Easy Tank Shutoff Rod Question - Please Don't Shoot Me.....

[tcb-1]

Okay, before I start, be kind. This question may be the dumbest one you will see in a long time, but.......

When I first got my 50 running after 40 years of inactivity, I could only get gas to flow from the reserve tank and that was when the fuel shutoff rod pulled all the way out. If the rod was pushed all the way down, it was a slight trickle.

So I installed an inline brass needle valve on the fuel line before the carb and I was able to get the fuel completely shut down when not running.

I was finally able to get the line from the main tank to the reserve tank cleaned and flowing, so now I'm able to use my main and reserve.

Today. I filled both tanks 3/4 of the way up and took off. My fuel shutoff rod was all the way down. After 40 miles of in city riding (purring like a kitten too) it hiccuped a few times under loaded going up a fairly steep hill. I pulled the fuel rod out, and it cleared up. If I push the rod down, it wanted to hiccup again under a load. I tried this several times, with the same effect.

QUESTION.... Does the fuel rod control fuel from the reserve tank only or both? When I want to pull gas from the main, is the rod supposed to be down, or up?

I know the rod's not sealing, but since I had to pull it out when both tanks were full, does that sound like the line from the main to the reserve is clogged again?

But hey, the bike ran great today and you just can't complain about a good ride in February!!! I'm beginning to like this global warming thing.....

[Robert Luland]

And when your going up a steep hill the gas goes to the back of the tank to the reserve level. It a gravity thing ya know. Bob L

[tcb-1]

See Rob, I knew it was as simple as reading my third grade science book. I feel dumb

[1964FLDUO]

The rod controls both the reserve and the main fuel supply. Pull the rod up to get gas from the reserve and to get gas from the main the rod should only be unscrewed a few turns.


Gas caps could be clogged, or not vented properly.

[1950Panhead]

The cross over line equalizes the level in the two tanks independent of the shut off valve.
Open valve one turn fuel flows from from holes 2" up the fuel rod.
Open valve three turns fuel flows from from lower hole.
Reserve is lower 2" of fuel in both tanks (three turns of valve).
Jerry

[tcb-1]

Ah, there's the issue then. I am getting so much flow past the valve both open or closed, that I got confused of it's original purpose.

And, I didn't realize that the reserve tank is a sort of fuel "levelization". I thought that you would use the fuel from the main tank by having the rod in the fully closed position. Then when the engine starts starving for fuel, you would pull the rod up and that would allow a flow from the reserve tank.

Also, my rod does not screw out perse. It pulls straight up. I can get the flow to slow down by pushing the rod down and "grinding" it into the seat. Guess someday I am going to need to speak with Cotten about his super duper seat repairing process!

[FlatHeadSix]

TCB
What the guys are trying to tell you is they are BOTH "main" tanks, they are both the same, connected by a crossover line which keeps the level of fuel exactly the same on both sides. The last Harley with a separate"reserve" tank was the '36 VL.

Anyway, your fuel shutoff rod should both screw and pull up & down. When you push it all the way down and turn it clockwise you should feel the threads begin to catch, turning it clockwise all the way until it stops should seat the bottom of the rod completely in its seat and shut off the fuel. When you want to ride you unscrew it (counterclockwise) until it is loose (rod will pull up & down) and then turn it back in slightly. As Jerry said, with the rod down it will draw all the fuel (from both tanks) until there is about 2 inches remaining. When she starts to cough that's when you pull the rod up to get that last 2 inches of fuel.

And Bob, when you head up a steep hill all the fuel runs AWAY from the valve towards the back of the tank, if you are really low on fuel this could be a definite issue! I remember my grandfather telling me stories about Model T Fords, they had no fuel pump, gravity feed from the tank which was in the cowl below the windshield. To get 'em up a really steep hill you had to turn around and drive them up in reverse to get the fuel to flow to the updraft carb. If you happen to have a sidecar and are running a 3-speed with reverse this might be an option for a pan.
mike

[Cotten]

I can remember picking up my sidecar wheel long enough and high enough to get enough to the left side to make it off the interstate ramp to a station, late one night. ah to be young again.

But it still seems like often the right side sucks dry first, like it should.
Pulling the petcock then releases the rest of the left tank, which sometimes ain't much!

Diabolical they are.

....Cotten

[BART]

I always turned the fuel shut-off rod counterclockwise until I could lift the rod and then pushed the rod back down. I haven't been giving the rod a partial clockwise turn during normal riding. Is the reason for this to guarantee the reserve won't be siphoned off?

BART

[awander]

That's how I do it, too, BART.

[FlatHeadSix]

Andy,
Old habits die hard, and, real men don't read the instructions. I have always turned it clockwise just far enough to catch the threads, it keeps the rod in the down position, and I have always had some reserve when I needed it. But, you guys are right according to the book, just pushing it back down should work too.

here's a couple pages from one of the old operator manuals
mike