Fuel Lines

[XSBell]

When I first got my bike a few weeks ago the first thing I did was 86 the Octy. I hooked up both petcock outlets(on each side), ran them to tee's and then the single line to the far set of carbs. I left the lines long and without filters so today I wanted to go in and tidy things up a bit. So here's my question...If both petcocks need to be used in order to get at all the gas in the tank, and only one petcock is hooked up to 2 carbs, with the criss cross method,is there the a time when 2 carbs are starved for gas if that side of the tank is in short supply of gas.

[CatatonicBug]

The idea is that the sloshing around of the fuel while riding will level out the two sides. That way, you're in reserve before you need to worry about any small discrepancy between them.

[XSBell]

So as long as there is about a gallon of gas in the tank should be ok. I've probably had less this past week and didn't notice any problems...not sure why that occurred to me today, just trying to cover all the bases I guess.

[motoman]

Hmmm.wording a bit confusing.....trying to follow your line of thought here. Basically having a special assuming with special petcocks not standard petcocks. Having an off position(standard petcocks don't) you have run left petcock to tee between 3 & 4 carb, right petcock run to tee between 1 & 2 carb. Guessing idea here was to be able to add the small conical filters so as to prevent a crimp in fuel lines. If I got it so far, there is no issue in doing that, and several including myself do the same thing, even though mine is a Standard. Having an off position on Special petcocks, 86ing the octy and using off position when not running is same difference as Standard petcocks which have vaccuum diaphrams that do same thing as octy does. Does that help or am I missing what your getting at?

[XSBell]

Sorry for the confusion, I think you are following me. It is a special so I do have the off position. Since each petcock has 2 outlets, I ran a hose from each outlet to a tee so I'm down to one line per side. Put a filter in the 1 line then continued over to the opposite carb.

[bikerphil]

The front outlet is prime, it is usually capped off when not using the octy (simplest setup). If you cap them off, don't use those vacuum caps (unless they are neoprene), they don't hold up to fuel very well. Use fuel line and a bolt shank.

[TADracer]

The octy actually provided a balance feature for the two sides of the tank but if you had the bike on the center stand and the motor running with only one petcock on the motor would not drain the whole tank. When you remove the octy you take away the balance feature. This should not be a big problem as you are only talking about a small qty. of fuel in the bottom of the tank. If you feel it is a problem, what you can do is add a balance tube between the pairs of carbs.

[XSBell]

Thanks men.

[DGXSER]

Having two 81 specials I have been throught he octy thing over and over. I tried everyway I knew to make it work on the project Banshee bike. And I eventually pulled the stupid thing off and threw it as far as I could into the woods.

Like Phil stated. on both of my bikes I put a stub of fuel line with a bolt clamped into it on the front/Prime outlet on both sides, Ran the back/ON outlet to one piece of fuel line that I personally run straight downbesteen th closest two carbs into a conical fuel filter right to the carb T on that side. NO issues no problems runs like a dream.

No matter what you do, I am willing to bet one set of carbs will be the first to tell you your running out of fuel when it happens. It is not a big deal, just take the hint ans switch to reserve then head for the first gas station you see. Unless of course you are looking for a good full body workout of pushing that bohemoth to the next gas station.

[XSBell]

Someone may have modified the ones on this bike at some point because prime is flowing out the back outlet and reserve out the front and I'm getting nothing in the on position. About 2 gal of gas in the tank so I should have been getting something in the on position. I ended up running a line from the front spout of both peacocks...I mean petcocks, to a set of carbs with a filter inline. I went from back spout to back spout with another fuel line and called it done. Current set up will be on "off" when parked and on "reserve" when riding. Fuel light works so that will be the signal for feed me since reserve is being used as "on".

[bikerphil]

Someone may have modified the ones on this bike at some point because prime is flowing out the back outlet and reserve out the front and I'm getting nothing in the on position.

Yep, they got them mixed up, left and right.

[oseaghdha]

Someone may have modified the ones on this bike at some point because prime is flowing out the back outlet and reserve out the front and I'm getting nothing in the on position. About 2 gal of gas in the tank so I should have been getting something in the on position. I ended up running a line from the front spout of both peacocks...I mean petcocks, to a set of carbs with a filter inline. I went from back spout to back spout with another fuel line and called it done. Current set up will be on "off" when parked and on "reserve" when riding. Fuel light works so that will be the signal for feed me since reserve is being used as "on".

I agree that they are switched from right to left, but you have something else fubar if they won't do anything in the ON position.
PRI and RES both come out of the same port(inside the petcock). the ON port has the standoff in the tank.

[DGXSER]

If you look at the petcocks, they have an R and an L on them for right and left. In the correct positions, back outlet is on and or reserve, front is PRIME. Reserve function is based upon the filter stand that goes on the petcock.

If the filter falls off the petcock in the tank, you will lose reserve function.