Fuel Tap Issue?

Issues with balancing, jets, filters, etc
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Stereordinary
Posts: 160
Joined: 05 Aug 2020, 16:21
Location: Vancouver Washington USA
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Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Stereordinary »

I think I may need a new fuel tap, but I thought I should describe the problem here first, and see if you gentlemen have any thoughts.

Twice now, after not many miles, I have had to switch to fuel reserve to ride with plenty of fuel left in the tank. Unless I’m doing the math wrong (40-ish miles to the gallon times 3.9 gallon tank equals at least 100 miles until empty), than I’m having to switch to reserve way before I should need to. I’m sure my carbs are due for a cleaning and balancing as well, but am I correct in thinking that my fuel tap is the likely culprit here?
A breeze from the west.
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Freddy »

Yes ....

My experience with failing taps (two times) is exactly as you describe. Seems they need a decent 'head' of pressure to work as they age. It'll work fine with a full tank, but cuts off the fuel well before the tank is low enough to need to change to reserve.
hugojose
Posts: 161
Joined: 05 Sep 2017, 00:43

Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by hugojose »

The tap has two filters on top, inside the tank. One taller than the other one, 'On" is the taller one, the so called 'reserve' is short one. There is not 'reserve' per see, the taller filter simply starts sucking air when fuel is bellow it.


"On" means you only have the top 2/3 of the tank to suck from. "reserve" means you have the whole tank. It sounds like you need new filters on the tap, or simply change the whole tap to play it safe. .......in the mean time you can go always on 'reserve', .........I do.

The 'reserve' is an anachronism, harking back to the times where bikes did not have fuel gauge, nor trip odometer. The Zeph has both.
Stereordinary
Posts: 160
Joined: 05 Aug 2020, 16:21
Location: Vancouver Washington USA
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Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Stereordinary »

Thanks guys! Looks like a replacement fuel tap complete unit is about $81usd, not super cheap, but if it’s gonna last 30 years like the previous one has, I’m good with that.

HugoJose’s post brings up another question though. My Zeph (a 550) does not have a fuel gauge, but since it has two trip meters, it wouldn’t be hard to use one as a tracker for when to fuel up. So now I’m curious if there’s a different model fuel tap from another Kawi bike that has a simple on/off operation instead. If the reserve setting is not really all that necessary, on/off would make removing the tank for maintenance easier.
A breeze from the west.
Shedman
Posts: 212
Joined: 06 Dec 2017, 07:31
Location: Swindon UK

Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Shedman »

Stereordinary wrote:Thanks guys! Looks like a replacement fuel tap complete unit is about $81usd, not super cheap, but if it’s gonna last 30 years like the previous one has, I’m good with that.

HugoJose’s post brings up another question though. My Zeph (a 550) does not have a fuel gauge, but since it has two trip meters, it wouldn’t be hard to use one as a tracker for when to fuel up. So now I’m curious if there’s a different model fuel tap from another Kawi bike that has a simple on/off operation instead. If the reserve setting is not really all that necessary, on/off would make removing the tank for maintenance easier.
Along a similar line, has anyone ever done away with the vacuum tap and found a simple ON/OFF/RESERVE tap that fits a 750 tank?
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Freddy »

Shedman wrote:
Stereordinary wrote:Thanks guys! Looks like a replacement fuel tap complete unit is about $81usd, not super cheap, but if it’s gonna last 30 years like the previous one has, I’m good with that.

HugoJose’s post brings up another question though. My Zeph (a 550) does not have a fuel gauge, but since it has two trip meters, it wouldn’t be hard to use one as a tracker for when to fuel up. So now I’m curious if there’s a different model fuel tap from another Kawi bike that has a simple on/off operation instead. If the reserve setting is not really all that necessary, on/off would make removing the tank for maintenance easier.
Along a similar line, has anyone ever done away with the vacuum tap and found a simple ON/OFF/RESERVE tap that fits a 750 tank?
Haven't fitted one, but there are a stack of em for sale on EBay. Make sure it is the right one as a lot marked for a Zephyr 750 are wildly different to the original. From the pictures the quality seems to vary a bit as well. The casting of the tap itself when you zoom in looks pretty ordinary on many.
Shedman
Posts: 212
Joined: 06 Dec 2017, 07:31
Location: Swindon UK

Re: Fuel Tap Issue?

Post by Shedman »

Thanks Freddy, I'll go have a look.
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