reason behind turning the fuel petcock off?
- Thread starter dumpstercrusher
- Start date
Dan
Staff
LOL! The first time I did the "forgot to turn the petcock on" thing, sure enough just outside my neighbor's drive way. (Before he and I had met.
As it died, I said aloud "what fresh **** is this?" I was experimenting with the then new to motorized bicycles, HF 79cc engine. Not sure how long I tried to get her to light off until I noticed the petcock was in the off position.
If yer gonna look dumb, might as well do it in front of neighbors. Snork
As it died, I said aloud "what fresh **** is this?" I was experimenting with the then new to motorized bicycles, HF 79cc engine. Not sure how long I tried to get her to light off until I noticed the petcock was in the off position.
If yer gonna look dumb, might as well do it in front of neighbors. Snork
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I had a bike, since sold it, that my knee would hit the petcock and turn it off. Care to guess how I found out what was happening? 
So embarrassing to be cruising down the street, fat dumb and happy, pretending you're Peter Fonda and have the engine sputter and die only to look down and see that little lever in the horizontal position.
All of my bikes since that one have the petcock where my knee doesn't touch it.
Tom
So embarrassing to be cruising down the street, fat dumb and happy, pretending you're Peter Fonda and have the engine sputter and die only to look down and see that little lever in the horizontal position.
All of my bikes since that one have the petcock where my knee doesn't touch it.
Tom
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
I used to have a problem with the choke screw loosening up. I'd be motoring along, the the engine would start sounding weird and abruptly die.
I'd dither with it for twenty minutes or so, finding nothing. I'd try starting her again - and she'd start! But then die a moment later. WTF?
Boy I felt so stupid when I finally figured it out. Then I bought a nylock nut.
I'd dither with it for twenty minutes or so, finding nothing. I'd try starting her again - and she'd start! But then die a moment later. WTF?
Boy I felt so stupid when I finally figured it out. Then I bought a nylock nut.
fatdaddy
New Member
Check the plug wire and boot, Check the kill switch, Check the blue and black wires. Light up a smoke and think about it for a minute. Check everything AGAIN. Finish smoke. Did I run out of gas? Look in tank, Lots of gas.
Maybe the float stuck. Check fuel flow.................Turn on petcock, start bike.
Just another day in the life of,
fatdaddy.
P.S. In my defence, I was kind of a newbie at the time.
Maybe the float stuck. Check fuel flow.................Turn on petcock, start bike.
Just another day in the life of,
fatdaddy.
P.S. In my defence, I was kind of a newbie at the time.
Dan
Staff
I had a bike, since sold it, that my knee would hit the petcock and turn it off. Care to guess how I found out what was happening?
So embarrassing to be cruising down the street, fat dumb and happy, pretending you're Peter Fonda and have the engine sputter and die only to look down and see that little lever in the horizontal position.
All of my bikes since that one have the petcock where my knee doesn't touch it.
Tom
LOL Tom. Ya gotta post a pic of that bike to complete the mental image
2 funny Allen. My very first China Girl did that. Took me a month to figure out to tighten the screw holding it.
We really need to make a concerted effort to help new folks not think they are doing some thing dumb when Lord knows, we all done it a time or 12. LoL, or at least me has.
bigbutterbean
Active Member
I used red loctite on my choke nut, but gas eventually ate through the loctite. Surprised it didnt affect the nylon. Maybe nylon is fuel proof? Now I've got a 4 stroke with a different type of choke that doesnt seem to be able to open on its own. Much better for me.
fatdaddy
New Member
I'm happy to find out I'm not the only person in the world that felt a little silly over a petcock or a choke. With the choke, If it won't stay tight, I just take it off. I live in California and it hardly ever gets all that cold. But if it ever gets so cold I need a choke I'm probably not riding my bike anyway.
And yeah, Same thing. Check plug, Check wires, Have a smoke, ect, ect.
I DID remember to check the petcock though.LOL.
fatdaddy.
And yeah, Same thing. Check plug, Check wires, Have a smoke, ect, ect.
I DID remember to check the petcock though.LOL.
fatdaddy.
dodge dude94
New Member
Amen, brother.
mapbike
Well-Known Member
I tighten my choke plate nuts up and then with a center punch I ping threads good at the point where the threads meet, never had one come loose on me yet..... knock on wood and I cant see any way that they ever could.
Yeppers....... I filled an engine up with fuel one time from leaving petcock open, learned my dang lesson to, I've got in a habit of turning the valve off before I ever even kill the engine, sometimes I let the engine idle until it runs out of gas, don't take long and I know there isn't gonna be any fuel problems unless valve fails or tank springs a leak.
Map
Yeppers....... I filled an engine up with fuel one time from leaving petcock open, learned my dang lesson to, I've got in a habit of turning the valve off before I ever even kill the engine, sometimes I let the engine idle until it runs out of gas, don't take long and I know there isn't gonna be any fuel problems unless valve fails or tank springs a leak.
Map
Dan
Staff
FD, I quoted you in school today. Was too funny. For the life of me I couldn't do the trig to make an angle on a clamp. They deliberately didn't give the angle on the drawing. So the poor dumb Son Of a Bicyclist had to do the math. After three tries, I gave up and put a protractor on the drawing. I was 15 minutes and zero degrees wrong but well within tolerance. The guy (expletive math wiz) next to me was taking his time telling me how wrong it was that I took that approach.
I looked at his part and said, "it is your clamp. Build it your way"
LOL, and he got the math wrong and was out of tolerance.
Really do enjoy your posts and your approach to building.
If it ain't fun, why bother?
bairdco
a guy who makes cool bikes
And I'd wager there's a few of us who, even if we knew how often it happened to us, would be too embarrassed to say.
i've done it so many times it's the first thing i check when my bike starts a-sputtering...
dodge dude94
New Member
Mine some of got clogged at one point and stuck shut internally.
Had to fiddle with it to get it to clear. lol
Had to fiddle with it to get it to clear. lol
Dan
Staff
mew905
New Member
My roommate has issues with gas leaking out his carb (bad gasket or something). So he turns his off. I, however, never do. I've never had a gas leak except when I didnt tighten my fuel line clamps (I'm not using the kit line) or when my bike fell over from other things... and even then it leaks out the gas cap and a bit out of the float bowl.
mapbike
Well-Known Member
Glad you've had good luck so far, needle and seat ever fail to seal off and you will have an engine full of fuel and and possibly a big mess in the floor as well if gas tank is full when it happens if it ever does, hope your luck holds and you never have to worry with it, I just always turn mine off now because then I know Im good and dont have to worry aboit luck...lol!
As the saying goes "better to be good than lucky"
Best wishes to ya.
Map
Allen_Wrench
Resident Mad Scientist
Hmmm...is nylon fuel proof? Ya know, I'm not sure. Maybe I better check that nut. I haven't checked it in rather a long time. *crosses fingers*
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fatdaddy
New Member
Thanks Dan, I really do enjoy building and riding these things. And I'm glad to see any "know it all SOB" get put in his place. Good one.
And I say if it ain't fun, Don't do it. And if it is fun. Do it again.
I don't have it as my signature, perhaps I should. I just stick it in if needed. Like now.
IT'S YOUR BIKE, BUILD IT YOUR WAY.
fatdaddy.
mapbike
Well-Known Member
Amen......!