Do you turn the fuel off...

[yamadawg]

:icon_smile_questionDo you turn off the fuel petcock on your bike when you are not riding? I got accustomed to not worrying about this with the 1st gen but see the manual says to turn it off when the bike is stopped. Is there a danger of fuel flowing down thru the carbs and into the cylinders and to the crankcase?

 

Thanks!

Don

[BuddyRich]

I don't.

[Squidley]

I have never turned the fuel off unless I was removing a fuel line or the tank. I always keep them on the reserve setting and pay attention to the fuel gauge. I believe that was old school ways when riders turned off their fuel when shutting the bike down for an extended period.

[massey130]

i have sort of wanted to do that. i have not yet, though. i am afraid if i do, i will forget & drive off with only the carbs of gas to run on, then realize what i had done only to look around to see if anyone knew what i had just done.

 

so i have not started that habit yet.

 

dale in La

[N3FOL]

Negative on this end. I always leave it at the opened position and occasionally turn the petcock all the way to reserve and back to normal position.

 

Ride Safe.

[1sttenor]

I have never turned the fuel off unless I was removing a fuel line or the tank. I always keep them on the reserve setting and pay attention to the fuel gauge. I believe that was old school ways when riders turned off their fuel when shutting the bike down for an extended period.

 

plus 1

[Dave77459]

I was taught to turn off my fuel in the Riders Edge class. But I don't. I leave it on reserve all the time.

 

Dave

[Renne]

I guess I'm just "old school", shutting off the gas has been a habit since my first bike in "57". During my A.F. career, I had a number of bikes and there were times when I "fergot", (happy hour),,,,, I did have a float stick once, had quite a mess. Never wanted to take a chance after that.

 

Renne

[OB-1]

:icon_smile_questionDo you turn off the fuel petcock on your bike when you are not riding? I got accustomed to not worrying about this with the 1st gen but see the manual says to turn it off when the bike is stopped. Is there a danger of fuel flowing down thru the carbs and into the cylinders and to the crankcase?

 

Thanks!

Don

 

I stopped turning off the fuel in 81 when I sold my Harley and bought my first Yamaha. It was an 81 XS-1100 Venture and the fuel petcock was vacuum actuated.

[jbillerzippo]

Yes I always turn the petcock off. If the petcock is used it turns on an off alot betterjust in case you ever need it when riding.

[Old Grey Wolf]

I have riden many bikes since the 60's and old habits die hard. That being said, I think that on most recent bikes, it doesn't matter. ( Except when storing for extended periods with much temperature flucuations.) Older bikes seemed really more sensitive to this.

 

I have left the petcock open for 1-2 weeks ( on my 2007 Venture) :banana:and have not seen any downside.

 

Tim

[jlh3rd]

i turn mine off......can't petcocks fail?......and i figure that by turning mine off and on keeps the petcock from sticking........for longevity

[Seaking]

I always leave mine ON, I don't see the harm or benefit or difference of having it in the OFF position if you park it for an extended period of time.. I ride so often and go to RES often enough to keep it 'lubed' lol..

[Ponch]

all the time, reserve.

[Seaking]

all the time, reserve.

 

If *I* were to do that I'd end up out of fuel on the side of the road lol.. I like knowing I have that little safety margin left..

[miller47]

same here

I always leave mine ON, I don't see the harm or benefit or difference of having it in the OFF position if you park it for an extended period of time.. I ride so often and go to RES often enough to keep it 'lubed' lol..

[Sylvester]

I never turn mine off, but my mechanic does. Therefore every time I leave his shop I run out of fuel going down the on ramp to I-85 south. This never fails and I never remember to look to see that it is turned back on. The good thing is that I only use him once or twice a year, since I do most of my own work.

 

[BOO]

I never turn mine off unless I'm doing something with the fuel tank.

Even if you have a float stuck these bikes won't flood as the gas won't flow

through the system without the pump. I've had a stuck float and nothing happen except gas ran all over the place with the bike was running or with the ignition switch was on.

BOO

[LilBeaver]

While there is probably limited harm in leaving it in the ON or RES position; I turn mine off. I suppose it is habit from some of the other bikes that I have had, one of which I left in the ON position and something was stuck inside the carb so I came out to an empty bike and ~2.5 gallons of gas wasted not to mention having a mess to clean up.

Also, if I know the bike is going to sit for more than a couple of days I make a point to shut the gas off a few miles away from my house so I can get it into the garage and the carbs are pretty much empty so there is no gas sitting in the carburetors while I am not around.

 

That is what I do.

[Seaking]

cough cough.. and there I was earlier stating that I never turn mine off OR ride with it in the RES position etc..

 

EGADS!! I just installed my Larosa downturns (loud) and looked up.. OMG, how long have I been riding on RES?!?! egads!! lol..

 

I hate when that happens..

[Ponch]

If *I* were to do that I'd end up out of fuel on the side of the road lol.. I like knowing I have that little safety margin left..

 

but, I realized my truck doesn't have reserve and I never run out of gas in it.

You have the count down feature, the gauge itself and a nifty little idiot light to remind you. I do turn the petcock valve occassionally just to keep it freed up.

[V7Goose]

I do not shut off my fuel - always left in reserve position.

 

But technically it is a good idea. Most modern bikes have a vacuum operated fuel petcock that automatically shuts off when the engine stops, but we can't because of the fuel pump. In the unlikely event that you have a stuck float valve AND the engine stops with the intake valve open on the same cylinder, fuel CAN slowly drain through the carb and through the cylinder into the crank case, diluting the oil. Also possible you can get a hydro-lock on the cylinder. I have never actually tested how much fuel the weight of a full tank of gas can push through the fuel pump when it is not running, but I suspect it is enough to be a problem over a day or more IF you do have a stuck float valve.

 

But again, I personally feel that the likelihood of such a problem happening is so low that I never turn mine off.

Goose

[Billet]

Have a friend that burned his house down along with car and dirtbike that he had ridden that afternoon.

 

He always left the fuel on too

[KiteSquid]

I did have a float stick once, had quite a mess. Never wanted to take a chance after that.

 

 

+1

 

 

 

Also if you don't exercise it from time to time, when you do need it, it may be frozen........

[SilvrT]

Is there a fuel shutoff on a 1st gen?

 

If there is, I never noticed it and have been so in the habit of not shutting the gas off, that I still don't on the 2nd gen. BUT .. I can see where shutting it off when parked in the garage for a number of days might be a good idea. Now... since ya can't teach an old dog new tricks.... I may have some difficulty here....