i have a 2001 fatboy. On the way home from work I smelled gas. I then noticed that the fuel petcock was leaking(or something around it) all petcocks online don't have a vacuum hose (mine does) is there a replacement that has a port for a vacuum hose or should I just bypass it. If bypass, how do I do that??

 

Just cap the fitting on the carb and replace the petcock. Your auto parts store sells the necessary caps. The ones without the vacuum flow better anyway.

 

The trick is: plug any thing that air goes though except the throttle slide and manifolds. Then it's: Guess, jet ,guess and they time. She will "probably " need a little less since your not trying to burn crankcase smoke, oil and moisture, just air and gas?
Add a good inline filter or two to moderate the fuel flow, sloshing pressure, a ON OFF RESERVE maybe PRI petcock with anything bigger than 0.25 ID lines may be more than the ,"vacuum" float needle pin/valve can swallow. bypass it if you can; stretch the doing or find a stronger one and you'll be amazed how strong your tractor motor can be!
No full throttle break the sound barrier launches, without consistent plug readings, unless you have dual EGT sensors and manifold flow gages?

Mine was scary fast til I got hurt in my cage by a NAFTA truck driver.
Hope she will like pure air and fuel (no ethanol~separate it first and use it in your Zippo, if you can still afford tobacco, or Coleman stove or lantern they were made to drink that stuff since you can't drink it?)
Or
Take the cure but a pin hole or a cracked hose will suddenly think you went deaf: followed by getting cellular signal and a tow. Or carry tape, sure ties, extra hose in a sealed bag and/or something to read waiting?

Get Happy!

 

The Stock HD petcock has a diaphragm that controls fuel flow plus a rubber valve seal under the lever. Fuel leaking out of the petcock can be the result of a damaged seal, damaged diaphragm or loose diaphragm screws. You need to figure out where the leak is an fix it. Also the petcock may simply be loose on the tank or possibly leaking seal between the tank and the petcock. You can try and tighten the nut.

 

Start by following bwoltz's advice.

The vacuum tap does encourage owners to neglect turning the gas on and off. If you can live with doing that then bin the old tap and buy a suitable normal replacement, readily available on Ebay and elsewhere. You can also replace the vacuum tap with another, if you prefer and yours proves unrepairable.

 

get a PINGLE petcock & cap off or just plug the vacuum line

 

^^^ Agree. I've been running w/out a vacuum petcock on my 96 fxdwg for about 15 years now w/out any issues related to it whatsoever.