Leaky Fuel petcock shut off valve

[kg993]

I found out if you overtighten the rod the male threads are fitted to the rod on fine splines and can be forced up the rod and the rod will spin making you think the threads are stripped. I applied loctite and put the threads back in place and it's all good. Now I just drain the tanks if it's going to sit for a couple of weeks.
I like the idea of making a rod without the threads to lapp in the seat. May try that next.
Kerry

[Carl Olsen]

We are in the process of making through the tank gas shutoffs with a PEEK tip, but have to finish assembling them and then testing. They should be available by summer.
Carl

[NiteOwl]

I don't know how far you want to take this Bob, but I've heard of a repair where you bore out the old seat and have a new one machined.

Thanks Cory, I may go down that road. I think I am getting a tight seal on my valve seat now, I will try it and see how long it lasts, I am thinking it may last awhile as its a hard valve landing on a relatively soft seat and it gets turned in to make the seal... I will see..

The outstanding problem is the generous clearance between the spindle and the bushing. I may remove the bushing and install a new one. I hope that one maybe available so I don't have to test my machining skills after all these years. grin.

Carl, I see that you maybe supplying the peek tips, if they are fitting my style assembly I would certainly be interested and will keep my eye peeled.

I appreciate all the feedback and it has been very helpful.

[c.o.]

Bob, if you've got machining skills, I think you'll find some satisfaction in crafting a bushing yourself if you have to.... It's just a hunch I have....

[NiteOwl]

I think your right Cory. I took it to my work today and will get to it this week. grin

[c.o.]

I thought so....

[TimR]

A friend has been turning out Teflon tips for fuel rods for a many years. I am very satisfied with my two and others are pleased as well. He recently made one from PEEK and it works just as well.

[Bill D.]

Tim, I have had this problem on a 1942 WLA and on a 1957flh. On the '42 i was successful with simply lapping in the seat using 1000 grit and following with an abasive polishing paste. On the '57 none of the lapping techniques worked and I ultimately pressed out the seat, machined a teflon seat pressed it in (about .003 press fit), recut the seat face and that has given me a good shut off. There is not doubt that the rod must be perfectly square with the seat face and that extremely minor surface imperfections allow leakage to occur. The metal rod seating into teflon allow for minor alignmnet issues and allow for more of an interference seating effect.
The link that Silent Grey Fellow gave was to anothe gas valve seating problem I had on a '39 knucklehead which had the external gas shutoff valve.
I must be blessed with every bike I own starting off with leaking shutoff valves.