Prospect purchase

[fj11.5]

Hey fin, , where you up to mate, , got that wee bea :flag_of_truce:sty making vroom vroom noises yet, , or has the building manager turned you into a fincicle  ,,  I got the right side seat latch out, your in luck , two screws on the cover and the little handle lifts out, , can send just that part if you need it, as I think the key went with the fuel cap a few years ago , , just pm me your addy for Austin , , don't mess about with postage, just swap me whatever you want for what you think its worth, , red power rangers are an accepted currency 

[FJmonkey]

The fuel hose for gravity feed FJ is 10 mm or 0.394 inches, fat for 3/8 (0.38) and narrow for 1/2 (0.50). Additional info 7/16 is (0.44).

[fintip]

Awesome. So I've come up with four or five options.

First off, replacing the o ring in the petcock. I've gone and studied petcocks a little more now, so I have a better understanding of what I'm dealing with. The o ring in question--are we talking about the o ring on the plunger? That's what I should try replacing?

Second, and what I will be doing together with the above, is a couple of tips mentioned in this video to refurbish a leaking petcock without any spare parts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5DqvB_5gP20&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Third option, if those fail me, is a set of hemostats. My host here has one in his electronics tool kit, and I'd probably buy one for my own use.

Fourth is the manual inline on-off switch for the fuel line. (Thank you so much for the hose size information fjmonkey, I had hit a dad end on that one.)

Fifth, and maybe skipping three and four, my host here is a friend who is a programmer for amazon and has a hobby of hacking electronic things together. He'd like to try installing, basically, a solenoid operated on/off inline fuel switch after the petcock that would be hooked up to the battery and allow fuel when the bike is on and stop fuel when the bike is off.

So if the petcock repair isn't enough on its own, I may have a custom option. In the meantime I'd have hemostats as a temporary option. If my friend flakes out, then I'd just install a manual inline on/off for the time being.

Too rainy today to work on the bike, so doing some fun stuff instead. Like picking up a lightly used heated jacket off craigslist.

[pdxfj]

Yes you want to replace the o-ring on the plunger.  Look back at my previous posts. I wrote how to take the petcock apart.  It's very easy.  Just be mindful not to damage the diaphragm inside.

Take it apart, remove the o-ring on the plunger..go to a hardware store and find a replacement.  Put everything back together and you'll be good to go.

[SlowOldGuy]

Way too much noise going on in this now, I don't understand what the main problem is that you're trying to fix. 

Is fuel leaking DIRECTLY from the PETCOCK?

Or, is the petcock not shitting off and fuel is STILL leaking from the CARBS?

Leaking from the petcock is bad.  Replacing the plunger o-ring won't fix that, you'll need a new petcock.

If it's leaking from the carbs, that's a CARB PROBLEM.  Fix that first!

DavidR.

[fintip]

Yes, leaking from the petcock, and then the carbs overflow (I presume) as well.

Why won't replacing the o ring fix that? What else would replacing the o ring do? I mean, petcocks can be refurbished, so I don't understand why you'd say that? Miscommunication of some sort?

And yes, directly from the petcock spigot. Instead of cutting off the fuel flow when no vacuum is present, it cuts the flow down to a drip.

As far as the carb problem, I just need to get it started now; if I can jut get it running, then I can work on it in a lot happier conditions in California.

Got a 5 gal gas can to empty my now-full tank into, next step is removing the petcock, disassembling, and taking a trip to the hardware store.

[racerman_27410]

the float needle valves are quite capable of stopping the fuel flow even if it was more than just dripping from the petcock.


that is the problem you should be addressing first IMO..... you can always fix the petcock after you get the bike home.


good luck


KOokaloo!

[racerrad8]

I'd the bike has not been all jacked up and is a nice piece, then why would you start hacking up the fuel supply system? If the rebuilding of the petcock doesn't work, the best way to repair it is by replacing the petcock with the proper parts

That original petcock is 20+ years old, it has exceeded its usability and if you get another 20 years out of the new petcock the price is less than 10 bucks a year.

Then you will never have to worry about it being a non-stock replacement that might fail, or worse fail & burn the bike to the ground because it wasn't "quite right".

It like the old saying...

There is never enough time to do it right the first time, but there is always enough time to do it a second time...

Randy - RPM

[fintip]

Absolutely randy. Problem is just the size of my budget. I have to get home and start working again before I can do things right. I'm going to be making it back to Austin on less than a thousand dollars, can't afford to spend more than 20% of my budget on the petcock.

The change to the fuel system would be completely reversible, under my friends's plan. But that point about the float needles is right on. But I'd rather not take the carbs apart until I find a garage, if I can avoid it.

