TOPIC:

Hi Guys
finally got the bike running well[in truth a friend of mine sorted the carbs thanks Adam] but my fuel tap is leaking and causing issues i know the pingel is recommended but i read on a couple of forums that owners can have issues with them after a while can anyone that has one fitted comment before i buy one
thanks
Paulb

Is your tap leaking externally or like mine letting a little gas into the carbs when in the off position. I'm preferring the idea of fitting a pump off a modern carb bike as it will cure any leak into carbs and offer better fuel flow for a quarter of the price.Also you don't have to remember to switch it off every time "just in case".

Hi Charlie
mine also is leaking fuel into the carbs, i am not worried about forgetting to turn it off over 30 years of owning z1300s it has become second nature i prefer the fuel tap route as i like to keep it simple[like myself]

I am fitting one today and I will report back and let you know how it goes.

As to reliability, Pingel has a good reputation which I why chose this product. Any product can have defects, or go bad for unknown reasons. Sometimes it is installer error. I have read that operating the tap when dry before installation can cause them to have problems since the fuel lubricates the tap. Just something I read so....

I will install and test mine. I will leave my inline valve as a backup until I am satisfied it is working perfectly.

The install went well but was a little more complicated than I thought it would be.

The original fuel tap and hole is rectangular with rounded edges. The pingel is circular and too wide to fit in the hole. The adapter plate instructions said to mark the outline and use a file to widen it to accommodate the wider, circular pingel. Good luck with that... it is double walled at the bottom of the tank by the fuel tap so and it was taking forever.

I needed to use a power tool but power tools create sparks, plus anything the grinds steel at speed will also create sparks. I emptied the tank of fuel, removed the sending unit, and sloshed all the gas out. I turned the tank upside down and filled it with water. Since gas floats on water, I simply floated the remaining gas out of the tank. Mindful of fumes I left the tank filled with water and ground out the needed shape with a carbide bit which only took a few moments. I then used the water to flush away the metal fragments best I could. When it got down to the end I stuck a magnet in the hole and sloshed the remaining water back and forth so the magnet would pick up the filings, which it did. I then stuck paper towel in the sending unit and shook it back and forth to soak up the remaining water. I then used the compressor to air dry the tank. After inspecting the openings for metal fragments I didn't see any so I called it good. The pingel screen and my fuel filter should catch anything I may have missed.

After that it was a simple matter to install the tap. Works like a charm. Just out of curiosity I filled the tank back up and let the fuel flow down the hose into a can to see the volume and it was twice the volume of the stock tap. Impressive.

Took it for a little ride and the increased fuel supply is very noticeable at wide open throttle. Well worth the time and money.