Wanted XJ550 tank fuel meter/sender - preferably broken.

I'm looking for an xj550 fuel tank sensor unit that i can use to block off the hole. I'm not going to use it as a meter so I don't care if it doesn't work but I'd also like to pay the fair price for one that doesn't work if you know what i mean.

 

Why not just get a piece of sheet metal and make a block off plate?

 

+1. Make a template out of cardstock and you can have a block off plate made in under an hour. I'm pretty sure that Chacal sells block off plates if you don't want to make one and can't find a broken sending unit.

 

Well - I've been told by several folks here that this is not a good idea due to the shape on the plate and getting a decent seal. Len and Fitz both said that the block off plate is just to blanking plate for transportation / storage, not for running.

 

you can make a plate but don't use RTV to seal it. You need gasket material from the auto parts store, cut it out and your good to go. The RTV will eventually turn to goo and leak. Don't over tighten it and deform the tank.
if you still have the rubber gasket from the original sender, that works too.

 

Thanks - I'd rather get a broken unit if I can but they appear to be fairly hard to find. The tank itself is too so that kinda makes sense. FYI - this is xj550 seca tank. I don't think the maxim has this unit in the tank but I could be wrong.

 

I'm not 100% certain this will work, but you could look into it as this looks exactly like them. I just turned my rusted out one into a plate last week, and contemplated buying this but I don't really need it so why bother.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yamaha-XVZ1...nit-/360373542197?hash=item53e7efdd35&vxp=mtr

Edit: and if you need a cheap petcock, I bought this manual valve for my 550 Seca and it bolts right up, no issues.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1998-1999-2...ump-/200773715903?hash=item2ebf0bc7bf&vxp=mtr

 

wow that is cheap for that petcock - too cheap maybe - how long have you been using it for? I would be concerned about the quality for that price.

 

I see chacal has this:

HCP20972 OEM ON-OFF FUEL VALVE KIT, contains a brand-new replacement fuel valve which will fit all XJ550 models, all XJ650 Maxim and Midnight Maxim models, and all 1981-83 XJ750 models. Includes the fuel valve, spacer plate, attaching hardware, filters, and an intake manifold vac port cap and clamp (to block off the now-unused intake manifold port). Does NOT require fuel tank opening enlargement! Each:
$ 59.95

I might have to go for this to get it done right first time.

 

Ribo What model 550 has a sender?? Or have you got diff model tank on the bike?

 

It's a xj550 seca tank that I'm modifying to put on the xj650 maxim.

 

?? Ok don't see that on any parts list
Is it maybe the same as 750 sender I have one you can have for the shipping
If you make one from 3/16" aluminum it won't bend or rust.

 

Awesome dude - that would be great if you don't need it.

I believe they are interchangeable from a fit perspective 550 seca to 750 seca cos the block-off plate that chacal sells along with the the rubbers are compatible for both.

PM me and I'll give you may address and I can paypal you the shipping cost.

 

It's a replacement for a Yamaha Grizzly 4wheeler, and it looked to be of equal quality to my OEM petcock, and it is the same size. I imagine it's so cheap because it's for an ATV and not a Motorcycle. I doubt Chacal's will be of any superior quality, it's a fairly simple object. Maybe I'd splurge on his stuff for something more complicated, but a shutoff valve?

I've only had it on a few weeks but I turned it off and blew into it as hard as I could and it holds well, and I've not had an issue with it on the bike yet. No matter how far down the line, if I ever have a problem with it I'll update this post to let future readers know.

 

Yeah I'm kinda 50% with ya - not sure - I just have a vision of me on the side of the road with gas all over my pants 50 miles from home wondering if the extra $50 would have been worth it - well - not wondering actually ... I then have another vision of me with $50 more beer.... hmm

Did you block off your intake manifold port?

 

SOAPBOX

Looks like, and functions like ≠ is like

There are only a few places where a manufacutrer can save costs. Material quality, machining and finish quality, and labor costs.
Material cost is difficult to lower unless the manufacturer chooses to use an inferior material.
Machining costs are pretty much fixed, and cutting finishing costs usually results in a product that is visually unappealing to buyers.
That leaves labor costs. I can't stand the idea that I'm getting a savings on the back of some poor SOB who is working 12 or more hours a day and only earning enough to just get by (no matter what country he lives in).

/SOAPBOX

 

Yea, minimum wage 15$/hr

 

Yeah I agree with you k-moe - I avoid parts that are clearly the product of third / second world labor violations. On first inspection though it wasn't obvious with this part. Although maybe it should have been from the cost it's not always the case, and athough this is being sold by m.j.zee I don't think he's diversifying his portfolio from Pop-Rap to Petcocks.

You know another way things can be much cheaper than they should be is if they're being sold for a loss and this happens now and again when buyers over commit and need to shift stock to get it off the balance sheet or a company goes into liquidation. That said - this item was probably made by very small hands.

I appreciate you stepping up and reminding us all to be conscious of this. No one wants their labor of love to be built at the expense of someone else.

R./

 

Did you know that so many people have committed suicide in China's iPhone factories that they have installed netting outside the windows to catch jumpers? That's way easier than actually treating your workers like human beings, and a fraction of the cost of livable wages. As long as we keep consuming, their products, we will also be consuming their laborers.

 

That story is from 2010 sir. It was a PR nightmare for FoxConn that makes products for Apple, HP, Cisco, etc ,etc, but they actually made changes.

http://www.bloomberg.com/bw/magazine/content/10_38/b4195058423479.htm

FYI - 9 people out of 200,000 is a much lower percentage than in the USA. In fact it's half the national US average. Farm workers in USA are double the national average so maybe we need to stop buying food.

FoxConn - actually set a precedent back then in 2010 that has drastically improved working conditions in china, including free counseling services and fair wages. Obviously the media like to sell papers and get website visits and it's a catchy headline about those people "over there" that isn't nice but not so close to home that it would put a good christian off their fruitloops.

 

I looked into it and as best as I can find, all of the generic parts stores online list the manufacturers as GlenParts based out of Glendale, California. Even foreign websites say it has to be imported from the USA.

This is the only glenparts store I can find: http://www.ebay.com/itm/2000-Yamaha...C-Fuel-Gas-Petcock-Valve-Switch-/131243054095

I'm still uncertain of the manufacture, as well as the country of manufacture, but it also is listed on Amazon as GlenParts sold by other sellers, so who knows. http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-Grizzly-Petcock-Valve-Switch/dp/B008YEXV4Q