I know people tend to just put things off until 'later', but that's not exactly the same as my situation. Also, all of my solutions were non destructive and non invasive. (I had planned on adding a small amount of extra fuel line, not cutting the existing line.)

While I have it off you can bet I'll be safety wiring the petcock...

[Tiger]

  Fix the gas leak, get her fired up, oil/filter change, full tank of premium gas with a can of carb cleaner thrown in and well mixed, check the 'safety' things...brakes, steering, lights, etc, etc and then find the quickest way home...Highways not the byways...that way, your easier to locate should anything go south on your new ride...  

Just my 2 cents worth buddy...

John.

[fintip]

Success! Mwahahahaha!

Replacing the o ring and stretching out the spring a tad didn't really help. But then I placed a small rubber washer behind the spring, effectively increasing the sprung tension. And that seemed to work pretty well. Put it all back together (tank wasn't so bad to put on from the left side, that was my problem before, trying to hook up stuff from the right side).

And I bought a long screwdriver, so I drained and banged on the center two carbs as well before this.

Get out my screwdriver. Reveal the solenoid posts. Pull the choke knob out. Sparks. Starter motor spins. A bit of stumbling. Spins some more.

Bowls are filling up, I tell myself.

Cranking.

I decide to situate myself so that I can twist the throttle and help out a stumble.

Cranking some more.

Stumbling, stumbling, stumbling... VROOOOOOM!

She's alive! Idling way too high on full choke. Try lowering it so it idles a bit more evenly. Dies. Awwww.

Give it another go. Starts again! Leave the choke on this time. Pop the seat on, and drive up and down the street, really short, but... it runs! Drive it up to outside my friend's apartment and call out to him. He doesn't hear me, so I kill it and get him. Bring him down. Think of going for a ride. This time I start it, but can't get it to idle, even high, so I decide it's a bad idea. Won't behave below 3k rpm's. So I just roll it back for now and decide I need to fix the electrical problem (starter button not starting) before I go, because with my current set up, I have to take the seat off to start off, and if I can't get it to idle, I can't then put the seat back on before it dies.

While this is bad, if the starter button works, it's a usable functioning bike, though the idle passages/jets obviously REALLY need to be cleaned.

BUT SHE RUNS!

[I make oil]

   EXCELLENT!  First hurdle is cleared.  Congrats.

[aviationfred]

Good Deal..... It is alive....... 

[movenon]

That's good news. On mine and I think most, it is better to hold the throttle open a good amount when starting it. I started mine this morning and with full choke it idles at 2000 rpm and it needs to warm up before I pull the choke off. When warm it purrs at 1000 RPM. It sounds like you need to clean up the carbs when you get a chance. I understand your dilemma and trying to get it going down the road. It might run better after a tank or two of fuel. These bikes do not like to sit not used for very long. seems the more you run them the better they get.
I would take to most direct route to the South due to the weather. If it were me I would go as far South as the LA area then cut East to the Phoenix area and press on from there. IF you cut over to the Las Vegas area that's OK to, BUT from there go South before you cut East. IF you head East from Las Vegas you will have to endure colder weather though Flagstaff (6910 foot elevation). In it will stay cooler all through the mid New Mexico area. It's higher in elevation than most think.
The seasons are changing. Basically I would get South as rapidly as possable. I-5 is about the only logical choice as much as I don't like it. The temps will be pretty constant (I didn't say good) from Seattle to as far South as the Eugene area then it will cool off until you get the Redding, Calif area. (a bump in elevation there) at Redding the weather should start to improve as far as temps go. This time of the year there is rain and even snow. Shasta Calif once had a ski resort......
That comes from a lot of years of experience running around the area this time of year (we are snowbirds). If you are struggling with the bike you might try to make it to where RPM is located (?) in Calif..
I am glad it is just a starter switch problem. Easy to "rig as required" to get you on the road. Do a good safety check before you leave. Is the chain adjusted and lubed etc. ? Wish I was there to give you a hand.

[racerman_27410]

its not that hard to remove the float bowls... clear the varnish from the jets and make sure the floats are moving properly.

its going to have to be done since fixing the petcock is not going to stop the gas from running out on the ground when the bike is running.

I bet even money the pilot jets are plugged completely and no amount of fuel/fuel treatment running thru the carbs is going to clear them.... i've found a single brass bristle from a grill brush is usually required to poke thru the varnish.... once the fuel can actually flow thru the jets the carb cleaner can actually do its job.

same "tool" works great for all the little holes on the emulsion tubes 


Kookaloo!