I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this video. Two years with horrible gas smell finally it began leaking visibly, petcock at home dealer 165.00 plus 95.00 per hour labor. my cost? a total of 6.75 at ace hardware, six months now, and one hour or less labor time (myself). It works like a charm and NO GAS SMELL :). Thanks.
Yeah that gas smell was overwhelming. I stored my PC in a small shed and the smell would take 5 years off my life when I’d open the door. You’re welcome!
Thanks PC800 Fixes. When I took off the plastic and started the engine the leak was obvious - a steady stream of gas from the valve. I had purchased the items in advance for under $10. I appreciate the dialogue below, but concur that the removal of this valve is of no major consequence. This is evident from the observation that when the engine is off there is no leaking from the valve. Even when the hoses are removed there is only a minimal amount of gas. Gravity is your friend!
Good reminder about not stepping on your plastic. I did that to one of the center covers the other day. It's slightly worse-for-wear but still works for the moment anyway. Great video!
I just took a break to rest but that is exactly what I am doing right this minute. Mine began about year ago with strong smell, and today when I turned it on it began leaking gas from the tube that is at the bottom of the petcock. So headed to Honda dealer and $200.00 and 10 days wait. So I bought the t- for $10.00 from Ace, and will install it in a while. While the honda dealeer a year ago ssaid not to do that, today the guy said to me quietly, "I did the same on mine" so I feel better now :). Will report how it goes.
the petcock is there because the pc800 was designed for people who have never ridden a motorcycle so engine stalls were expected from people getting used to how a clutch works. the intention was to prevent flooding, which as any harley owner knows means removing the spark plugs so the vacuum petcock would shut the fuel flow in the fastest possible way on a 1989-designed bike with no electronic controls at all.
In my opinion bypassing the troublesome automatic petcock is safe because the function of it on the PC800 is completely REDUNDANT. On my PC800 the ELECTRIC fuel pump has an interlock with the engine tach sensor. If the engine is not running the fuel cannot flow to the petcock or carbs. The petcock is designed to stop flow if the engine stops. Sound redundant ? When this automatic petcock leaks bad it passes raw gas into the intake which is statistically a greater hazzard than not having one.
Interesting, being a pilot I LIKE redundancy in safety items. Has anybody tried rebuilding the petcock? We used to do this with fuel pumps, and vacuum pumps with diaphrams.. and with petcocks with seals.
Ur a blessing to us new PC800 owners. I cant find that 3, 3way pack (here they only sell singles.) so was wondering what size is the rite 1 to buy. Also Ur a amazing guy, cause I noticed U had 3 hands to. ;-)
Douglas Mather thanks for the kind words. Amazingly I started my TH-cam channel in 2009...11 years ago! I can hardly believe it when I see I have over a thousand subscribers. If I hadn’t sold that wonderful PC back in 2011 I’d still be making videos. I miss it. As to the brass T selection, I just have no way of knowing any more. Good luck with your bike, if the previous owners took even 1/2 decent care of it, you’ll have many enjoyable miles ahead of you.
Scott, the problem with this fix.. is that it ignores or is ignorant of WHY the vaccum controlled petcock exists. And the main answer to that is SAFETY. Because the bike has an electric fuel pump, when the ignition is ON.. so is the fuel pump. Honda is using intake vacuum to open the petcock ( fuel valve) allowing fuel to flow to the fuel lines and carburetors. In the case of a couple of common failure modes: stuck carb float, or broken/leaking fuel line, the fuel pump will pump raw fuel as long as the ignition is on, further, it may be possible to SIPHON fuel in either of these failure modes, EVEN WITH THE IGNITION (AND FUEL PUMP) OFF ! This T "fix" is kind of like using a nail or a penny to replace a fuse. A fix in search of a bigger problem. Honda understood this, and reasoned that if the engine is not turning and creating a vaccuum, then the fuel should be shut off. Now subsituting a manually operated valve ( a real petcock) would have been a real fix..,. IF YOUR BIKE SMELLS OF GAS.. YOU MIGHT WANT TO FIND OUT WHY. Lawnmower 101 says.. look for a bad /stuck float. and at your tank vent system
Absolutely correct! Thanks for sharing this obvious point. The petcock is there for a reason, and removing it, while expedient, is a recipe for disaster later on, as you elaborated. Thanks for your comment. Hopefully you will save others from a future problem.
