Fix one then the other breaks

tokarev · 09-05-2010, 11:20 PM

We have 2 Viva 250's - My sons bike had been down because of a bad rear brake master cylinder. I bought what looked like the correct replacement but when it arrived (master cylinder, line and caliper) the line was too short. I guess they dont have a standard in China for brake line fitting for off road stuff since the old and new lines had different sized end fittings. Well with a few mods the rear brakes now work - you gotta be a rigger to own a chinese bike.
Also today I tried to remove the fuel line off my bike (its been sitting a few months and I wanted to drain the fuel) at the shut off valve. The damm barbed end broke off the valve - I hardly even pulled on it. Anyone else have this happen? Also need a replacement - any suggestions - like to replace with non chinese valve if possible.

FLASHLIGHTBOY · 09-06-2010, 03:36 PM

everyone wants to save $$$ so this is what you get.. put your self intheir spot.. save some $$ so people who are cheap will buy... if you can afford some extra $$ and want good stuff.. go right ahead and do it.. EVERYONE should ALWAYS change the cheap rubber fuel lines to the good clear plastic fuel lines.. this should be done when you assemble the unit.. I do it on all the units I sell.. the rubber lines will kink , come apart & plug your carb... why cause yourself trouble.. do it right away... it is like changing the oil to good oil... the sooner the better... ALWAYS use fuel stalizber all the time .. then you do not have to drain your carb for storage..

tokarev · 09-06-2010, 04:17 PM

I guess I didnt really say what I was thinking - What I really should have said was - It seems every time I touch one part on the bike another one breaks or I find a problem. The fuel valve barb fitting breaks off not because of the crappy hose - its because of the crappy quality casting of the valve. This souldnt happen. I will fix this problem with a replacement valve and the fuel lines like mentioned. Oh by the way I do use Honda four stroke oil and change it way more than proably needed.

And yes I did buy these bikes because of the price. Its still no excuse for some of the stuff I have found.

mizke · 09-06-2010, 05:37 PM

if you look on ebay you can find nice metal petcocks, it does not have to be like the one that broke. if you have a reserve then you need a petcock that has 3 barbs on it, if it does not have a reserve then you just need one that has 2 barbs on it..

tokarev · 09-06-2010, 05:49 PM

The valve mounts to the frame not the tank on these bikes. I will give ebay a try anyways. Now that I am thinking about it maybe a simple ball type valve as a replacement.

mizke · 09-06-2010, 06:02 PM

ya i know how they mount.. its prolly like mine a single bolt holds the petcock on down stream of the tank.

these are the ones i was talking about

here is one for a fuel system with no reserve tank
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/INLIN...Q5fAccessories

then this one is for if your bike has a reserve
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ATV-t...ehicleQ5fParts

tokarev · 09-06-2010, 06:05 PM

After your post I checked out ebay - bingo - there it is -Thanks

mizke · 09-06-2010, 06:10 PM

no problem, you dont have to go with a oem looking on tho. you can bolt it to the frame anywhere and use a metal one or a different style of fuel valve. im going to be switching to a honda crf fuel valve over winter.

tokarev · 09-06-2010, 06:53 PM

just ordered one for a quick fix - now just have to get a bunch of fuel line and redue both bikes. Also have a CJ750 that needs the same treatment.

mizke · 09-06-2010, 06:56 PM

a auto parts store should have fuel lines, get the kind that has the blue inner core.. its ment for use as a fuel line, so the gas wont eat away at the rubber hose as much

tokarev · 09-07-2010, 06:49 PM

seems like lately no matter the fuel line it falls apart - the crappy fuel they call gasoline really sucks - I am not that old but when you start talking engines whether big or small you didnt have the problems just a few short years ago you have now with fuel lines falling apart, carbs all clogged up - If they just sold straight gasoline and stopped trying to save the planet.

