fuel valve/petcock...again

Hoggy · July 18, 2016, 19:02:23 PM

Quote from: Tfrank59 on July 18, 2016, 18:09:08 PM
well that's really phenomenal mileage --- we're talking highway riding there right? I think if I were flat-out going 70 mph the whole way I might be able to go that far before hitting Reserve but no way around town

Yeah, that's strictly highway riding at 65 to 70 MPH. If I throw in a lot of city riding or if I'm riding against a head wind I'm sometimes surprised how soon I have to go to reserve.

Tfrank59 · July 18, 2016, 18:28:06 PM

Quote from: CDNRatMan on July 17, 2016, 18:50:56 PM
Sorry to say once I crossed the border I stopped keeping track of the fuel, it was raining so hard I needed to have my neoprene gloves on.....

yeah that doesn't sound like a lot of fun. if it's any consolation summer hasn't really shown up yet here in the Seattle area ---hoping it will :-)

Tfrank59 · July 18, 2016, 18:09:08 PM

well that's really phenomenal mileage --- we're talking highway riding there right? I think if I were flat-out going 70 mph the whole way I might be able to go that far before hitting Reserve but no way around town

Hoggy · July 17, 2016, 21:01:11 PM

I regularly get 136 miles on my 800 before I have to go to reserve, and I have no trouble changing to reserve. My son hates riding behind me because he's usually been on reserve for miles before I pull over, wondering if he's going to make it to the next station.

CDNRatMan · July 17, 2016, 18:50:56 PM

Sorry to say once I crossed the border I stopped keeping track of the fuel, it was raining so hard I needed to have my neoprene gloves on.....

Tfrank59 · July 16, 2016, 21:40:15 PM

Well I'm almost always able to go more than 93 miles on a tankful before hitting reserve. I think my relatively poor mileage lately relates to the fact that I've stayed mostly in town on the Drifter--haven't had her on the highway much at all this summer. I'll clean the tank screen, probably put in a K&N air filter, and then go for a long ride in the country and see what happens. I'll keep you posted. BTW, hope y'all have a great time together at Drift-in!

CDNRatMan · July 16, 2016, 13:13:58 PM

Oh yes I should have mentioned that you need to drain the fuel from the tank first...... lol

I used just some clean fuel and varsol, with a very soft and new toothbrush.

I am going to do the next part in km's because that is what I use all day. When I first bought the bike I was lucky to get 150 km (93.208227 miles) to a tank before hitting reserve. I then over the winter cleaned things did the front sprocket swap and in the spring I did the seafoam thing because I was taught this by our fantastic members, I then noticed I could get just over 164 km (101.90766 miles) before hitting reserve. This past weekend I was riding with GreenBarn and I was at 201 kms (124.89902 miles) and had not yet hit reserve, but did add more fuel then I have ever added to the tank.
So this trip to WI I am going to be travelling alone and with about 75 lbs on the back of the bike so I will keep a really good log on my fuel use, and try to use mid grade fuel the whole trip.
I also have my American Brother from another mother who picked me up one of them there rpm thingys, if we can install it then I can give some accurate data on how the sprocket swap works in the gears on a long trip.......unless my tires size in metric is different than the American tire size........

Tfrank59 · July 16, 2016, 10:17:32 AM

I think I can handle it

Trall · July 16, 2016, 07:02:13 AM

Quote from: CDNRatMan on July 15, 2016, 13:08:15 PM
if you remove the petcock from the tank there is a screen in there. My bike had been sitting for awhile and I was having distance issues and so someplace I had heard that this screen can get clogged with old fuel and it would sort of turn into a varnish type thing and not allow the fuel to go through, so just to be sure I remover the petcock and cleaned said screen. This is also another filter to prevent crud from entering the carb.

+1 like Ratman said. You can remove the Petcock with the tank in place. First disconnect the fuel line to the Petcock, 2nd have a extra long piece of fuel line 1/4 or 5/16 will do route to a gas can, 3rd drain your gas.

4th need Ratman to answer what do you use to clean the screen after you remove the Petcock ?

Tfrank59 · July 15, 2016, 16:38:19 PM

Okay, I'll do that. thanks.

