Fuel Delivery Question

[fat_sac]

In the process of cleaning the fuel lines up on a 96 that wasn't running right and found that there are two fuel shut off valves in these lines? What is this for and why is it neccessary? I'm going to try to run straight from the tank to the carbs via the old fashioned "T" to do away with the reserve switch and hopefully get a little more fuel to the newly jetted carbs. Anyone out there know anything about this? Experience/suggestions/criticisims?

Thanks ahead of time.
Marshall

[Adam R]

Simple is better.  When I had my GS I decided to spend the $75 and get a Pingel petcock and then just run a single line.  It made everything easier.

You could also plug the main fuel valve and just run one hose from the reserve valve to the carbs.  But just make sure you don't run out of gas!

[Kerry]

Here is another alternative (less simple but less expensive).  It even preserves the REServe function!  (If you don't want or need that, just cap the shorter ON tube from the fuel tank and skip the T-connector.)

NOTE: If your fuel supply is always ON, be aware that crud in the carbs can make the float needles stick open ... which will result in a tankful of fuel on the ground and/or in your oil sump.  This isn't usually a problem, but it only takes once....

[fat_sac]

I thought about doing just what's on that diagram. Using an inline valve for a reserve switch. I don't mind riding w/o reserve b/c I'm used to racing setups where you don't have all the mumbo jumbo luxury crap that most bikes or cars have. You just go fast...hehe. The bike actually belongs to a friend though, he brought it to me to get running and when I saw the way it was setup stock I was like (puzzled look)...WTF??? Anyway. I'm glad everyone here agrees that its possible. Someone told me that the vacuum line on the back of the stock intermediate fuel chicken created some kind of pressure in the line...(I dunno)..and that the bike wouldn't run on gravity fed lines alone, but that didn't make much sense to me. So, I decided to post here and see what everyone else thought.
Thanks again.

[Adam R]

Plug the vacuum line and you'll be fine with gravity only.