Did you keep the octopus, or ditch it?

[tommystinson]

Wanted to test my impression that most people ditch the octopus and just run a couple of fuel lines.

[shutchis]

I ditched it. It's complicated. If the vacuum diaphragm fails (leaks), then it pulls gas into the #2 intake cylinder. Not good. It's better to keep things simple, learn to close the petcocks. Problem solved.

[Bax]

I definitely kept it when I had my carbs. Now with the EFI build it is not needed.

Bax

[bikerphil]

Long gone, but now I use a Pingel inline vacuum valve, only 3 hoses connect it. High quality. It sucks if you have to worry if you turned off your fuel valve(s).

[dpotter58]

I've had several and never got rid of them.

[cajun31]

When refurbished correctly and routed correctly it is a good safety device. I would never get rid of it. Of course I have a habit of always turning my petcocks off anytime I stop and park the bike. I have had more problems with leaking petcocks then malfunctioning octi.

[Radioguylogs]

Many of my bikes have had manual petcocks, so I am used to turning them off.

I don't like that big wad of hoses and I have had trouble with vaccuum-actuated petcocks after rebuiling them.

[red bandit]

The Standard has vacuum petcocks. Two of them. I never shut mine off. My 4 wheeler has a manual petcock, I never shut it off. Lawn mowers don't have a petcock. Keep your carburetor float needles working properly and you won't have any problems. MHO.

[Ranger_xs1100]

High up on the list of things to do on any of my restorations is to pull the carbs for a good cleaning and immediately ditch the octy. I’m a believer in keeping it simple. Two fuel outputs to two fuel inputs. Yes, remembering to shut off the petcocks is a PIA but I figure that if my aging mind can’t handle that simple task, then maybe I shouldn’t be on the bike at all!

[jetmechmarty]

It's not that hard to fix. It has a function. My XS650 has a vacuum petcock that works the same. In 38 years, I've had no issue with it.

[tommystinson]

While not a huge sample size, I'm surprised at how many people kept the octopus. For me, it was a variable I could easily remove from a non-running bike. Extra vacuum lines and fuel lines? Keep it simple, stupid. Today, if I had a friend with an XS, I might consider recommending he keep it and make it work but I don't know what a rebuild kit costs. FWIW

[Banshee's Veil]

I kept mine, rebuilt the valve and used about 5 ft of tygon tubing along with brass t fittings. Works great.

[skids]

The octopus is an abomination! I would ditch it.

[jetmechmarty]

Yesterday, I pulled my SG out from where it had been resting for two months. I reached down to turn on the fuel, and to my horror, the petcocks were both ON. First, I checked the oil and found the level was right where it was supposed to be. I moved to PRIME, then back to ON. It started right up just fine. My vacuum shutoff works and it's my intention to keep it that way. Not only is it a safety device, but it saved me from having to depend upon four float valves to protect my engine. I fail to see the problem with it. A rebuild is simple.
As an aside, I've owned my XS650 since new. The vacuum petcock works as well now as it did then and I've never opened it up.