Octo on a Standard?

[theduke]

just letting my curiosity drive me to unending options here, but was wondering about putting the octo on a standard. all comments, smack-downs and input welcome

[bikerphil]

octy

Standards come equipped with vacuum petcocks already, as the Specials have regular petcocks with the separate octy vacuum unit. The two types of petcocks don't interchange.

[DGXSER]

To add to Phil's thoughts, when I bought my 11 in November I noticed the PO always used the Prime position on the petcocks, and it died when I tried ON. I have since eliminated the Octy due to it being problematic. From the input I have seen on Ch 11, I am bar far not the first to do so and most likely not the last.

So, I am not sure why one would want to add a problematic piece to the fuel system jigsaw puzzle on a model that did not have it to start with. Especially if you have petcocks that already serve the purpose it was intended for, to be the third safety net for leaking float seats. JMHO

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Duke,

Sounds like you're concerned about fuel leaking past the petcocks AND past the carb float valves and getting into the oil?

A cheaper but NOT automatic method would be to put a shut off valve INLINE between the petcocks and the carbs, so that for extended periods of shutting down the bike, you could then shut the valves for extra leakage security. While you're riding it often, the vacuum controlled petcocks of the standard should be enough, along with the carb float valves provided they are sealing properly to begin with!

You could put an OCTY in line, would just need to "Y" the vacuum lines that go to the petcocks, or even just run a separate line from one of the unused vacuum/synch ports to the octy so that you would have DOUBLE vacuum controlled valves, the petcocks AND the Octy. But have you seen the hose routing diagrams for the OCTY, it's not called an OCTY for nothing!! Lots of hoses running around there, that's why many who's OCTY goes bad just rip it out, and remember to turn/shut off the fuel at the petcock when parking to help take the strain/stress off of the carb float valves!

With the standard petocks, it would be difficult to route things to have a TRUE PRIME, because on the Specials, the forward spout will flow directly to the carbs=PRIME, whereas the rear spout goes INTO the octy valve system. Using Standard petocks....they have Prime, but only use 1 spout for all functions, and you would be running the Spout into the OCTY, so you would have to hose/route a "Y" from the fuel line before the OCTY, and put a on/off valve on it, and then run it around the Octy and "Y" back into the fuel lines just before the carbs so that WHEN you wanted/needed to use PRIME, you would be able to route the fuel directly into the carbs, and afterwards, would need to turn the Prime route valve OFF, and the petcocks back to RUN, and it would then run THRU the Octy to the carbs! Sounds like fun, eh!
T.C.

[Ivan]

I don't think I would put an octy on a bike with vacuum operated petcocks. It would be overly redundant. The vacuum petcocks are meant to shut off the fuel when the engine is stopped so you don't have to manually shut the petcocks off. The octy is the same device.

While I don't agree, and would never let a mechanical object with one moving part defeat me, many do opt to toss the octy. If you do proceed, you should be able to find one fairly cheap.

[thewiz]

I'm actually gettin' ready ...

to put the octy back on my SF ... it functions fine after a rebuild. During the first couple years of ownership of this bike, I had the carbs off and on so often that I grew to hate the damn thing. Now that the carb issues are in the past, I hate shutting off the fuel taps WORSE .... after forgetting to do so and a couple of crancases full of gas you'd know what I mean.