Carb riders
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Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 816
Likes: 10
From: Southern, MD
Carb riders
I'm thinking of replacing my stk petcock with a pingel. What's everyone's thought on a vacuum operated petcock vrs a full manual petcock? They say with a full manual petcock you have to turn the fuel off every time you turn the bike off. I'm considering the manual just cause the new location on the tank would look a lot cleaner vrs having the extra valve on it.
Supporter
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 414
Likes: 336
From: Brick NJ
I have a 1990 Sportster with a stock manual petcock. I do turn it off after rides, however I've left it on as I forgot and never had any issues. If your carb needle valve is good and the accelerator pump diaphragm is good you should be fine if left on. When my pump diaphragm went bad it did leak all over the place and basically emptied the tank on my garage floor.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,830
Likes: 302
From: Lorain Ohio
I replaced the stock vac one with the pinglel...I used to turn the vac one off after riding too so I was already in the habit. If you forget once in a while it's ok as long as your float seats properly to shut off flow. I don't shut if off every time I park, just when I park the the night.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 1,416
Likes: 317
From: CA
Gas leaks into cylinder, it finds its way past the rings and into the oil. Then it reduces the ability of the oil to lubricate.
If the oil smells like fuel - it has contaminated. Absolutely does happen and completely preventable.
You won't know it happened until its too late.
If the oil smells like fuel - it has contaminated. Absolutely does happen and completely preventable.
You won't know it happened until its too late.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 8,129
Likes: 1,981
From: Ottawa, CANADA
I put a Pingel with vacuum operation on Reaper 3 years ago, and I never turn the gas off. Have had no problems whatsoever. A few times I've run the tank into the reserve, and the Pingel makes it easy to reach down and flip over to reserve without having to stop. 
Cheers!
Cheers!
Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,839
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From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Non vacuum for simplicity's sake. It sucks if you need to drain your tank and you have a vacuum petcock.
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Club Member
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Lafayette, Louisiana
Originally Posted by Nomadmax
Mity Vac on the vacuum port on the petcock gets flowing real nice.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: SW Ohio
Agreed, but an extra step I'm willing to take so I don't wind up with the cylinders flooded with fuel in even of a carb malfunction.