Introduction, First XS650, Leaky Petcocks, Quick Temp Fix Ideas?

OakBehringer

OakBehringer

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Hello. Tonight I'm picking up my first 650, a '73 TX650. Runs well, looks even better. Check out that seat! That's probably the only thing I'll change for at least a year as I have other projects that take precedence. This will be my daily rider for the time.

I'm new to the XS650, and excited about it, as I've wanted one for a while. I'm not new to motorcycles. I've had a '66 Honda CL77 305, Honda CB450, '74 Honda CB350F, two Honda CT70s, and a Honda CL160. I still have the two CT70s (one has kinda become my girlfriend's, thus the reason for the second) and the CL160 is in my workspace completely disassembled, getting the cafe treatment, about 80% done.

Needless to say, it's nice to be riding a bike that has some power. And some shake. I'm picking it up tonight, but it's leaking fuel from the petcocks pretty heavily. I don't want to light on fire on the way home. I probably have a 15-20 minute ride ahead of me. Any ideas? I was thinking of zip-tying some sandwich bags over/around the petcocks, to catch the drip, but I'm guessing the gas will just melt/dissolve the bag?

Thanks in advance for the ideas,
Adam
 

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Remove the face plate and arm from the petcock. Under them you'll find a rubber disc with 4 holes in it. Flip it over and that may cure the leaks.
 
throw it in a truck or a van. 15 - 20 minutes doesn't matter, its hot after 2 minutes and if that gas gets on a live wire you're in trouble

don't risk it
 
I'm thinking I'm going to remove the XS tank altogether and duct tape one of my little, plastic CT70 tanks to the top of the frame. The CT70 tanks have two fuel outlets so it should work perfect for a short ride. And it will look hilarious.
 
Is this because of wear or because it might be in there upside down? I've never worked a petcock where the direction of this would matter, but I've also never worked an XS650 petcock.
 
Don't waste time and money trying to fix those prone to leak petcocks.Buy 2 brand new petcocks from Mikesxs for $40.00 each.They have 2 types.One has a longer mounting flange.Check the mounting holes dimensions center to center.If you have a vacuum petcocks then buy 2 plugs to cover them.Mikes petcocks have only on and off switch.No vacuum.
 
Hmm.. the originals are that notoriously bad, eh? I'll have to replace them.

The girl from whom I'm buying the bike just "rebuilt" the petcocks. Great job! Hopefully some screw tightening will fix 'em, but I doubt it. We'll see.
 
The vacuum petcocks that came on later models are the bad ones. Your manual type is usually OK. The girl may have rebuilt them but who's to say she did it right. Flipping the rubber disc is something you do if the old one has worn on the side facing out towards the lever. Sometimes it works, sometimes not. Here's what you'll be dealing with .....

73ManualPetcock.jpg


I worked on one once where somebody left the spring washer (#29) out. It leaked like crazy because there was nothing to push the arm against the rubber washer and make it seal.
 
Cool, and welcome aboard. I saw that bike on Craigslist. I wouldn't ride it with petcocks pouring gas and I'm not even all that bright.
 
Ya, I know she might not have rebuilt them right, thus the "quotes" around "rebuilt". I was thinking the same thing about the spring washer. Got it home last night via U-Haul (figured it was worth the $30 to make it easy on myself). I'll look into it tonight.

Thanks for the replies,
Adam
 
For "on the cheap" the flipping has worked for a year on one I'm riding.
OakBehringer you'll understand when you get it apart, #27 has "lips" around each small hole and they like everything else about these bikes wear out.
I have pinched that wave washer under the face plate once. Made the selector difficult to switch and leaked terribly. Take time to make sure it's centered. Allen heads can be found to replace the phillips when you strip them.
Wise move to get the trailer till you know abit more about it.
 
I understand already, I've rebuilt dozens of petcocks :) I've just never had a 650 (or a Yamaha) so I wasn't sure if something was different about that washer on these bikes.

Actually, the bike didn't come home in the UHaul. I was about to ride it up the ramp (too heavy to push) when seller kinda freaked out because she thought I was going to like launch into space or something. So she offered to just ride it to my place, leaky gas and all. I hadn't given her any money yet so I said "go for it". Beats rolling that bastard backwards down the ramp, THAT is the part that has always freaked me out for some reason.

She got it here fine.
 
My manual petcocks leaked too when I switched from Off to On. If I set them just forward (toward the front of the bike) they'd quit leaking. I got two rebuild kits from Mike ($15 each), one worked one didn't.

Anyway, you don't need two petcocks. Make a blank and gasket to close off one tank hole and just T the line to the two carbs. Then, yeah, get a new petcock from Mike if you can't get one of yours to stop leaking.

Good luck. Don't explode!
 
kent_in_kc said:
Anyway, you don't need two petcocks. Make a blank and gasket to close off one tank hole and just T the line to the two carbs. Then, yeah, get a new petcock from Mike if you can't get one of yours to stop leaking.
Click to expand...

I was actually going to ask if one petcock had enough flow to quench these carbs' thirst. Good to know, I'm going to do exactly this. I think only one petcock is leaking, so I'll just remove that one!

- Adam
 

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