After market petcocks

I fitted these to the 988cc motor I mentioned above, very well made and very good flow. But pricey and at the end of the day, I felt they don’t offer anything more than the Manx type taps or cNw ones I currently use. Trick though:

https://www.baxtercycle.com/product/064-r_esl_petcock/

I have read that there are counterfeit BAP taps being sold. But given the
rousing praise of the cNw petcocks I am sure I will get a pair when my BAP
petcocks crack, break, seize or restrict my fuel supply

I’m probably doing it wrong l, but I use taps made for domestic heating liquified petroleum gas. Nylon sphere mechanism.

They are made in BSP sizes, flow hugely, never leak and last forever. They’re also dirt cheap.

If you look carefully at the pix the one on the right looks like it has a standpipe in it. https://tinyurl.com/y2ntrfkl

Triton Thrasher said:

I’m probably doing it wrong l, but I use taps made for domestic heating liquified petroleum gas. Nylon sphere mechanism.

They are made in BSP sizes, flow hugely, never leak and last forever. They’re also dirt cheap.

Click to expand...

TT - Any pics, part numbers, suggested suppliers?

jimbo said:

I use Pingle's not sure how I did it.Might have been option #1

Click to expand...

Option 1 will work, however you can get a brass adapter, male into tank, female for Pingel, look on eBay. I have done this on both of my race bikes, expensive but the dogs biscuits (Pingels).
This might not be the right size, presently no where near bikes or workshop.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Male-BSP-Female-NPT-BRASS-Reducing-Bush-BSP-to-American-Adapters-male-female/131225693084?hash=item1e8da92b9c:m:mN9A-UstKRJjaZpvfMR3okA

Fast Eddie said:

I’ve not broken a Bap but I have had them seize solid and worse, I had a pair that hardly flowed more than a dribble, if I’d put them on the bike I was intending to (988cc BSA R3 motor) the resultant fuel starvation wudda wrecked the motor!

Then I’ve had several cheapo pattern taps with rubber cylindrical seals swell to the point of almost cutting off fuel.

So I’ve become a bit paranoid when it comes to fuel taps. I often use racing taps from Andy Molnar and they’re good. But the cNw ones have the advantage of having a reserve, and they’re a neat installation.

Of course, if one really tried hard enough, one could also buy cheaper pattern versions of the cNw taps and continue to enjoy the above mentioned issues !!

Click to expand...

I tried to order a set of taps from CNW but was defeated by there website. Tried to sign in and so I tried to set up a log in and it kept telling me it was wrong even though I don't remember purchasing anything through it before. I keep a list of log of passwords and don't have one for CNW. Ordered a BAP set from the Bonneville Shop.
John in Texas

cliffa said:

TT - Any pics, part numbers, suggested suppliers?

Click to expand...

Being in the UK, I went to a plumber and bought something that looked like this:


I never found a proper stub for the hose, so I push it over a short piece of copper pipe.

I had the BAP ones but didn't like the looks. I got a set that look like the EW but are chromed, otherwise seem similar from Clubman, not that I'm trying to elicit business for him, but I've gotten some good stuff at his place. They have rubber gaskets in them so I don't know how they last since I don't use ethanol.

Last set of BAP ones I fitted on a Guzzi (same design as BSP ones but obviously a metric fitting) were/are horribly stiff to operate, first time I've ever had an issue with that make though. Wondering if they are knock-offs after the comments on this thread?

Don't be tempted by these apparently nicely made ones if my experience is anything to go by (example link, lots of different suppliers);

https://www.cwylde.co.uk/product/ethanol-proof-fuel-tap-bsp-flat-lever-1-4x1-4/

They look great, but one of the pair fitted to my mikuni equipped T140 snapped the "stop" so the lever still works but rotates 360 degrees (or would do if it didn't hit the tank at the 12 o'clock position!). The threaded section that goes into the tank is too short for a "jam" nut, (even a half nut) so you end up adjusting the final position with an assortment of copper washers, VERY annoying and looks crap, and no standpipe version available.

Other than that...

Like the look of the CNW/Paoli taps (albeit no good for Amals according to CNW website), but found a UK supplier (at least I hope they're the same as just ordered a pair!) They do the left and right handed version as per CNW, link is for the left hand one.

https://www.inmotiontrials.com/product/petrol-tap-14-bsp-lh-outlet/

Am considering with the Roadster tank (as it runs Amals so the CNW/paoli option not the best), just having a pair of "reserve" taps (i.e. no standpipe) and running with one tap normally, utilising the "trapped" amount in one side as the reserve, it's a small tank and I have had it with tipping the bike over to swill the trapped pint or so over to the reserve tap side to get another 8 miles! Any comments on this approach?

Dave

You may want to see this thread when considering the bright zinc plated reproduction "UK-made" original style taps.
https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/fuel-tap-tear-down.25902/
With the ethanol blend we have (at least the California-blend type which becomes sticky after time), you need to be careful with the lever, especially on the reserve side which sees less action.
If you use these taps, I recommend opening reserve side lever regularly. My reserve tap lever bent after the fuel became very sticky after time. Levers are too soft IMO.

Myself, I am done buying these repro taps.

I think the best solution is to rebuild the original brass insert EW taps with the integrated nut flange.
https://www.accessnorton.com/NortonCommando/fuel-petcock-repair.27323/

I have a pair of the original Norton-supplied petcocks on my bike. They don't leak/seep but I can't imagine they would be very difficult to recondition. Then again, since I have never had a reason (yet) to do it, I could be wrong!

N0rt0nelectr@ said:

Does anyone know what size the o-ring is on the original petcocks? I picked up a few at a local NAPA parts store but they don't seal very well so it is back to the drawing board.
John in Texas

Click to expand...

Weren't the original petcocks a brass-on-brass friction seal without an o-ring?

My original (as far as I know) EW taps were brass on brass, but they can be re-seated with some lapping compound. They don't leak enough to bother when running, but you don't want to leave them on when not in use. Trouble with my old ones is there was no extra nut or even space on the intake side next to the tank to make the taps orient properly.

There is an o-ring just off the taper which I would like to replace. It isn't just brass on brass.
John in Texas

N0rt0nelectr@ said:

There is an o-ring just off the taper which I would like to replace. It isn't just brass on brass.
John in Texas

Click to expand...

Ok, got it. So there are two potential sources of leakage. One would be the brass-on-brass internal taper which, if it were faulty fuel would leak into the carbs even when the lever was turned to off. The other would be the o-ring which keeps fuel from leaking out where the lever meets the body of the petcock. I switched to BAP.

My old BSA had brass cone type petcocks. Then they went to nylon cone and the ear for the paddle would break off. Last so called BAPs I bought
are very stiff and very short on the tank threads. Ill try the brass cone type I posted on earlier.

Yes, there is an o-ring. I forgot.

DogT said:

Trouble with my old ones is there was no extra nut or even space on the intake side next to the tank to make the taps orient properly.

Click to expand...

Nice photo.
How did the factory orient them? Double up on fiber washers, or some kind of pipe tape/ sealing compound?

Steves said:

Option 1 will work, however you can get a brass adapter, male into tank, female for Pingel, look on eBay. I have done this on both of my race bikes, expensive but the dogs biscuits (Pingels).
This might not be the right size, presently no where near bikes or workshop.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Male-BSP-Female-NPT-BRASS-Reducing-Bush-BSP-to-American-Adapters-male-female/131225693084?hash=item1e8da92b9c:m:mN9A-UstKRJjaZpvfMR3okA

Click to expand...

here are photos of the Pingel I used.