@lpickfam I think a lot of guys have opted to change out the fuel petcock due to fuel smell. This is caused by the rubber diaphragm going bad. I have heard no reports of uncontrolled acceleration or the other things you mention. LOTS of people are using this fix successfully on the PC, it's easy to do, and as a side benefit, acquaints us with the inner-workings of our bikes & the specifically the fuel system. BTW, who is "we"? (we think/act as if things are complicated)
I would be interested in this for my '93 Honda NH750. The petcock is a PITA, but i have to have a way to tap into the tank. I am considering just eliminating the vacuum side of the petcock with some kind of block-off plate and letting my friend gravity do the work.
Hi men, nice video I have a leaking problem with my petcock from the vacuum line and I was thinking to shut off my vacuum line like you did it. I just want to know what could be the consequences of that? Thanks for the video!
Great video!!! Does this work for all bikes regardless? I have a 2002 Suzuki GSXR600. I have a problem with the petcock leaking gas. I was planning to rebuild it or do what you showed on this video. What would you suggest? Thanks.
Theres a good reason why the vacuum petcock is there because it prevents fuel being pumped to the carbs until the engine running Once you turn the ignition on the pump will run and with only a float needle valve to stop it theres a good chance of flooding the engine and at worst case hydraulic lock in the engine HONDA know best
Hello Gentleman, my '97 will start right away if choke is on. Will die immediately if choke it taken off, or if you attempt to give any throttle. From my initial research, it looks like either this valves diaphragm may be having issues... or that jets in the carb are clogged from too much sit-time and the fuel turning into varnish. I definitely have had the gasoline smell occur when I top-off too much when filling. Would you advise attempting this replacement first and then seeing if issue corrects? Or would I just be wasting my time and really need to focus on replacing the jets in the carb?
+malanga13 Thanks for all the kind words. Sadly, I parted ways with my 96 PC800 back in 2011, so there will be no more videos. I wish I still had it, but I got a little spooked when I called my local Honda dealer for parts & he said they were starting to phase them out. Stay safe!
Another great video! Thanks for taking the time to post these! I know it's probably been covered in the IPCRC forums, but what is the reason for the petcock in the first place? I'm trying to decide between a rebuild or a T on my '90. DB in VA
Coolant check, IIRC, was simple. Remove the black, faux-leather, plastic cover on the right side, which gives you access to the radiator cap. BTW, replace the cap with a Honda one if you haven't already. The black rubber seal eventually will crack and spill anti-freeze everywhere after a ride. Any way, take off the cap and look inside. If you see green liquid, you should be good to go. I think there was also a reservoir in there too with a HI-LOW mark, but wouldn't swear to it under oath.
@@PC800Fixes Actually...if you kneel down in front of the bike and shine a light on the left fairing hole above the radiator. you can check the level between the markings on the reservoir.
But the oil leak continues. and last night had a dinner with a friend who owns a 1996, mine is 1995, and his bike is leaking 1/2 a quart every two days. Mine leaks half a court every six months or so.
Information on the bivalve is wrong, and replacing it with a "tee" means the bike may need to crank more on starting because fuel has drained back into the tank. This bike is complicated relative to older designs. There is no gravity flow of fuel to the carbs. A quick look at the fuel tank relative to the carb position will tell any reasonable person that fuel cannot flow to the carbs from the tank without the operation of a fuel pump.
@lpickfam This is the continuation of the above response... (Continued) which includes fuel flow shutoff during accidents (along with the lean sensor)-when the engine stops or the bike falls over. Certainly any liability for a factory design that omitted this safety feature could easily be leveled against Honda Motor Company and one (people) would prevail, the people who follow these instruction may have no such recourse from you. I thank you for you consideration.
