petcock is hard to turn

Can you say Pingle? Go ahead splurge, you're worth it!:woohoo:

KZCSI

KZCSI wrote:

Can you say Pingle? Go ahead splurge, you're worth it!:woohoo:

KZCSI

You won't regret it!

I had to use my leatherman to turn mine. The Pingle was expensive, but worth every penny. Now a single pinky will turn it.

mumbles, your worth it... if not your bike is.

Seriously, we don't all have endless budgets that's for sure, so do what you got to do. Second hand, scrap yard, e-bay... and budget willing, even a Pingle.



Best of success.

mumbles wrote:

A few weeks ago I rebiult the petcock from the 1983 kz750 and today when I was riding the bike started sputtering, so when I went to turn the petcock to reserve it was very hard to turn. I had to get off the bike to turn it. She ran good afterwards.
The petcock was turning normaly before the rebuild. Any suggestions as to what may be the problem before I go tear into it?

I rebuilt my vacuum petcock with a K&L kit and found the parts were not to OEM specs. The large rubber thing with the holes behind lever was too thick and made lever hard to turn. I ended up reusing (still good) original rubber and now turns OK. The diaphram supplied with the kit was too short and never made contact with seat to shut off fuel flow, e-mailed K&L and they sent a new one which was even shorter! I ended up ordering one from Kawasaki and it works perfect. Vacuum petcock and parts still available from Kawasaki (Used up till 2005 on KZ1000P)

pingel,pingel ya,ya,ya i have one on every bike i own and have never had a problem with any of them. and you guy's in the states can get them cheaper than we can up here.

Yeah Pingle is the jewel! If a stock one gives me any grief at all a Pingle is ordered. They should be cheaper tho....a lot cheaper! Real bling too!!!

so i went to the local shop and the guy looked up getting just the turn lever for a 76 kz900.(first they laughed at it's age..or mine?) then said it only comes as a whole petcock for 87.00.
So i'll wait and see what comes down the ebay pike and bagged up the petcock.
The cheapy i bought from z-1 enterprises with a torn diaphram i just flipped the tear spot to be on another side and re-installed while i wait for them to mail a new rubber.
seems to be holding......SHOULD HAVE BOUGHT THE GOOD ONE?????peace craig

ok ok ok I'll get the Pingle, but I just went to their web site and couldn't get a price. How much $ are we talking about?

trianglelaguna wrote:

... petcock on a 76 900 was getting hard to turn also and the other day it became super easy to turn while riding(then the bike died). i took it apart to find that i had snapped the male groove off of the back of the on-off-reserve-lever.
i should have lubed the thing inside!!!! and i would not be on a mission to find a new petcock lever. anybody know where to get just the lever for replacement....

Imo it is doubtful whether lubing would have helped or if a new lever would resolve the problem (unless the issue was only an unlubed o-ring -- unlikely).

The oem manual petcock (non-vacuum) has a cone shaped "plastic" valve with holes in it that rotates inside the metal housing and govens which fuel inlet pipe (or neither) is accessed from inside the fuel tank.

The hand lever turns the plastic valve, which is supposed to fit tightly but turn smoothly inside the housing.

With age and wear and grit/crud incoming with the fuel, the plastic valve eventually gets scored and fails to smoothly turn -- similar to galling -- and finally just sticks in one position.

A replacement plastic valve might resolve the issue, but likely isn't available as a separate part. I have unsuccessfully attemped to "resurface" the interface with valve grinding compound and other abrasive type cleaners/ polishes, all to no avail. And do not believe any lubricant, silicone or otherwise, would last very long being constantly exposed to the fuel.

To keep things pos original, I opted for an oem replacement from the dealer. But in fairness, the 1976 petcock operated just fine for 25 years.

Good Luck!

intersting...i'm glad you explained the plastics to us as I would still be seeking a lever at some point and not fixing it well.i think i'll try a small flathead screwdriver and see if i can turn the white inner plastic piece..i think it will be not turning very easy and will prove you right.
I also think my petcock is thirty somthing years old and served well.
pingle????

trianglelaguna wrote:

intersting...i'm glad you explained the plastics to us as I would still be seeking a lever at some point and not fixing it well.i think i'll try a small flathead screwdriver and see if i can turn the white inner plastic piece..i think it will be not turning very easy and will prove you right.
I also think my petcock is thirty somthing years old and served well.
pingle????

Might be lucky enough to remove the plastic valve and clean the petcock internals to where it again functions.

Would first soak in PJ Blaster or Kroil -- overnight -- in hopes to loosen without damaging the valve upon removing it.

Careful not to lose the small spring inside the lever which protrudes against the plastic valve. The spring provides gentle pressure to hold the valve snugly in position. The o-ring is supposed to prevent any fuel escaping past the valve from leaking out the handle.

Good Luck!