Re: oil change/oil problems

[W&ME <mngwablue@xxxxxx>]

Boz wrote...
"if you leave the petcock on PRI or your petcock is a little leaky
(so gas is always flowing to the float bowls) and your float needle is a
little worn (thus allowing the gas that's overflowing the bowls into the
manifold) and you leave the bike sitting like this for a while enough gas
will get into the manifold/cylinder to seep past the rings and be evident in
the oil in the sump.
But it's pretty easily fixable.  Rebuild the petcock and carbs and you're
good to go.

	 Boz, (in the true spirit of this forum) gives excellent 
advice.  Combined with a faulty float level, operating or storing 
your Virago with the petcock set on prime can cause fuel to flow into 
places where it shouldn't be.  Fuel getting into the sump can 
significantly raise the "flash point" of your oil, greatly increasing 
the risk of an oil fire.  Dropping your bike or even parking it on 
its side stand can cause fuel to flow out of the carburetor vent 
pipes.  If you drop your bike and get trapped under it, you could 
wind up in a pool of burning fuel.  Recently, several riders have 
posted their intentions to continue riding bikes with a faulty 
petcock by simply setting it on "prime".   Some have even said they 
don't want to spoil their fun by concerning themselves with what 
might happen.  This David Farragut "Damn the torpedoes, full speed 
ahead" or Hans Solo "Never tell me the odds" attitude is admirable in 
a Naval Officer trying to win a war, or in a fictional rebel trying 
to save the universe from a dark force; but should one risk death or 
disfigurement simply to continue riding a malfunctioning motorcycle?
	The primary purpose of this mailing list is to give its 
members safe, helpful advice.  No one posting here should knowingly 
promote unsafe practices through advice based on opinion or a 
cavalier attitude toward life.   My advice is...anyone out there 
operating his bike with the petcock set on prime should  correct 
whatever problem is causing him/her to do so!   My opinion 
is...you're foolish if you don't!

						RWE
--
___________________________________________________________________________
(un)subscribe info, archive: http://archives.itg.uiuc.edu/virago/