Topic: What could have done this!? Hole in Petcock bowl (pic)

[ericmu17]

I just discovered a hole in the bottom of my petcock bowl.... is this common?

I have new one on the way but I want to prevent this from happening to my new one.

[Teatimetim]

prevention would I think be cleaning of the float bowl often..  water I would guess on that.  but also debre building up.

[CBNJ74]

Holy cow! a teeny tiny sniper camped out under your bike?

What did the screen look like? tank flush maybe?

[Greggo]

Wow.  If that wasn't punctured by some physical force, it must have been corrosion..So, yeah cleaning the bowl every once in a while, and making sure the screen is intact inside the petcock should prevent that from happening in the future.  Of course, we are dealing with 30+ year old Japanese pot metal here, so there's no guarantees I guess.

[srbakker]

If you don't mind shelling out $35, this is one way to prevent corrosion:

http://www.jokermachine.com/itemcafe2004.asp?ItemID=660&CategoryID=85&Placeholder=

[kerryb]

it appears you have been harboring a 'bowl weevil",  you'll want to clean the carbs soon cause that's where they like to build a nest!

[srbakker]

it appears you have been harboring a 'bowl weevil",  you'll want to clean the carbs soon cause that's where they like to build a nest!

 

[aperry]

I don't know what bike you have, but I got a hole in my petcock bowl as well.  Mine was not directly on the bottom, rather it was around the curved part (toward the bottom).  However, both areas look pretty thin.

My petcock makes contact with part of the carbs when I install it.  I need to softly push the tank out to the right side a little bit when installing it.  Otherwise it interferes with the carbs.  I'm pretty sure my hole developed either by resting the petcock on the carbs and running the bike (vibration with bowl sitting on carbs), or maybe by putting too much downward pressure on the tank when installing it (while petcock bowl is making contact with the carbs).  Either way it was an unfortunate surprise to see all that fuel leaving out all over the engine!

I'm more careful with it now that I replaced the bowl and gasket.  I think I paid about $15 on eBay for brand new replacements.

Mine is a 750K3. 

Aaron
 

[ericmu17]

LOL 

This bike is a trip! Its a 73 CB500 with 15,500k on it that I just got a few weeks ago for $300. Its been one thing after another... but im enjoying it. Ive learned sooo much from this forum about these bikes. Neat machines.... but they do take a bit of work to get them road worthy and running well after they have been sitting for a few years.

The whole petcock was rusty and shtuff... I cleaned it the best i could... but i figured for 30 bucks new why not.

[kerryb]

ooooh...nice looking bike.  You will be rewarded with a fine machine when you are done going through all the little details.  I thoroughly enjoy my 550.  It is the only one in the fleet with four pipes still on it and they make the neatest sound.  I don't even mind the patches in them.

[ericmu17]

If you don't mind shelling out $35, this is one way to prevent corrosion:

http://www.jokermachine.com/itemcafe2004.asp?ItemID=660&CategoryID=85&Placeholder=

I like it!!! ... I might send the oem one back and get that one!!

[ericmu17]

Wait its just the bowl.... but I might consider it in the future

[fmctm1sw]

huh,  I was thinking that was one hell of a big main jet when I saw it...   

[PeWe]

Same here. Hole in the bowl.
The tank look very clean inside without rust. Maybe an acid cleaner that had reached the petcock corroded the bowl??? I do not know since I bought the old tank last year.

Good idea to replace the entire petcock with it's o-rings.
I replaced the old philips screws with allen heads.

[lucky]

This is a common defect on this part.

[Don R]

Is there enough metal left to drill and tap it for a drain screw with a gasket on it?

[PeWe]

Yes, I think it is possible to make a quick fix with a screw + gasket, fiber washer or fuel resistant glue. But the bowl is thin around the bottom and not reliable.

I had a new petcock home I could take the bowl from so the choice was easy. I had new screws too, but found that allen screws are better to tighten than the soon slipping Philips X-heads.