:( :o

tokarev · 09-09-2010, 05:22 PM

Well at least my sons bike is - fixed the rear brake master cylinder issue over the weekend - bought some 93 octane fuel (fresh fuel always helps) today plus added some Sta-Bil Ethanol Marine formula. All thats left to do is replace all the fuel lines. Waiting on the petcock to arrive for my bike. Still kinda sucks though even when I get both up and running - my son just started college (away from home) dont have a riding buddy till the holidays. Might have to go do it on my own.

mizke · 09-09-2010, 05:56 PM

you can always by pass the petcock for the time being. just run a fuel hose from the tank to the filter then to the carb. use a pair of vice grips when storing it to pinch the fuel line shut, and let the bike idle untill it dies to burn up the fuel left over in the carb. or you can just crack the drain screw open and let it drain out.

Weldangrind · 09-09-2010, 09:38 PM

tokarev, you mentioned that your CJ needs new fuel lines; how is it other than that? I see them on CL occasionally, and my son and I want a pair of them badly.

tokarev · 09-09-2010, 10:54 PM

Right now mine is apart - The more I looked at the bike the more I found that needed "repair". Its more about getting it back to stock/original condition. I have all the parts I need to do the work its just getting it done. My bike is whats called a "bitsa" bits of this and bits of that. This is what the English guy that works for me calls a parts bike. He is old school when it comes to motorbikes - actually raced on the Isle of Mann - back before disk brakes and Jap/Italian bikes dominated racing. It should be fine once I finish. If you decide to buy a Chang give it a real good looking at - have someone else thats not involved in the purchase give it good look. And yes all the chinese fuel lines got hard as a rock - I guess from our wonderful tree hugging green fuel blends. Rant off :-)

09-05-2010, 11:20 PM	#1
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	Fix one then the other breaks We have 2 Viva 250's - My sons bike had been down because of a bad rear brake master cylinder. I bought what looked like the correct replacement but when it arrived (master cylinder, line and caliper) the line was too short. I guess they dont have a standard in China for brake line fitting for off road stuff since the old and new lines had different sized end fittings. Well with a few mods the rear brakes now work - you gotta be a rigger to own a chinese bike. Also today I tried to remove the fuel line off my bike (its been sitting a few months and I wanted to drain the fuel) at the shut off valve. The damm barbed end broke off the valve - I hardly even pulled on it. Anyone else have this happen? Also need a replacement - any suggestions - like to replace with non chinese valve if possible.
	0

09-06-2010, 03:36 PM	#2
FLASHLIGHTBOY Join Date: May 2009 Location: SASKATOON Posts: 1,161	cheap parts everyone wants to save $$$ so this is what you get.. put your self intheir spot.. save some $$ so people who are cheap will buy... if you can afford some extra $$ and want good stuff.. go right ahead and do it.. EVERYONE should ALWAYS change the cheap rubber fuel lines to the good clear plastic fuel lines.. this should be done when you assemble the unit.. I do it on all the units I sell.. the rubber lines will kink , come apart & plug your carb... why cause yourself trouble.. do it right away... it is like changing the oil to good oil... the sooner the better... ALWAYS use fuel stalizber all the time .. then you do not have to drain your carb for storage..
	0

09-06-2010, 04:17 PM	#3
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	Yes I know I guess I didnt really say what I was thinking - What I really should have said was - It seems every time I touch one part on the bike another one breaks or I find a problem. The fuel valve barb fitting breaks off not because of the crappy hose - its because of the crappy quality casting of the valve. This souldnt happen. I will fix this problem with a replacement valve and the fuel lines like mentioned. Oh by the way I do use Honda four stroke oil and change it way more than proably needed. And yes I did buy these bikes because of the price. Its still no excuse for some of the stuff I have found.
	0

09-06-2010, 05:49 PM	#5
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	petcock The valve mounts to the frame not the tank on these bikes. I will give ebay a try anyways. Now that I am thinking about it maybe a simple ball type valve as a replacement.
	0

