special octopus

[scalded dog]

Hello everyone, i'm looking forward to thr dogwood festival in North Ga., I think I remember reading a thread that dealt with the Octopus on a 79 special, I can't find it, can anyone help me out ? TIA, Later 'Dog

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Scalded,

What are you wanting to do with the Octopus, rebuild it, or bypass it, or just test it to ensure it's working??

All Octopi are the same for all of the Specials. I have an 81 and bypassed mine several years ago, just turn the petcocks off to turn off the flow when I shut it down. Others like the octo as an extra level of protection against leaky petcocks and sticking not fully closing float needles.

After a good while, the threads will be scrolled off the most active page(s), but can still be found by using the search function at the bottom of the page. HTH?
T.C.

[scalded dog]

TC, thanks, I will probably by-pass it, I just was going to read up about it, this bike belongs to a friend, and he wants me to do some work on it for him. Thanks 'Dog

[nashville_bill]

It's very easy to bypass, but I'm too lazy(or too old to remember) to turn the petcock on and off everytime. Since I rebuilt mine and installed two fuel filters I have had no more problems with it. What I would really like to do is find vacuum petcocks to replace the manual ones. That would get rid of the extra plumbing and retain the automatic on/off feature.

[Geezer]

Originally posted by nashville_bill
It's very easy to bypass, but I'm too lazy(or too old to remember) to turn the petcock on and off everytime. Since I rebuilt mine and installed two fuel filters I have had no more problems with it. What I would really like to do is find vacuum petcocks to replace the manual ones. That would get rid of the extra plumbing and retain the automatic on/off feature.

Yamaha went with this weird set up beacuse the Special tank comes to close to the carb tops for vacuume petcocks to fit. I didn't have to think about very long before I bypassed the one on the mongrel.

Geezer

[scalded dog]

Hey Geezer, can you keep the original petcoks and still bypass the octopus, what is the proper procedure. TIA. Later 'Dog

[Geezer]

Originally posted by scalded dog
Hey Geezer, can you keep the original petcoks and still bypass the octopus, what is the proper procedure. TIA. Later 'Dog

I'm useing the stock petcocks. I have a T fittting in line about 4" off the carbs with a cross over line to equalize the fuel flow from the tank. I ran a line across from one prime output to the other to block them off. I put a couple of VW bug fuel filters in line to keep the crap out of the carbs.

I have a pic of this setup but I can't find it at the moment. When or if I find it I'll post a link to it here.

Tony

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Scalded,

I got a pair of "Y" type connectors at the local auto store instead of "T's", 1/4" and ran both petcock outlets on one side to the dual end of the "Y", less bending of the hose than if you use a "T", then the single hose I ran across to the opposite bank of carbs inlet "T". I'll put a filter on it someday, but I had recoated my tank just a couple of years ago, so wasn't worried about rust at that time!! I wanted to run both lines so I wouldn't loose my reserve. I turn it to PRIME for ON, and then just to OFF for OFF. I don't have much of a loop of hose so it doesn't hang down too far below the level of the inlet "T".
HTH.
T.C.

[scalded dog]

Geezer & TC, thanks I will be changing the special over this week-end. Later 'Dog

[Jdwags]

bye bye octopus

My Mongrel was set up the same,

both nipples off the petcocks to a y, and then to the carbs...
the po had removed the octopus long ago...

Still seems to work great, and i still have a reserve,

(and a puddle mark when i forgot to turn em off once when i first got it..)



haven't put on filters yet, but they are on the bench, heck i have no rust in either tank of these to ladies...

[desert1]

same procedure

Looks like I will be following the same path Guys with my 79 special when it is up an runnin......still workin on getting some fire power to the plugs.......then the carb work but hope to have the engine running this spring.

There is a lot of cosmetic work to be done to the bike but all in time.

Bruce
78xs1100 Alpha
79 xs1100 Nothin special