So....back to the original problem.

I suspect that if the bike has the original vacuum operated petcock, the diaphragm may be getting stiff.

On the long climb and open throttle, the amount of vacuum in the intake may not have been sufficient to keep the petcock open and you ran out of fuel in the carb.

Try climbing the hill again and see if the bike quits, and if it does turn the petcock to PRI and see if it keeps running.

As mentioned previously - you should get the official Yamaha Raptor petcock (it should be around $30 and come in a white box with the Yamaha part number5LP-24500-01).  If you find one that is less than $15 and doesn't show the white box - it is a Chinese copy and you should avoid buying it.

batman wrote on 08/21/19 at 06:24:04:


The petcock in reserve still uses the diaphragm to open/close the fuel flow (just allows a lower fuel level)......in PRI there is a metal tab that pushes the diaphragm open and allows fuel flow without any engine vacuum.

I'm not one of this forums more mechanically inclined individuals.  Isn't it a little unusual for a 6 year old bike to have a hardening diaphragm?   I haven't been out on it yet on this hill but probably will this weekend.  From what I'm reading, I was being a little lazy by not shifting into 4th going up this hill.  

Not sure if I'll be replacing petcocks anytime soon but am thankful you guys pointed to this as a potential source of trouble.

Isn't it a little unusual for a 6 year old bike to have a hardening diaphragm?  

Not really. There's no pattern of predictability with them.
Thing is
If you ditch it for a Raptor a variable will be gone and a future failure will be avoided.
When the Petcock goes south the symptoms can be confusing.

TTom wrote on 08/21/19 at 12:04:15:


One of the issues that may contribute to the demise of the diaphragm, is the ethanol fuel that the US uses.  I am not sure the diaphragm is made from a material that is resistant to ethanol.

The fact that your bike quit in a situation that creates low intake vacuum (long steep hill and the requirement for more than normal throttle) put you in a situation where the engine vacuum was not sufficient to open the gradually stiffening diaphragm.

The bottom line is this the stock petcock is a problem on the Savage and it can cause problems (engine cutting out, fuel in air box and oil sump, engine running rich, poor fuel mileage).....and you just need to trust us old farts who have been around this bike for a while.

Oh, you guys mean that it's possible that it's NOT user error or some sort of alien rpm/compression conspiracy theory???  You mean it could be the stock petcock??  

Where have I heard that before??  Oh, that's right in reply #4.  haha