Petcock Issues?

[JVRR]

I have a thread going on over at GSTwins as well, but thought I would post here to cover my bases.

I looked into it, and checked again with dad and we are both pretty confident now (he did not believe me ) the hoses are reversed. Problem is this. Today I ran out of gas again. I had been running it on reserve, figuring I run out, switch it to on. Did not work! My dad brought gas by (this was on the freeway, so embarassing ) and took a look inside- granted his experience is not on anything similar to a GS500, but he felt there should have been enough gas in there to be running.

It starts and runs just fine on either setting (can't be a clog in the reserve line then).

That being said. I have to admit when I ran out of gas on the freeway the last thing to cross my mind (darnnit!) was to check the petcock. There is a chance I had for some reason switched it back to on (again, plan was with reversed hoses to switch it to on when I ran out, for actual reserve). I cannot promise it was not. I am going to try and grab a pump siphon at the shop tomorrow or something to run out of gas again soon (and close to home) to confirm. But I wanted to start the troubleshooting as I would really prefer to fix any problems myself (both to save money, and for fun/to learn).

So, if it starts and runs on both settings, and the hoses are reversed but neither appears to be acting as a reserve... what problems could it be?

[Johnj]

There are two hoses attached to the petcock right. One hose goes to vacuum and the other hose goes to your carburetors. If the hoses were on wrong the bike wouldn't run at all. With the petcock set to on, pull the top hose off the petcock, does gas spew out? That hose should be vacuum. Get a container and hold it by the petcock, pull off the lower hose, does gas spew out? Gas should drip from the hose.

Ok is the petcock dripping at all? If so you need a new or rebuilt petcock.

Now you need some clear hose. Attach it to the top connection on the petcock and place the container so it catches the gas. When you apply suction to the hose, gas flows out of the lower petcock connection.

Now put the petcock to REV and when you apply suction, gas flows.

Now put the petcock to PRI and gas flows.

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