Monday, February 22, 2010

Petcock Troubles - FIXED

Ok, so I only got to ride the bike a little bit before it got cold and I am not a good enough rider for the rain and last fall was WET.
But it's been sitting in the garage all winter with the battery disconnected and in the house to keep from freezing, the tank couldn't keep fuel though.
So I got a wild hair up my arse the other night and decided to take apart the petcock to see what made it tick... Since it is a vaccum style, I didn't think it should keep running gas into the carbs and losing it all.
After taking it apart and explaining to my son how I thought it should work, something didn't seem quite right. When the diaphram has vaccum, it's supposed to let fuel through but it was letting it through all the time. Then while putting it back together, I realized that someone had already put a new diaphram and spring in it... BUT, they put the spring on the wrong side of the diaphram. It was continually holding it open. I changed this around and it works perfect now.
I am now realizing that when you buy a used bike that is in a few pieces, don't trust the guy that you got it from if he never put it together himself. The bike had belonged to a kid before he got it and the kid had done a bunch of the work himself so this would explain why things were soo messed up.
It really does pay to take something completely apart a few times to really get to know what makes it tick and to understand it... Now I just have to figure out the battery issue. I think its the Stator but I bought a used Rectifier just in case... Only 10 bucks so worth it if I ever need one. Now I am gonna start it up and try to get readings from the stator to see if it is even outputting any juice and the right amount at that. Got the book in hand and ready to tear into her again.
Also, one of my boy scouts had a sissy bar and luggage rack for a Yamaha about the same year and I made that work on it too. Next beyond that is to change out the rear shocks for some Progressive 412 series that I got for a good deal, BRAND NEW and in the box.. Never installed.
Wish me luck everyone.