The second nipple doesn't need a hose, it's only a vent for the back side of the diaphragm as you thought. The only reason it's facing down to begin with is so it doesn't fill with crud. If it's now facing up you could now put a small piece of vacuum line on it facing down and open on the other end. Where it's at under the tank though you should be ok except in the heaviest of rains.
On 1/16/10, Zaxeiler <[email protected]> wrote: > So today I worked for about 3 hours on the bike. I removed the side > coverings and the tank. After draining the tank I removed and > examined the petcock. Opening up the vacuum assembly didn't show any > problems, the gasket was in good shape and sealed well. Furthermore, > the bowl at the bottom still had a screen in good shape. I > reassembled the bowl with the slightest teflon tape (sorry > Fishmeister, I hadn't seen your post). Also, I reassembled the vacuum > assembly with a slight amount of gasket sealant. Finally, the top > stem, filter, and o-ring needed to be realigned. I replaced the o- > ring and centered the filter again. > > Finally, when reassembling the bike, I replaced the fuel line from the > petcock to the carbs. I figured a new reinforced line with some fresh > clamps couldn't hurt. The vacuum hose however, I did not replace as I > wasn't noticing any problem with the suction from the engine before. > > All in all, she's running well again. However, to get the metal to > seal well on the petcock assembly I had to rotate the center piece of > metal. For instance, when you remove the 4 screws to look inside at > the gasket the outer piece where the vacuum hose attaches remains > unchanged, but the next layer down, the piece of metal with the small > opening (to let outside air in, I assume) I rotated 180 degrees so > that it now faces up. Trying to understand how a petcock functions, > and since this small opening does not connect to a specific line or > anything, I didn't think this would change anything. Doing this just > gave me the best seal possible, as the metal on the petcock had been > torqued/warped and no longer laid flush in the other orientations. > > So, she's no longer leaking, and is running beautifully. And you all > are to be thanked (especially Kyle for the pictures). So thank you > for all the aid, hopefully I can contribute to this board in some way > to show my appreciation. But if not, my riding tomorrow will speak > volumes about it. > > Zac > > On Jan 15, 1:33 pm, Kim Paddock <[email protected]> wrote: >> I bought a multi-pack of small rubber seals from the auto parts store. >> Some of them worked on my bikes. HotrodMamma. >> >> ________________________________ >> From: Kyle Munz <[email protected]> >> To: [email protected] >> Sent: Fri, January 15, 2010 10:49:23 AM >> Subject: Re: [Nighthawk Lovers] Re: 1983 Nighthawk 550 Gas Leak >> >> I removed my tank first. On the 650 you remove the seat and you can see >> one bolt holding the tail-end of the tank down, remove that and it lifts >> up and back. Disconnect the fuel line and vacuum line. The 650 also has a >> fuel gauge you have to disconnect the wires to the sending unit, I don't >> think the 550 has that though. Once the tank is off (and drained) the >> petcock just has the one nut holding it on. >> New seals I usually get from the dealer, rubber things don't hold up well >> in salvage yards. My local dealer is pretty cool about trying to match >> online prices, the only problem is these bikes are getting older and some >> parts are getting harder for dealers to obtain. You can try finding a >> generic replacement at an autoparts store if that fails. >> >> -Kyle >> -Sent from Houston, TX, United States >> >> >> >> >> >> On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 11:44 AM, Zaxeiler <[email protected]> >> wrote: >> >Kyle, >> >> >>That's really helpful. Thanks a ton man! I guess a remaining >> >>question though, is without my Clymer manual, how would I get to the >> >>point where your photos start? What are the steps to remove the >> >>petcock itself (or is it too complicated and I need to wait for the >> >>Clymer to ship)? And finally, if indeed all the rubber in there is >> >>ruined, where's a good place to get new seals? >> >> >>Thanks again, >> >>Zac >> >> >>On Jan 15, 12:37 pm, Kyle Munz <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> I have pictures from when I took mine apart on my 650. There should be >> >>> some >> >>> similarities with your 550 if they're not the same part. Also, once >> >>> you have >> >>> the petcock off there should be a plastic screen inside the tank that >> >>> the >> >>> reserve "straw" sticks up into, make sure that doesn't have any rips >> >>> or >> >>> tears while you're in there.http://munz.kicks-ass.net/nighthawk/?p=151 >> >> >>> -Kyle >> >>> -Sent from Houston, TX, United States >> >> >> On Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 11:29 AM, Zaxeiler <[email protected]> >> >> wrote: >> >>> > I don't think it's a hole... However, I did realize it when I had >> >>> > it >> >>> > running while sitting recently. It is dripping at a steady pace >> >>> > from >> >>> > the bottom of the petcock. The main fuel line that runs from the >> >>> > petcock to between the carbs (2 & 3) is also noticeably wet with >> >>> > fuel. >> >> >>> > My clymer manual isn't here yet. Any suggestions as far as where to >> >>> > start to stop the leak? >> >> >>> > Your comments are most appreciated, >> >>> > Zac >> >> >>> > On Jan 14, 12:47 pm, Kim Paddock <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> > > The last time that happened to me it was a pinhole leak in my gas >> >>> > > tank. >> >>> > It