79 XS11F Petcocks

[mjurgie]

I recently took the petcocks off of the 79F I'm trying to get going. It looks like the PO tapped the port that the diaphragm seals on and put a bolt in and replaced the diaphragm with a cardboard gasket. I also noticed that they engraved OFF over the PRI setting on the lever plate. I think at this point it is going to be cheaper to just buy new petcocks than try and save these. I found some on MikesXS with the same spacing and just want to know if they will work. This is the link to the petcocks http://www.mikesxs.net/product/20-0019.html They seem to only have a single port so I'm wondering how these would hook up. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[fredintoon]

I recently took the petcocks off of the 79F I'm trying to get going. It looks like the PO tapped the port that the diaphragm seals on and put a bolt in and replaced the diaphragm with a cardboard gasket. I also noticed that they engraved OFF over the PRI setting on the lever plate. I think at this point it is going to be cheaper to just buy new petcocks than try and save these. I found some on MikesXS with the same spacing and just want to know if they will work. This is the link to the petcocks http://www.mikesxs.net/product/20-0019.html They seem to only have a single port so I'm wondering how these would hook up. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Hi Mike,
two of MikesXS taps are gonna run you the thick end of a C-note.
Here's a zero-cost option. Swap your existing taps to manual operation.
Remove the tap vacuum lines and cap off the carb adapter vacuum ports.
Tear down and clean up both taps. be sure the 4-hole rubber things are OK.
Leave the vacuum part as is, it won't work without a vacuum connection.
Reassemble with each lever in the opposite tap body.
Now you got manual taps.
ON is now OFF, RES is now ON and PRI is now RES.

[mjurgie]

Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to buy new filters, gaskets and seals. From pricing those, I'm going to end up spending way more than I thought anyhow. That is unless I leave the filters out and put some inline below the petcocks. I only paid 300 for a complete bike and I'm completely tearing it down and re-doing everything anyway so I may just go with the new petcocks. I'm assuming I just need to plug the vacuum ports on the intake boots and carbs either way?

[fredintoon]

Unfortunately, I'm gonna have to buy new filters, gaskets and seals. From pricing those, I'm going to end up spending way more than I thought anyhow. That is unless I leave the filters out and put some inline below the petcocks. I only paid 300 for a complete bike and I'm completely tearing it down and re-doing everything anyway so I may just go with the new petcocks. I'm assuming I just need to plug the vacuum ports on the intake boots and carbs either way?

Hi Mike,
were the in-tank tower filters damaged beyond repair when you pulled the gas taps or were they plain ol' not there?
Those filters have been known to come loose to be found laying in the bottom of the tank.

[mjurgie]

They were damaged too bad to salvage. The tubes were cracked pretty bad and the filter material was separated from most everything else. So if I want a reserve I'd have to order new filters or jimmy rig a reserve tube to the petcocks.

[fredintoon]

Standard or Special?

They were damaged too bad to salvage. The tubes were cracked pretty bad and the filter material was separated from most everything else. So if I want a reserve I'd have to order new filters or jimmy rig a reserve tube to the petcocks.

Hi Mike,
your first post in this string asks about 79F petcocks but your profile says you have an SF.
F sez the bike is a '79 Standard while SF sez the bike is a '79 Special.
So WTF you riding?
The gas taps and fuel plumbing on Standards and Specials are different enough that what will work on one won't necessarily work on the other.
However
Once the filter towers on either bike are missing you are running unfiltered fuel and are on reserve all the time.
You can fit in-line fuel filters to keep the crud out of the carbs.
On a Standard there's a gas gauge in the tach to keep an eye on.
On a Special there's a bright red light in the tach that lights up.
On both there's a trip odometer to zero each time you fill the tank.
Any of these should remind you to fill up.
It only takes one trip to the gas pump pushing a 600lb bike to sharpen your memory.

[mjurgie]

Its a 79F. I made the profile after I bought the bike and the PO said that it was a 79SF. I checked the VIN and he was way off. I plan on replacing the gauge cluster with something a little slimmer. I'll still have the fuel gauge and trip meter but I still want the reserve as a get out of jail free card.