So my 2006 XL883C quit on me while riding the other day. I just now had a chance to check it out. I determined that no gas is coming from the tank. Gas line disconnected, key on, petcock in either on or reserve, no gas coming out.

I know there is a vacuum line running from the carb to the petcock. It was attached. Didn't seem to be bent or cracked. So I thought maybe the screen on the petcock was clogged. Nope. Looked clean as a whistle. I went ahead and blew it out with my air compressor and reinstalled. Still no joy trying to crank.

Out comes the FSM. It said to use a pressure tester on the petcock. I do not have one. But also said that the petcock valve would need replacing if the diaphragm inside was damaged.

I know the bike is 10 years old. But replacing the petcock? Any other ideas?

Edit -- I figured I'd go ahead and check J&P cycles. Petcocks from anywhere between $20 and $120. Could there really be any difference. A petcock is never anything I've thought much about.

 

Sounds like the petcock, I also have a 2006, I recently swapped my original petcock out with a Pingle because I wanted to get rid of the vacuum line. When I disassembled the original petcock it is was pretty deteriorated inside. There are "rebuild" kits for the stock petcock but you can go wrong with a Pingle or a Golan, you just need to get in the habit of turning off the gas when you stop.

 

I'd rebuild the petcock if you can, or worse case, get a new vacuum one. After years of having to go through the ritual of turning on-and-off the petcock, the vacuum-line petcock is is a Godsend!

 

A non-vacuum replacement is readily available for very little and should be trouble-free, it is so easy to turn the tap on and off, as required! Having said that, when I modified an EFI tank to carb I used a Pingel, which is at the other end of the cost spectrum.....

 

Excellent. Thanks for the advice guys. I was just having a hard time making sense of a petcock going bad. But the vacuum parts make sense. Only one I ever had to rebuild was 30 years old on a '79 Yamaha. I just went ahead and ordered a new one at the lower end of the cost spectrum. Hey for $25 if it lasts 3 years, then I'll upgrade.

 

The OEM petcock body and guts (no filter screen- reuse yours) is available from HD. Last time I checked a couple years ago, it was around $25.00.

 

I just replaced my petcock with one from HD. Petcock and a new filter ran me about $35 out the door. As for the vac system, stop by Harbor Freight and grab yourself a mity-vac (grabbed mine with a coupon for $30).

Overall if you question it, it's easier to just replace the dang thing then play with rebuilding it.

 

Make sure vacuum line isn't pinched, there's a bend on it, known to collapse, check first

 

I totally forgot to come back and let you guys know that the new petcock fixed it right up. 10 minute job and riding again. Thanks again.

 

Is this the vacuum petcock, or the older non-vacuum, like mine? Is there a description of the kit, or part number? Mine's almost 26 now, a rebuild kit would be great to have on hand.

John