A note on petcock repair kits...

[dbeardslee]

Manshack - The petcock repair kit I used came from Partsnmore but it appears they are currently out-of-stock. Have you taken the petcock appart to see what parts you need? At a minimum you need to replace the o-ring on the plunger, the rubber gasket thing with four holes in it and the o-ring for the lever. If you take the bottom off you may also need to replace that gasket, which you could make yourself with some gasketing material. Bend the plate spring a little more (the one that looks like a warped washer) and put a new spring on the back of the diaphram as mentioned previously in this post. Myself, I like overkill. I'd get the most complete kit I could find. The Z1 kit includes the diaphram with the plunger, both o-rings, the four-hole gasket, the bottom gasket, and the o-ring that seals between the tank and petcock plate for $28 and change. Looks like the same kit that partsnmore sells for $20, but they ain't got it. Costs a couple bucks more but you have everyting except the little plunger spring and the plate spring. I would also clean the petcock out well, being very careful with the screens that go up inside the tank - they tear loose easily. I used wire pipe cleaners to get at all the little orifices and channels. Generally speaking I like to do the job once. Not that it's terribly difficult, just a PITA to have to drain the gas tank and do it all over again.

[manshack_one]

It doesn't say it's specifically for a special and it also lists all the 450's etc. I only run mine on prime because the octy suffered from a frustrating flight across the garage very early on in my repair process. I guess in that regards, could I just find an on/off petcock that matched the pre-drilled holes?

[dbeardslee]

That's what my brother did on his. He had a little trouble getting it sealed so it wouldn't leak where the petcock meets the mounting plate. He finally just rtv-ed it and the leak stopped. He says it works fine. On the petcock kits, I should have looked closer - on the special they're way different. The four-hole gasket and the o-ring for the lever look the same, but I don't know.

[manshack_one]

So I'm wondering if anyone has the right part number for a rebuild kit on a special or ideas for a straight up on/off switch that will fit the same drill pattern?

[dbeardslee]

This looks like the one. Old Bike Barn Petcock Kit for specials

[manshack_one]

for some reason the square part in the middle doesn't look right. Mine had a tower looking screen that was oblong shaped. Maybe I'm just missing where that part goes. I'll check my book later.

[dbeardslee]

The tower looking thing goes up inside the tank. It has two channels in it and some screens around the openings. The 'on' setting draws from the higher channel and the 'res' and 'prime' settings draw from the lower. The part in the middle is the diaphram plunger assembly.

[DJinNH]

Originally posted by manshack_one
http://www.bikebandit.com/product/A6548333

I've got an '80 special and need to rebuild the right hand petcock. If this is the kit you used, did you end up needing all 3 parts like they show in the picture?

I just rebuilt mine on my 1100SG. My kit included:

1) the round disc with 4 holes

2) the rubber ring that goes around the petcock dial

3) a round rubber gasket that fit into the grooves on the base of the petcock where it mounts to the tank

4) that square rubber 2-ply gasket sheets with the metal fitting in the middle. (That was be far the hardest part! Getting the gaskets lined up with that spring pushing all while you try to line up the four bolts.....) That part goes on the fitting with the multiple fuel lines to it mounted near your carbs.

I'm just hoping I did everything correctly.

Don

[manshack_one]

So DJinNH which kit did you use? The one in the bikebandit link?

[Mashermoto]

Man Shack,

No, I only used the one like in the middle, but it was for a 78 XS750.

It worked OK at first...only a little drip showed up after the rebuild. But the gas smell came back after I drove the bike for a day. Turns out the right side gave it up When I pulled the fuel line off gas flowed out like the petcock was wide open

So I gave it up and purchased the manual petcocks from MikesXS.com. I really would like to have the automatic petcocks, but enough is enough already

I do plan on rebuilding my petcocks on the 78 XS1100, but if they give me grief...I'm throwing them in the street

[manshack_one]

Does this look like the right kit?

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1506


I want to order my new speedo cable at the same time and it's the only petcock repair kit they list for the 1100.

Thanks.

[DiverRay]

Does this look like the right kit?

http://www.z1enterprises.com/detail.aspx?ID=1506

No, that kit is for a STANDARD. You need the kit for a Special. The Octy is the vacuum part of the fuel system, but the Special has TWO lines per side, the Standard has ONE. I just re-plumbed E.Liberty's bike because of bad fuel lines. Put one line as a cross over between both "Prime" fittings, and ran fuel lines from the "run" side to each pair of carbs. Not perfect, but it has him ridding once again!
Check with Georgefix on ebay, as he has the correct kits for the bikes.

[manshack_one]

So this one?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/YAMAH...mZ360052385523

I don't see the speedo cable. I'm thinking of just getting it from z1.

[DiverRay]

That is the one. Covers the parts you NEED, but no extra parts. Just clean and polish the metal parts so the "O" rings will seal properly.