Need 2 replace petcock

[Flhfxd]

Need a new fuel valve for the '94 Flhtc (it had a vacuum operated valve and I would like to replace it with a normal one). Should I get a Pingel and pay $100 or J&P for $30?  Whats the deal, is the Pingel that much better?
Cheers, Flhfxd.

[03dyna]

Hi I faced the same dilemma this summer I cheeped out and bought a new one from the dealer I think it was 30 dollars or less so it was not that bad.

[Breeze]

If you don't need high flow, I'd go with a cheaper petcock. My Pingle had a slight drip, & when I sent it to Pingle for rebuild, they found the body was cracked. It lasted 17 years, and they offered me a new one for $70, so I hope I'm good for another 17 years.

[shovelbill]

I have a Pingle on all 3 of my bikes........fwiw

[ramcr913]

I tried a couple different cheap ones on my softail way back when, one wouldn't seal at the tank threads, and the other didn't shut off completely. Threw them both out and went with a Golan.
Pingle or Golan.... they both work well, are rebuildable and last a long time.
I don't think either one is better than the other but I run the Golans because I like the feel of the detents when I operate the valve.
Lots of folks run the cheap ones with no problems but I got bit by two of them, and neither one had the "smooth" movement that the good ones have.

[FXGB]

Need a new fuel valve for the '94 Flhtc (it had a vacuum operated valve and I would like to replace it with a normal one). Should I get a Pingel and pay $100 or J&P for $30?  Whats the deal, is the Pingel that much better?
Cheers, Flhfxd.

I use a high-flow Pingel on one of my strokers, but only because it's high flow...

The vacuum diaphragm petcock was originally developed and installed to reduce the number of engine failures associated with washing down the cylinders with fuel.

When not running, an open petcock delivers the entire weight of the fuel load against the needle valve in the float bowl. Any defect in the seat or valve, or any debris in the mechanism, and fuel will drain into the engine, removing oil from the cylinders & rings along the way. Subsequent startup is unlubricated, drastically reducing lifespan. The vacuum operated petcock places another barrier in the fuel path...

List price of the OEM 61338-94A petcock for your bike is about $90 and would be my first choice for your application.

[99 EVO Fatboy Rider]

My advice in a different post.

While the petcock is off take the 4 phillips head screws out. You will have the petcock front, middle and back. Easily remove the rubber diaphragm from the back, then pull the spring out. Put the rubber back in it's seat, then place the spring in the valve section which now puts pressure on the diaphragm front side to always be open, never needing vaccum again to operate. Put the petcock back together.  On off reserve still works it just doesn't need vacuum now. Pull the line off the vo switch under the tank, plug it, then put a plug on the petcock to keep dirt out. As said all functions work as normal it's not not relying on vaccum now. You say why? Think about being on a interstate and have the vaccum line come off. I had two friends call me last summer. One trailered home one still along side the highway, their vaccum lines came off. JMHO,,

[mkd]

fatboy!  would you have to plug the vo switch ? could you not just reverse the spring and put it back together with all vacumn lines as they are in stock cofiguration.

[99 EVO Fatboy Rider]

Yes but as I mentioned I've seen two older bikes have the line fall off. I'd rather use a new plug and be done with the old hose that can fall off.

[evo58]

i always fix these petcocks ( dozen ) with a Honda 750  petcock repair kit ( big diaprahm, the small , the screws , and the back frame ), cant remenber  the honda PN , if you want i can search
evo

[evo58]

i found .

[attachment removed after 60 days by system]

[Hossamania]

My Pingel has been on for 12 years, works great, nice and smooth operation. Also replaced the fuel line to the carb with 3/8". You can just plug the vacuum line if you don't want to trace it back and reconfigure it.
Double check the vacuum line for splits or leaks.

[99 EVO Fatboy Rider]

My pengel has been on for around 7 or 8 years. I'd have to think harder on it, or look at my receipts. If I'd known about the mod to get rid of the vacumm assist to the stock petcock, I would have spent the money else where.

[Xanadu]

is there a way to tell if your petcock is leaking past the carb needle valve and washing down the cylinders?

??

[Flhfxd]

is there a way to tell if your petcock is leaking past the carb needle valve and washing down the cylinders?

??

Thats a good question but I really don't think there's any way to know. Considering how easy gas will seep through almst any gap no matter how small, it makes me think this might be more common than any one would care to know.  May be some one here knows better and can set our minds at ease.......
Cheers, Flhfxd.

