JoeSnowden

Hey guys, so close to getting the firestorm on the road now but it can't seem to hook up the carbs and tank correctly? I have a manual for a superhawk (I thought they were identical as mine is a 97') but it would seem there are some differences. I not sure where the vacuum tube is from the carbs as mine are not the same as pictured in the manual.

Also, it doesn't clearly show where it connects to (as there seems to be a loads of outlets from the tank - a bit different to my 650 Bros!). Finally I'm not sure I have the drain pipe, how essential is it? i.e. does it not just hang down or does it connect up to something else.

Oh and lastly, which position is on for the tap? Petrol won't come out in any position but I can only pressume this is due to there not being a vacuum tube connected?

Any information would be much appreciated.

Joe

nuhawk

There's lots of posts on topic in the archives. This is the place for the most knowledgable and balanced approach to refining the Superhawk. When I first got mine I didn't read for a couple days - I read for a couple months. At the same time I was riding and sometimes aggressively. The required mods to make this beast roadworthy is a pretty long list. At the end of the day, what other guys spend $20k at Ducati you have a bike that will hang with any of them for a third the money.

Red_Liner740

i have a "firestorm" and its the same as the superhawk, its just named differently for different markets

there are 5 lines under the tank

one skinny line hooks up directly to the tank, all the way on the right of the tank, then the drain which just goes around the engine and drains out infront of the kickstand, two identical lines with a bend at the end of them go to the carbs. they hook to the sides of the petcock. finally the vacuum signal line hooks to the back of the petcock, not the bottom.

as for which way u turn the petcock....no idea...lol, i just did it last weekend but i cant remember right now for the life of me.

shayne

You have a breather hose and an overflow hose that run from the tank to the bottom of the engine behind the chin spoiler. These hoses do not connect to anything.

You do not have a vacuum line running off the carbs. The vacuum line for the petcock runs from a fitting on one of the cylinders just near the inlet (rear I think). This vacuum line must be fitted to the REAR of the petcock, not the bottom as mentioned above in another post. The bottom of the petcock looks like it should have a hose off it, but it is only a drain in case of the diaphragm malfunctioning.

I cannot remember which way the tap turns either.

JoeSnowden

Sorry for the confusion guys, thanks for the help. I noticed not long after I posted that the superhawk and firestorm are the same (I always thought they were but it wasn't until I was looking through the manual I noticed the carbs were different, this must have been a californian model or something)

So from what has been said it should be able to run with just the two fuel lines and the vacuum line connected? It still doesn't want to suck anything through, all very fustrating. Anything I'm missing guys?

Joe

JoeSnowden

Another thing, mine doesn't have a PAIR valve. It looks as though it was blocked off from factory? The recesses are machined on the heads but not actually cut out if that makes sense? I take it PAIR valves were bought in later? Mines a 1997.

Joe

shayne

Your 1997 model does not have the PAIR system fitted. Euro and US bikes are very similar until 2001 when the Euro bikes received some updates.

If the carbs are not receiving fuel then I suspect your vacuum line is not right/not working or the petcock is not opening. Pull the vacuum line off the cylinder fitting and suck on it. As it is connected to the petcock diaphragm you will be able to create a vacuum in the line. If you cannnot get a vacuum and air just sucks through continuously, then the petcock diaphragm is malfunctioning.

Another test is to pull the fuel lines off the carbs, and do the test again. When you suck on the vacuum line the diaphragm will open the petcock and fuel should come out the fuel lines. Without vacuum fuel should not come out.

Little_Horse

also all the way left is on if I remember correctly on the petcock (I figure I've got a 50% chance of sounding like I know what I am talking about) lol

JoeSnowden

All sorted now, I put another pipe on the vacuum inlet on the tank and sucked on it so that fuel could get through to the carbs, charged the battery right up and then cranked it over, vroom, happy as pig in ****. Cheers guys. I thought, awesome, ready for MOT, no no, rear shock linkage is siezed solid! Bugger.

Joe