THE PETCOCK VALVE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK IS LEAKING. dOES THIS VALVE CLOSE IN THE MIDDLE POSITIION?

You cannot just buy that gasket, but will need to purchase a new Fuel Tap Petcock.

You can purchase it here: http://www.generatorguru.com/northstar/

I'm guessing you have an F7000 series machine. You have a bad solenoid. When they go bad they don't close so all the water poors out. Take it to your local vac repair shop for the repair.

Find out how the knob goes on and take it off. The markings are behind the knob. It simply sits over the original knob as there is no way to disassemble the stock fuel valve. In 1996, Harley went to a vacuum operated fuel petcock. Since then, I don't know what way they go. When they get a few years on them, they give problems with leaking and the diaphragm gets a hole in it and one day the fuel will not flow from the tank to the carb. I gave up and put a PIngle manual petcock on my bike. End of petcock problems.

Ride Safe
Steve

If it's leaking from the top of the "petcock" (name of entire valve assembly that controlls the fuel) where it meets with the tank then you can order just the rubber o-ring from any certified suzuki powersports dealer. If it is leaking from the rubber hose part any fuel line hose the same size as yours will work (should be 6.5mm). If it is leaking from where the switch actually moves then the entire valve "petcock" needs to be replaced. If you go to a powersports dealer ask them if k&L makes an aftermarket for your model, it's hit or miss, but if they do you can get a petcock from them for a fraction of the price a oem one will cost.

Also a side note if your going to let your bike sit for a while (until next riding season) instead of draining the tank, fill it to the top and add fuel stabilizer, then when you are ready to ride again drain the tank and apply fresh fuel. This will prevent your tank from rusting.

Fuel filters are a cheap replacement as well, if you pull the petcock off the tank you will see a long plastic screen, that is your fuel filter. Larger shops may have it in stock, unfortunatly you have an older bike, they may have to special order. Always check ebay. Good luck!

There's a gland nut that holds the petcock into the tank and pulls it up against the seal. Try tightening the nut. But, in all probability, it's the vacuum diaphragm in the backside of the petcock.

Harley went to a vacuum operated petcock in 1996 and they've been a pain ever since. The diaphragm gets a small hole in it and leaks gasoline or quits opening leaving the rider stranded.

Now, You can repair the petcock if you wish. Get a large funnel and an empty gasoline can. Loosen the petcock and allow the fuel to run out around the nut, catching it in the funnel and directing it into the gas can. Once empty, take the fuel line and the vacuum line off the petcock. The vacuum line is the small line on the backside. Take the petcock out of the tank. Look on the backside and there are four small screws. Take them out and carefully take the back plate off the valve. You'll see a diaphragm, a spring, and needle. Take the diaphragm and hold it up to the light and gently stretch it. You'll probably find a hole. You can get a replacement diaphragm from you local dealer. Reassembly is the reverse of disassembly.

Personally, I'd rather replace the vacuum operated petcock with a high quality manually operated petcock such as Pingel. The OEM petcock will fail on you and leave you stranded with a full fuel tank and an empty carburetor. The Pingle won't. Just install it, connect the fuel hose, and plug the vacuum hose.

Good Luck
Steve

Check your safety valve is closed by pulling it out and releasing it. You can use a mixture of dishwashing soap and water to drip on the valve to see if it makes bubbles identifying a leak. Next make sure the petcock valve on the bottom of the tank is closed and not leaking by using the soapy water again. If you cannot close or fix the valve replace it. The next trouble shooting will require checking the air input to the tank but be careful since the tubes could be hot.

Several things could be wrong. First, the fuel petcock (valve) at the bottom of the gas tank should be turned off when the bike is not being ridden. Also, it is possible the valve may not be fully shutting off the gas. This can allow the carb to overflow and leak gas. A stuck open or punctured float in the carb bowl can cause overflow. The float should be light as a feather and have nothing inside it but air. Is the carb securely mounted?

Check for cracked fuel hose or bad connections at the tank and carb. Is the fuel valve body leaking gas where it mounts to the tank? Heck, with the bike being 36 years old the tank may be leaking at a weld or due to rust through. I wish I could work on your bike. The older bikes are more fun to work on than the newer bikes. Post a reply and let me know what you find.

Your petcock is vacuum operated. Gasoline leaking from the vent hole indicates that the vacuum diaphram is ruptured. A new petcock assembly is needed.

Replace the petcock. The rubber diaphragm is ruptured. I'd also bet your fuel mileage dropped cause the ruptured diaphragm is allowing raw fuel to be sucked into the intake manifold.