CDNRatMan · July 15, 2016, 13:08:15 PM

if you remove the petcock from the tank there is a screen in there. My bike had been sitting for awhile and I was having distance issues and so someplace I had heard that this screen can get clogged with old fuel and it would sort of turn into a varnish type thing and not allow the fuel to go through, so just to be sure I remover the petcock and cleaned said screen. This is also another filter to prevent crud from entering the carb.

Tfrank59 · July 15, 2016, 12:12:56 PM

Well unlike my other bike, which I can switch to reserve easily on the fly, this petcock is hard for me to do--got like a detent or something makes it tricky while rolling. anyway, not that big a deal, and no, Ratman, I haven't cleaned any screens or what in the tank--what's that about? I was into my carb last fall to rejet, and everything looked great, like new, but haven't touched the fuel system between the tank and carb for any maintenance. BTW, I really like the vacuum petcock for this one feature--don't have to shut off the gas!

greenbarn · July 15, 2016, 10:22:41 AM

Quote from: kw-retrorider on July 15, 2016, 03:54:36 AM
Gents: I routinely drive until it hits reserve. Unlike my W650, it does not just miss or sputter for a minute....it gives you a definative and sudden loss of power....so you know it is the fuel. Always have time to switch on the fly, unless it happens as I am coming to a stop. If the engine is at idle or decelerating down to idle....and it's time.....it will die when it comes down to idle. That requires flipping the petcock and then restarting. When that happens, just a glance at the odometer confirms it is fuel.

Beyond that, perhaps it takes some practice making the switch...or just refilling a comfortable mileage ahead of running out. I'm usually getting a low of 45 and a high of 55, for an average of 50 mpg.....so at about 150 miles...but anything over a 100 would keep me from going on reserve.

Ditto for me- this is the same experience I've had with my 800. The first couple times, I had to pull to the side of the road. After that, I figured out a way to switch it on the fly.

kw-retrorider · July 15, 2016, 03:54:36 AM

Gents: I routinely drive until it hits reserve. Unlike my W650, it does not just miss or sputter for a minute....it gives you a definative and sudden loss of power....so you know it is the fuel. Always have time to switch on the fly, unless it happens as I am coming to a stop. If the engine is at idle or decelerating down to idle....and it's time.....it will die when it comes down to idle. That requires flipping the petcock and then restarting. When that happens, just a glance at the odometer confirms it is fuel.

Beyond that, perhaps it takes some practice making the switch...or just refilling a comfortable mileage ahead of running out. I'm usually getting a low of 45 and a high of 55, for an average of 50 mpg.....so at about 150 miles...but anything over a 100 would keep me from going on reserve.

CDNRatMan · July 14, 2016, 23:39:27 PM

have you by chance cleaned the screen inside the tank?

Tfrank59 · July 14, 2016, 23:32:16 PM

well I don't normally go on reserve but have been getting extra crappy mileage lately, not sure why. I usually can go 110 miles no sweat before reserve, but she went dead right at 100 last couple tankfuls.

gdrudd13 · July 14, 2016, 07:56:06 AM

Mine usually sputters for a bit before it dies. Well, usually long enough to reach down and switch to reserve. I usually just pull the clutch in and coast so I only slow down a little bit. Usually I just try not to hit reserve, but that doesn't always go as planned.

CDNRatMan · July 13, 2016, 22:54:03 PM

ok the once I did hit reserve was on a major highway and it did sputter and spit, switched over and took a sec but ran fine. I pulled in for gas, forgot and left the valve on reserve, filled the tank, switched it over to run before I moved the bike, took a long time to get it running and running without farting. Seemed to be just the crud in the tank, since then I have cleaned the tank and had no issues since.

Tfrank59 · July 13, 2016, 22:50:26 PM

So this isn't a problem, I guess, just a gripe/question. we've got this vacuum operated fuel valve, right? Does that explain why, once she needs to go on reserve, rather than sputtering for a few seconds (or a minute) like most other bikes--thereby giving you a chance to reach down and switch to reserve--my Drifter engine just always dies. Then I hurry to get out of traffic (Murphy's law--that's where you'll be), switch the thing to reserve, then crank her for 10-15 seconds to get running again. Sorry to vent, but is that everyone's experience with the vacuum petcock or just mine?