Hey guys,

Just before I parked my bike for the winter I noticed the petcock leaking.  No surprise right!?

I have taken the bike apart now the tanks off, carb and petcock.  I noticed there was flaking paint on the seal of the petcock as seen in the picture.  

I am hoping that is what is causing the leak.  Would you recommend another way of testing the petcock for leaks with it off of the tank or with it back on the tank without fueling it up?

Thanks!

Clean up the area where the seal sits, clean up the petcock,ever so gently with the o_ring type seal, you can install the tank, then the petcock, that's how I'd do it,, you Can put the petcock in first,, no biggie. Once you have the leaking stopped,then we can deal with the paint, lack of, potential rust issues..  I think it's easier to install the petcock on a mounted tank..
There's always a quart of Ospho in the shop. Dilute phosphoric acid,from Kelly Moore Paint Store. Turns iron oxide to iron phosphate..
They have a gel,, it's lousy. Get the liquid. Recently changed the name, not Ospho anymore,, I think,, but, same stuff,, cheap, about six bucks a quart, and they last for years.. dab here,dab there...