Vacuum opens the fuel valve if the motor is running and making vacuum. With your tee it won't matter if it's running or not, the fuel will just run. So if you tip it over or wreck you have fuel pouring out of the tank. Dangerous..... Just fix your vacuum fuel valve.
I want to give a thumbs up for the video.. and a thumbs down for the dangerous "fix", although below gizmofix says there is a tach interlock with the fuel pump (relay?) Hmm. Somebody is gonna figure out how to cut 5 cents worth of neoperene and make a diaphram.
there just isn't any good reason to do this, but a lot of good reasons not to. Chief among which is an electric fuel pump that will keep pumping as long as the key is on.
While this jury rigged fixit might "work", it removes a part that was designed in to this particular engine for a reason. Seems downright stupid, not to replace with new part, if the problem is caused by aged/degraded rubber diaphragm.
I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for this video. Two years with horrible gas smell finally it began leaking visibly, petcock at home dealer 165.00 plus 95.00 per hour labor.
my cost? a total of 6.75 at ace hardware, six months now, and one hour or less labor time (myself). It works like a charm and NO GAS SMELL :). Thanks.
Yeah that gas smell was overwhelming. I stored my PC in a small shed and the smell would take 5 years off my life when I’d open the door.
You’re welcome!
Thanks PC800 Fixes. When I took off the plastic and started the engine the leak was obvious - a steady stream of gas from the valve. I had purchased the items in advance for under $10. I appreciate the dialogue below, but concur that the removal of this valve is of no major consequence. This is evident from the observation that when the engine is off there is no leaking from the valve. Even when the hoses are removed there is only a minimal amount of gas. Gravity is your friend!
Pete Hill Thanks! Do you still have your PC800?
@@PC800Fixes Yes I do. On hiatus from riding due to back surgery - hope to be cleared to ride in August.
Good reminder about not stepping on your plastic. I did that to one of the center covers the other day. It's slightly worse-for-wear but still works for the moment anyway.
Great video!
I just took a break to rest but that is exactly what I am doing right this minute. Mine began about year ago with strong smell, and today when I turned it on it began leaking gas from the tube that is at the bottom of the petcock. So headed to Honda dealer and $200.00 and 10 days wait. So I bought the t- for $10.00 from Ace, and will install it in a while. While the honda dealeer a year ago ssaid not to do that, today the guy said to me quietly, "I did the same on mine" so I feel better now :). Will report how it goes.
the petcock is there because the pc800 was designed for people who have never ridden a motorcycle so engine stalls were expected from people getting used to how a clutch works. the intention was to prevent flooding, which as any harley owner knows means removing the spark plugs so the vacuum petcock would shut the fuel flow in the fastest possible way on a 1989-designed bike with no electronic controls at all.
Makes sense. Thanks!
In my opinion bypassing the troublesome automatic petcock is safe because
the function of it on the PC800 is completely REDUNDANT.
On my PC800 the ELECTRIC fuel pump has an interlock with the engine tach sensor.
If the engine is not running the fuel cannot flow to the petcock or carbs.
The petcock is designed to stop flow if the engine stops. Sound redundant ?
When this automatic petcock leaks bad it passes raw gas into the intake which
is statistically a greater hazzard than not having one.
Interesting, being a pilot I LIKE redundancy in safety items. Has anybody tried rebuilding the petcock? We used to do this with fuel pumps, and vacuum pumps with diaphrams.. and with petcocks with seals.
👍👍👍👍
Ur a blessing to us new PC800 owners. I cant find that 3, 3way pack (here they only sell singles.) so was wondering what size is the rite 1 to buy.
Also Ur a amazing guy, cause I noticed U had 3 hands to. ;-)
Douglas Mather thanks for the kind words. Amazingly I started my TH-cam channel in 2009...11 years ago! I can hardly believe it when I see I have over a thousand subscribers. If I hadn’t sold that wonderful PC back in 2011 I’d still be making videos. I miss it.
As to the brass T selection, I just have no way of knowing any more.
