The Hodaka Club Forum

Ordered more jets since no one spoke up. The 160 main goes in as soon as it arrives. If it doesn't sputter I will move up to 165 then 170 until it sputters the. Drop down 5 points. Keeping my fingers crossed.

Also does anyone know the exact model petcock with a reserve function on it to fit a Model 03 fuel tank? Mine is off to the left, on straight up and off to the right. I sure would like to see a reserve function on the tank! ; D Victor

Not sure if there is a petcock for the 03 that has a reserve. Comment anyone? I think I remember a comment from Jack Broomall when he rode cross country to Hodaka Days that he ran out of gas several miles before a town and he remembered to 03 had a reserve in the right side of the tank. So he leaned it over to the left and drained enough gas over from the right to make it to the town. So the 03 has a hidden reserve if you have to have it.

Is there one from another model Hodaka that might work with the stock Model 03 tank? I don't want my grandson running out of fuel with only premix. He will be able to carry some two stroke oil, but it would be better if he has a reserve so he doesn't go flat dry. I know him. He will call me and say "Grampa the bike won't start and I don't know what's wrong! Come and get me!" LOL! ; Victor

According to the Compatibility Spreadsheet on this site Models 01, 02, 03, 61, 70, 71, 82, 99 all show the same petcock (part #999017).

Only turn on the left hand petcock and leave the right side turned off. Then when she sputters turn on the right side or lean the bike to the left???-------------------Clarence

Clarence. There is only one petcock. It's on the left side. The lever moves to 3 positions. Both left and right are off while straight up & down is on. ; D Victor

Bill the part number is 999016. The 017 is the gasket. But it doesn't say what the functions are. I would have thought the Model 03 had a reserve because it had an oil injector and you didn't need to pre-mix! But if mine is stock, there's no reserve. ; ( Victor

Take it out and look at it, or look down inside the tank. If the petcock has a standpipe, it has a reserve. If it just takes gas at the bottom of the tank, no reserve.

Now that's a great idea. But why would both sides say OFF with the center being on? If it has a standpipe I would need to figure out which way is reserve. But I'm guessing it doesn't. Makes me wonder if that's why the carb leaks from over flows sometimes but not others. ; D Victor

And there I am wrong again, but then again I like to leave room for improvement.-----------Clarence

Hodaka never made a petcock with a reserve.

Always turn off the gas when parked no matter how good your carb works.

Then put a sticker on top of your tank that says "TURN THE GAS ON STUPID". Ever take off on the starting line and your engine quit at the first turn because you forgot to turn the gas back on?

Yes Bill, Max is a slow learner! (It's just a reminder.)

A little follow up and scary story about making sure the gas is off. Years ago on a Monday after race day I started to service one of the racers. When I tried to start it the engine was locked. I had forgot to shut the fuel off and somehow the crankcase had filled with fuel. I did have the presence of mind to wheel it outside and removed the spark plug. I put the plug cap where I didn't think it could spark and gave it a swift kick. All of the sudden everything was on fire! The contents of the crankcase came out the plug hole and found a spark someplace. With some forethought one of the first things I had bought for the shop was a new CO2 extinguisher which was only a few steps away. All was saved and two lessons were realized. Have a fire extinguisher in the shop and TURN OFF THE GAS!

And that's my story----

Maxie

PS--and my eyebrows did grow back.

Max,
I am sure it was not funny at the time, but that story sounds funny now. Glad the eyebrows grew back. Do you have any suggestions for the top of my head? Hair just fell out and never grew back.

Danny

Great Story for sure!!! Thanks for the laff!!! ; D Victor

suggestions for the top your head, Lawn grow and water lightly. The second message stated in the berm shave signs I seen along the roads were "there was on old farmer that was bald on top so de decided to rotate the crop" We called him Curley.

The bike seems to be running well these days! No more fouling of plugs and easy starts. I have increased the main jet from a 140 to a 150 and have ordered a 160, 165 & 170 to test with as well.

Already I have been talking with Danny about changing the intake system. I am thinking of going with a Combat Wombat piston so it matches the cylinder & head. But more importantly, I am trying to find a 28mm carb and intake manifold like the original. If I do I will have this Model 93 Ace 100 Super Rat carb available for someone looking for this for their application. So keep your eyes open and I'll be posting after I get back from my vacation!

I just did 8 days on the bike in southern Utah and Northern Arizona (my VL1500 not the Hodaka!) and now I'm in Cloudcroft NM with my family. We are going to the solar observatory, the National Space Museum and White Sands Nat'l. Monument befor going home tomorrow.

When I get back to work on the Wombat, I'll be updating the wiring harness to one which is complete and setting up the lights so they work! And my grandson has been trying (but not succeeding) on learning to operate the Hodaka clutch. He's 14 and this is his first attempt at learning ANY kind of clutch, so it will take awhile!

Continued thanks to all who have been assisting me with this restore! ; D Victor