What a dummy!

After a failed petcock rebuild, cleaning, polishing, trying the diaphragm adjustment - I can not get the petcock to stop leaking. After sleeping on it I've decided to use some epoxy and turn the tap into Pri as on and On as off as detailed by wizard/Bushy.

Went out the this morning lifted the tank from the towel it had been sitting on overnight and noticed the paint lifting in a number of spots. Now a PO had done a cruddy brush job on this bike, he didn't even remove the fairing before painting and I've cleaned numerous paint drips off the engine & forks. It looks like some petrol that had spilled on the towel has softened the paint. I feel like a complete idiot. I shouldn't have left the tank sitting on the petrol soaked towel and now it looks like I'm going to have strip the tank and pay someone to paint it and the panels. Arrgghhh, I just want to ride the thing!!!

 

Crow.. I can understand your frustration with th silly thing ..mine's workin'
like it should ..do it and don't forget to turn it ..On... :->

 

I bet that petcock of yours has some internal problem that isn't obvious. What bike is this for? I have an extra XJ900 petcock in pretty good shape I can ship ya for a small fee. Make an offer if you're interested. Actually, I have two of them -- one doesn't have the fuel filter/strainer attached.

 

I'll paint your tank for you Crow, free, if you can get it to me with the paint. Wiz...........

 

Thanks for your encouragement and generous offers
wizard I'm down at Langwarrin Soccer club this Saturday. How much paint do I need and what type? Do I need undercoat, thinners, a six pack or anything else?

 

You need 250ml base coat colour, which is the smallest you can get, I have 2 pack primer / filler & hopefully enough clear, if you get the paint from Bays Auto Paints, Yuilles Road, Mornington, I know it will be compatible with the stuff I have.
I will PM my address & mobile. Wiz......
BTW the paint shop is only open till 12 on Sat, but if you know the colour, I can pick it up for you.

 

The diaphram has to be adjusted on the petcock?

 

I was at the end of me thether chuckles and tried this method as suggested by baz666 http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/p=82713.html#82713

 

Did it work?

 

The method suggested certainly pushed the plunger forward but ultimately it didn't resolve the problem. Petrol didn't just trickle when petcock set to On or Res it poured as if set to Pri.

 

I am glad you posted this although I am sorry you are having so much trouble. On this 900 I am restoring, I did the carb fuel levels the other day and this morn I came out to the garage smelling gas again. It had been coming out of carb three prior now carb 4. The carb float levels were off on those two so that fixed and with no appreciable drippage from the petcock, I thought I was done. Not so. Re-checked carb 4's float level first using the clear vinyl tubing and it was dead-on. Yup, F'ked petcock.

So I first checked this morn with the tank off and it was indeed weeping past just a little bit. Set the tank astride some folding chairs and watched and waited. Yup. Drippage.

After reading your bit and smelling gas and seeing this drippage, I read a bunch of petcock tips on the forum and today, drained most of the gas from the tank and yanked the petcock. Polished the o-ring seat on the diaphragm side, checked the o-ring and it's, of course, the hollow ring. But I had another petcock that I took apart and that o-ring felt like a solid ring which I used instead. So I stretched the spring a bit, did the diaphragm dimple thingy where you "stretch" the plunger a bit and put it all together. Then, put the petcock back on, refilled the tank but put it outside astride the same two folding chairs in the sun for awhile. No drippage.

Shook the tank and I can hear gas vapor escaping from the tank cap vent, but still no drippage.

As of now, It appears fixed. I can only guess your petcock is inherently defective. May be time to try another one.

 

Breaker, I did just what you did & had it on test for 2 days, then put it back on the bike & you guessed it... I turned mine into a simple on/off set up, do this or get a new tap.
BTW it's good we have the overflow pipes, or all that gas could be in the sump.......(

 

I'm beginning to suspect it's the mechanic who is inherently defective

 

Try this theory, if your petcock is weak & the mill comes to rest with #3 on the induction stroke, this will not help the cock to shut the fuel off, wadyathink?

 

I bought my bike with a new style petcock from Yamaha. I leaked when I got it. Streching the spring some has fixed it for two years now.

 

Just wanted to point out that it was a defective mechanic. I'd placed the wave washer on the inside of the tap instead of between the plate and the tap.

Thanks wiz for pointing that out.

 

Here's a paint issue for ya.The first time that I painted, (I am not a painter) I used Krylon Fusion because it has a smooth glossy finish. No sanding needed. Paint job turned out great. I later found out (the hard way) that Krylon begins to dissolve almost instantly when gas touches it. I didnt even have enough time to quickly wipe it up with a rag. My bad