Good luck with your bike, if the previous owners took even 1/2 decent care of it, you’ll have many enjoyable miles ahead of you.
Scott, the problem with this fix.. is that it ignores or is ignorant of WHY the vaccum controlled petcock exists. And the main answer to that is SAFETY. Because the bike has an electric fuel pump, when the ignition is ON.. so is the fuel pump. Honda is using intake vacuum to open the petcock ( fuel valve) allowing fuel to flow to the fuel lines and carburetors. In the case of a couple of common failure modes: stuck carb float, or broken/leaking fuel line, the fuel pump will pump raw fuel as long as the ignition is on, further, it may be possible to SIPHON fuel in either of these failure modes, EVEN WITH THE IGNITION (AND FUEL PUMP) OFF !
This T "fix" is kind of like using a nail or a penny to replace a fuse. A fix in search of a bigger problem. Honda understood this, and reasoned that if the engine is not turning and creating a vaccuum, then the fuel should be shut off. Now subsituting a manually operated valve ( a real petcock) would have been a real fix..,. IF YOUR BIKE SMELLS OF GAS.. YOU MIGHT WANT TO FIND OUT WHY. Lawnmower 101 says.. look for a bad /stuck float. and at your tank vent system
Having sold the bike 9 years ago, there’s really not much I can do about it now. “Seemed like a good idea @ the time!”
Absolutely correct! Thanks for sharing this obvious point. The petcock is there for a reason, and removing it, while expedient, is a recipe for disaster later on, as you elaborated. Thanks for your comment. Hopefully you will save others from a future problem.
Thanks my friend, its a very important info, in USA where I can buy parts, exactly in El Paso TX , greetings for you.
@lpickfam I think a lot of guys have opted to change out the fuel petcock due to fuel smell. This is caused by the rubber diaphragm going bad. I have heard no reports of uncontrolled acceleration or the other things you mention. LOTS of people are using this fix successfully on the PC, it's easy to do, and as a side benefit, acquaints us with the inner-workings of our bikes & the specifically the fuel system.
BTW, who is "we"? (we think/act as if things are complicated)
I would be interested in this for my '93 Honda NH750. The petcock is a PITA, but i have to have a way to tap into the tank. I am considering just eliminating the vacuum side of the petcock with some kind of block-off plate and letting my friend gravity do the work.
Hi men, nice video I have a leaking problem with my petcock from the vacuum line and I was thinking to shut off my vacuum line like you did it. I just want to know what could be the consequences of that? Thanks for the video!
Great video!!! Does this work for all bikes regardless? I have a 2002 Suzuki GSXR600. I have a problem with the petcock leaking gas. I was planning to rebuild it or do what you showed on this video. What would you suggest?
Thanks.
This is awesome, thanks so much for explaining, I just bought one, started a channel how I am going to repair it 🔧⚙️⛽🏍️
Looks simple enough, l always smell gas. Think l'll do mine.
Dude.... you sound like that Sheldon guy on Big Banger
My leak was even more hazardous - the fuel leaked out onto the engine top, and some was probably being sucked thru the vacuum line too.
Theres a good reason why the vacuum petcock is there because it prevents fuel being pumped to the carbs until the engine running
Once you turn the ignition on the pump will run and with only a float needle valve to stop it theres a good chance of flooding the engine and at worst case hydraulic lock in the engine
HONDA know best
So then I’d recommend you not do this particular fix as it seems outside of your comfort level.
Yet this engine is used in many bikes which have a manual petcock and don't have that problem.
Hello Gentleman, my '97 will start right away if choke is on. Will die immediately if choke it taken off, or if you attempt to give any throttle. From my initial research, it looks like either this valves diaphragm may be having issues... or that jets in the carb are clogged from too much sit-time and the fuel turning into varnish. I definitely have had the gasoline smell occur when I top-off too much when filling. Would you advise attempting this replacement first and then seeing if issue corrects? Or would I just be wasting my time and really need to focus on replacing the jets in the carb?