09-06-2010, 06:05 PM	#7
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	ebay After your post I checked out ebay - bingo - there it is -Thanks
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09-06-2010, 05:37 PM	#4
mizke Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: austin, tx Posts: 1,452	if you look on ebay you can find nice metal petcocks, it does not have to be like the one that broke. if you have a reserve then you need a petcock that has 3 barbs on it, if it does not have a reserve then you just need one that has 2 barbs on it..
	0

09-06-2010, 06:02 PM	#6
mizke Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: austin, tx Posts: 1,452	ya i know how they mount.. its prolly like mine a single bolt holds the petcock on down stream of the tank. these are the ones i was talking about here is one for a fuel system with no reserve tank http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/INLIN...Q5fAccessories then this one is for if your bike has a reserve http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ATV-t...ehicleQ5fParts
	0

09-06-2010, 06:10 PM	#8
mizke Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: austin, tx Posts: 1,452	no problem, you dont have to go with a oem looking on tho. you can bolt it to the frame anywhere and use a metal one or a different style of fuel valve. im going to be switching to a honda crf fuel valve over winter.
	0

09-06-2010, 06:53 PM	#9
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	quick fix just ordered one for a quick fix - now just have to get a bunch of fuel line and redue both bikes. Also have a CJ750 that needs the same treatment.
	0

09-06-2010, 06:56 PM	#10
mizke Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: austin, tx Posts: 1,452	a auto parts store should have fuel lines, get the kind that has the blue inner core.. its ment for use as a fuel line, so the gas wont eat away at the rubber hose as much
	0

09-07-2010, 06:49 PM	#11
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	fuel line seems like lately no matter the fuel line it falls apart - the crappy fuel they call gasoline really sucks - I am not that old but when you start talking engines whether big or small you didnt have the problems just a few short years ago you have now with fuel lines falling apart, carbs all clogged up - If they just sold straight gasoline and stopped trying to save the planet. :( :o
	0

09-09-2010, 05:22 PM	#12
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	Its alive Well at least my sons bike is - fixed the rear brake master cylinder issue over the weekend - bought some 93 octane fuel (fresh fuel always helps) today plus added some Sta-Bil Ethanol Marine formula. All thats left to do is replace all the fuel lines. Waiting on the petcock to arrive for my bike. Still kinda sucks though even when I get both up and running - my son just started college (away from home) dont have a riding buddy till the holidays. Might have to go do it on my own.
	0

09-09-2010, 05:56 PM	#13
mizke Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: austin, tx Posts: 1,452	you can always by pass the petcock for the time being. just run a fuel hose from the tank to the filter then to the carb. use a pair of vice grips when storing it to pinch the fuel line shut, and let the bike idle untill it dies to burn up the fuel left over in the carb. or you can just crack the drain screw open and let it drain out.
	0

09-09-2010, 09:38 PM	#14
Weldangrind Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Sardis, BC, Canada Posts: 25,977	tokarev, you mentioned that your CJ needs new fuel lines; how is it other than that? I see them on CL occasionally, and my son and I want a pair of them badly. __________________ Weldangrind "I figure I'm well-prepared for coping with a bike that comes from the factory with unresolved issues and that rewards the self-reliant owner." - Buccaneer
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09-09-2010, 10:54 PM	#15
tokarev Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Safety Harbor Florida USA Posts: 214	The CJ Right now mine is apart - The more I looked at the bike the more I found that needed "repair". Its more about getting it back to stock/original condition. I have all the parts I need to do the work its just getting it done. My bike is whats called a "bitsa" bits of this and bits of that. This is what the English guy that works for me calls a parts bike. He is old school when it comes to motorbikes - actually raced on the Isle of Mann - back before disk brakes and Jap/Italian bikes dominated racing. It should be fine once I finish. If you decide to buy a Chang give it a real good looking at - have someone else thats not involved in the purchase give it good look. And yes all the chinese fuel lines got hard as a rock - I guess from our wonderful tree hugging green fuel blends. Rant off :-)
	0