had rusted through. It took a little bit of looking though as the >> >>> > paint >> >>> > was not peeled off. I finally found a spot where the paint had >> >>> > bubbled a >> >>> > bit. That was the hole. I hope that it isn't your tank...they are >> >>> > expensive >> >>> > and hard to find. HotrodMamma. >> >> >>> > > ________________________________ >> >>> > > From: Zaxeiler <[email protected]> >> >>> > > To: Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers! >> >>> > > <[email protected]> >> >>> > > Sent: Wed, January 13, 2010 10:22:27 PM >> >>> > > Subject: [Nighthawk Lovers] 1983 Nighthawk 550 Gas Leak >> >> >>> > > I just purchased this bike over the weekend. It's in great >> >>> > > condition >> >>> > > and is a great ride. It was sold by a man who collected >> >>> > > nighthawks so >> >>> > > it's in good shape considering the year, and has about 24k miles >> >>> > > on >> >>> > > it. Besides the fact that it's my first bike, and I'm ecstatic >> >>> > > and >> >>> > > love riding it to death (even in the midst of winter), I have >> >>> > > finally >> >>> > > deduced tonight that it has a fuel leak. >> >> >>> > > So, as back story, I bought it about 120 miles from my home. The >> >>> > > deal >> >>> > > was too good to pass up on, and I had a friend drive it back for >> >>> > > me. >> >>> > > About 2/3 of the way through the trip, after about 70 miles she >> >>> > > died >> >>> > > on the interstate and needed to be changed to reserve. Now, I had >> >>> > > read that the range of the bike could vary from 80s-140s... >> >>> > > However, >> >>> > > considering that we had been doing freeway travel and he had been >> >>> > > riding in 6th (overdrive) for most of the trip it seemed unlikely >> >>> > > we >> >>> > > had been driving aggressively enough to burn through the 3.2 gal >> >>> > > tank >> >>> > > that soon. >> >> >>> > > So, sunday night upon return home, I filled her up at a gas >> >>> > > station >> >>> > > and began to practice riding around my area. Monday and Tuesday I >> >>> > > did >> >>> > > some more practice riding, and considering I'm a new rider, none >> >>> > > of it >> >>> > > was very aggressive, no red lining, so I shouldn't have run though >> >>> > > gas >> >>> > > too soon. Today (Wednesday) after a few great days of riding and >> >>> > > 40ish miles (I reset the odometer after filling up) the bike died >> >>> > > on >> >>> > > me and I had to switch to reserve. It was only at this time that >> >>> > > I >> >>> > > had realized she was leaking gas. Each day I had been noticing a >> >>> > > slight drip below the bike, but had assumed it was condensation >> >>> > > coming >> >>> > > from the bike since it was cold. I hadn't realized that the bike >> >>> > > had >> >>> > > been leaking on the ride home, just thought we had gone farther >> >>> > > than I >> >>> > > remembered. >> >> >>> > > So, I understand that this isn't much information to go on. But >> >>> > > here's the spread. The bike is dripping gas, I hadn't observed it >> >>> > > too >> >>> > > often, but this is a noticeable mark on the ground after it has >> >>> > > been >> >>> > > still for awhile. I rode for 40 miles, so it can be assumed that >> >>> > > I >> >>> > > actually consumed about 1 gallon, which means that (if you assume >> >>> > > something is left in the reserve portion) the bike has leaked >> >>> > > about 2 >> >>> > > gallons of fuel over the course of almost exactly 3 days. >> >> >>> > > I know that there's no way from this information that any of you >> >>> > > can >> >>> > > "know" what the problem is. However, knowing where to start >> >>> > > looking, >> >>> > > or a few places to start would help me as a new owner. If any of >> >>> > > you >> >>> > > with experience know something that is known to happen with a lot >> >>> > > of >> >>> > > nighthawks, or if from the information you can make a guess, or at >> >>> > > least give any clues whatsoever, I would be most appreciative. >> >> >>> > > From one new NH lover to the others, thank you ahead of time, >> >>> > > Zac >> >>> > > -- >> >>> > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >>> > > Groups >> >>> > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> >>> > > To post to this group, send email to >> >>> > > [email protected]. >> >>> > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> >> > [email protected]> >> >> >> > . >> >>> > > For more options, visit this group athttp:// >> >>> > groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> >>> > -- >> >>> > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >>> > Groups >> >>> > "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> >>> > To post to this group, send email to >> >>> > [email protected]. >> >>> > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >> > [email protected]<nighthawk_lovers%2Bunsubscrib >> >> > [email protected]> >> >> >> > . >> >>> > For more options, visit this group at >> >>> >http://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> >-- >> >>You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >> >> Groups "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> >>To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> >>To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> >> [email protected]. >> >>For more options, visit this group >> >> athttp://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "Nighthawk Motorcycle Lovers!" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]. >> For more options, visit this group >> athttp://groups.google.com/group/nighthawk_lovers?hl=en. > -- Sent from my mobile device -Kyle
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