Did you find out what the problem was? My bike has the same symptoms: dies with choke off or giving it throttle.
It's your carburetor seal. Your engine is sucking air
Do you have a video on how to repair the choke? Mine won't stay up.
+malanga13 Thanks for all the kind words. Sadly, I parted ways with my 96 PC800 back in 2011, so there will be no more videos. I wish I still had it, but I got a little spooked when I called my local Honda dealer for parts & he said they were starting to phase them out. Stay safe!
Why do you not need the vacuum line please? Did it not serve any purpose as originally installed?
That’s a great question! I made this video 10 years ago, and sold the bike 9 years ago...I just don’t have an answer for you. Thanks for watching!
Another great video! Thanks for taking the time to post these!
I know it's probably been covered in the IPCRC forums, but what is the reason for the petcock in the first place? I'm trying to decide between a rebuild or a T on my '90.
DB in VA
Grazie per questo video o avuto questo problema domani lo faccio👍💯
can somebody please tell me how to check the coolant in my 1995 model? I don't see marks, there is nothing to give me any clues. Thanks!
Coolant check, IIRC, was simple. Remove the black, faux-leather, plastic cover on the right side, which gives you access to the radiator cap. BTW, replace the cap with a Honda one if you haven't already. The black rubber seal eventually will crack and spill anti-freeze everywhere after a ride.
Any way, take off the cap and look inside. If you see green liquid, you should be good to go. I think there was also a reservoir in there too with a HI-LOW mark, but wouldn't swear to it under oath.
@@PC800Fixes Actually...if you kneel down in front of the bike and shine a light on the left fairing hole above the radiator. you can check the level between the markings on the reservoir.
But the oil leak continues. and last night had a dinner with a friend who owns a 1996, mine is 1995, and his bike is leaking 1/2 a quart every two days. Mine leaks half a court every six months or so.
Thank you !)
Hello, great video. Where can I find brass t's? Thank you! Mark
formegolf I think I got mine at a local auto parts store. Advance or something similar. Thanks for watching.
Information on the bivalve is wrong, and replacing it with a "tee" means the bike may need to crank more on starting because fuel has drained back into the tank. This bike is complicated relative to older designs. There is no gravity flow of fuel to the carbs. A quick look at the fuel tank relative to the carb position will tell any reasonable person that fuel cannot flow to the carbs from the tank without the operation of a fuel pump.
i cant figure out what the nipple on the bottom with nothing attached is.
For me it did work ..........
Great!👏👏👏
@lpickfam This is the continuation of the above response...
(Continued) which includes fuel flow shutoff during accidents (along with the lean sensor)-when the engine stops or the bike falls over.
Certainly any liability for a factory design that omitted this safety feature could easily be leveled against Honda Motor Company and one (people) would prevail, the people who follow these instruction may have no such recourse from you. I thank you for you consideration.
Sweet
Vacuum opens the fuel valve if the motor is running and making vacuum. With your tee it won't matter if it's running or not, the fuel will just run. So if you tip it over or wreck you have fuel pouring out of the tank. Dangerous.....
Just fix your vacuum fuel valve.
I want to give a thumbs up for the video.. and a thumbs down for the dangerous "fix", although below gizmofix says there is a tach interlock with the fuel pump (relay?) Hmm. Somebody is gonna figure out how to cut 5 cents worth of neoperene and make a diaphram.
there just isn't any good reason to do this, but a lot of good reasons not to. Chief among which is an electric fuel pump that will keep pumping as long as the key is on.
Try reading a few of the other comments on here to see why folks do it. "There isn't ANY good reason..." Mmmm hmmm.
replacement petcock is 128 dollars
A
hmmmmnnnnn......
While this jury rigged fixit might "work", it removes a part that was designed in to this particular engine for a reason. Seems downright stupid, not to replace with new part, if the problem is caused by aged/degraded rubber diaphragm.
I would suggest buying the genuine honda oem kit to fix it properly instead...$35, don't be cheap/lazy guys;
Petcock Cover Set 16953-ME5-025