes both go out the front toward the engine. I was wondering if maybe some 1100 e's had it one way and then they changed. Does anyone out there have one like mine? I have run on reserve before and it seemed to work correctly. I wouldn't want to be putting it on prime by mistake.

[planedick]

Reverse cover plates

The chrome cover plates will fit on either side meaning the petcocks might be or not be right. Either way once you find out for sure by removing the fuel line and observing if fuel flows when in either prime or reserve, no vacuum means reserve will not flow and prime will, you can put the cover plates on the right way...

[79XS11F]

1978E fuel petcocks when installed on the correct side of the fuel tank will have the vacuum barbs facing forward and if these are 1978E petcocks the fuel supply barb to the carbs is straight off the back side opposite the valve handle. The "R" is at the front of these petcocks.
The only way they could be mixed up and still have the vacuum line barb facing forward would be is the back plates were mixed up during a rebuild of the petcocks. Check the petcocks .. they are stamped "L" or "R" for which side of the fuel tank they should be installed on.
Rob

[SIZZSAM]

Thanks Richard you hit the nail on the head. I had both of the petcocks off while cleaning and the chrome plates must have gotten reversed. I had looked at them before but thought the screw holes wouldn't fit on the other side but that is not the case. I made a drawing of one side and took it over to the other side. I'm a little dyslectic and reverse things sometimes. That will fix the problem as soon as I change the chrome plates back. Thanks especially to you Richard and all the other help that was afforded me. This forum has once again solved a big problem for me.