Help, Gas coming out of Airbox?

[Ken Talbot]

Check with Andreas to see if he has a whole octopus available that you can raid for the part you need.

[MPittma100]

Correction

The Standards (which is what an H would be) do not have an octy, only the specials had the octy. But I must say that the petcocks you describe do not sound like the oem style petcocks, so those are different.

You are right. No Octy on the Standards (H). The vacuum petcocks on mine have been replaced by PO with Pingle brand petcocks. They have no vacuum. The positions are OFF-ON-RESERVE. I am able to manually turn the fuel off. I have checked them several times and there is no fuel leaking out when they are off.

[Thumbs Up]

You are right. No Octy on the Standards (H). The vacuum petcocks on mine have been replaced by PO with Pingle brand petcocks. They have no vacuum. The positions are OFF-ON-RESERVE. I am able to manually turn the fuel off. I have checked them several times and there is no fuel leaking out when they are off.

After reading this thread isn't this the simplest solution? As long as you remember to shut the fuel off. Do you have the Pingle part number?

[Schming]

After reading this thread isn't this the simplest solution? As long as you remember to shut the fuel off. Do you have the Pingle part number?

IMHO the simple solution is to rebuild the original petcocks and they're good, for at least a couple decades, if done with care.

I have originals on my '83 XJ 750 and they still work fine AND I don't have to double check if I turned them off.

[Ben Geutskens]

I can block off the Octy, put a clamp on the vacuum hose or replace the petcocks. It's just that I want to keep my mc as Original as possible, like I did with all my other (vintage / classic) motorcycles.

[James England]

After reading this thread isn't this the simplest solution? As long as you remember to shut the fuel off. Do you have the Pingle part number?

Those Pingle taps are extremely expensive and I've read one or two reports of them leaking through the tap body. Personally, I'd rebuild the OEM taps...

[Ben Geutskens]

My petcocks works properly, it's just the spider/octy/octopus I need the missing plastic part for (support disc between the two membranes).

[ViperRon]

I agree that the proper thing to do is to rebuild the petcocks and I have done this a few times over the life of my bike. The issue is this will not always stop the leaks from pitcocks. The gas you get has ethanol in it and tends to create moisture. The moisture tends to corrode the tank and all sediments go to the bottom and can get into the petcocks and into the carbs. Moisture can cause the float needle not to settle correctly and allow gas to flow free. The moisture also causes fine rust that will cause issues with petcocks and carbs.
If you polish and clean the internals of the petcocks and the carbs and run the bike frequently you will not have issues.
However you can run your bike all summer have no problem and then let it sit for more than a couple of months with gas in it and it is somewhat likely to have this problem again depending on how much sediment is in the gas. You also have to be careful where and when you get gas. If a truck is there filling the tank chances are you can pump trash into your bike also.
If you store the bike you can minimize the chance of water by additives that fight ethanol issues or you can drain the gas and fog the tank with light spray oil.

So you need to decide if you are lucky and can avoid the problems or you need to get the manual on off valves and never worry about it again.

[Ben Geutskens]

I use ethanol free gas, which is still available in Holland.
During hibernation I fill the tank with Aspen petrol (for lawn movers, etc.) which is ethanol free and has no cyclic compounds to form solid deposits. I've written an article on this for a couple of MC magazines, but unfortunately it's in Dutch.
My only problem is that one part is missing, the diaphragm support.
I have no problems whatsoever with all my other mc's.

[jetmechmarty]

My only problem is that one part is missing, the diaphragm support.

Ben,
Many people on the forum throw that valve away. (I'm not one of them.) Surely, someone has a malfunctioning vacuum shutoff valve they would be willing to send to you.

I've had an XS650 since 1983 and the vacuum petcock has never been and issue. On my XS1100 Special, I replaced the vacuum shutoff with a new one. It failed after a season or two and I rebuilt it. It has been fine since. I am also using corn-free fuel most of the time.

[Ben Geutskens]

Who has one for me?

[jetmechmarty]

Who has one for me?

Ben,

I suggest you start a new thread. Title it Vacuum shutoff (octopus) valve wanted. I think that will work best for you.

[Ben Geutskens]

OK,thanks.