[FXGB]

It's a good idea to use this procedure to test any petcock (from Donny's Unauthorized Technical Guide Vol. III p.164):

1. Turn the petcock off.

2. Then disconnect the fuel line from the carburetor and run it into a glass bottle or approved plastic gas container. Unapproved containers may partially dissolve into any gasoline draining into it. The bottle should be able to potentially hold the amount of gasoline left in the tank.

3. Leave for overnight.

4. Inspect, the next day. There should not be any gasoline in the bottle. If there is, the petcock's sealing ability is impaired.

5. If there is leakage replace the petcock.

6. Retest the new petcock overnight.

[Flhfxd]

Yeah that would obviously work but it would suck to have to do this test every so often.  Thats what I was saying, theres no way to tell by any other means. I guess doing this test every month or so might be a good idea.
Cheers, Flhfxd.

[FXGB]

Once a year should be enough, unless you have reason to believe there's a problem...

[bobrk1]

had one years ago it leaked after a while rebuilding it was easy, had to put one on my 97 rk bought one from drag spec. no problem yet been 2 yrs

[ramv102000]

Stop worrying about your engines, and worry about the garage your bike is stored in. Fuel runs into your carb via the float bowl.  If your float needle  leaks and fails to turn off the flow , the gas is gonna run out of your bowl overflow hose and empty your tank onto the ground. ( not down your cylinders ) . Hope you don't have anything in your garage with a flame or pilot light . Your carbs float bowl and fuel inlet are lower then your manifold inlet , fuel won't run uphill.

[99 EVO Fatboy Rider]

 

Stop worrying about your engines, and worry about the garage your bike is stored in. Fuel runs into your carb via the float bowl.  If your float needle  leaks and fails to turn off the flow , the gas is gonna run out of your bowl overflow hose and empty your tank onto the ground. ( not down your cylinders ) . Hope you don't have anything in your garage with a flame or pilot light . Your carbs float bowl and fuel inlet are lower then your manifold inlet , fuel won't run uphill.

[FXGB]

Stop worrying about your engines, and worry about the garage your bike is stored in. Fuel runs into your carb via the float bowl.  If your float needle  leaks and fails to turn off the flow , the gas is gonna run out of your bowl overflow hose and empty your tank onto the ground. ( not down your cylinders ) . Hope you don't have anything in your garage with a flame or pilot light . Your carbs float bowl and fuel inlet are lower then your manifold inlet , fuel won't run uphill.

Sitting nice and level on the bike lift; true. Leaning on the side stand; not so true.

[ramv102000]

Stop worrying about your engines, and worry about the garage your bike is stored in. Fuel runs into your carb via the float bowl.  If your float needle  leaks and fails to turn off the flow , the gas is gonna run out of your bowl overflow hose and empty your tank onto the ground. ( not down your cylinders ) . Hope you don't have anything in your garage with a flame or pilot light . Your carbs float bowl and fuel inlet are lower then your manifold inlet , fuel won't run uphill.

Sitting nice and level on the bike lift; true. Leaning on the side stand; not so true.

You're bike must lean a whole lot more then mine , lmao

[FXGB]

Here's a typical float bowl. How high does the fuel have to be to overflow? Now picture your bike on it's side stand.

[FXGB]

Again, from Donny's Unauthorized Technical Guide Vol. V p.167-8:

"I must say that the single most problematic part on a Harley-Davidson, probably generating more money in my repair shop than any other is both the manually operated and vacuum-operated petcocks."

"No matter how much I lecture errant riders into always turning their petcock off when shutting down their bike, many still leave their petcock on. This allows the full weight of gravity of the tank gasoline to push down into the carburetor float bowl that is no longer moving fuel. The relatively weak float must contend with all the weight sometimes allowing gas to leak by. When the bike is running, this is not a danger unless the float becomes defective since gas uses up constantly and the float bowl must replenish steadily."

"When gasoline leaks by, it will make its way into the engine washing down the cylinders. This very effective cleaning process robs the cylinder liners and the pistons necessary lubrication on start-up. This simple action of leaking gas mixing with the lubricant oil destroys engines."

And from Donny's Unauthorized Technical Guide Vol. III p.164:

"Repair shops lost much income with the advent of the automatic shutoff petcock, that is until the internal diaphragm began to wear."