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Day 2 -- Sept. 13, 2000:
After work, I stopped by Eric's house to get this bike closer to being a nice livable cycle. Step one was to
begin dealing with the gas tank.
Gas Tank
Gas Tank Petcock
A peek inside revealed a REALLY rusted out shell. Yuuuuck. So, Eric and I removed the old gas from the tank. After
deciding it was such a mess inside, drastic measures would need to be taken. After some investigation on the net, I've
decided to use Kleen gas tank treatment and coating. I have heard horror stories about this stuff, but you
know, I don't care. I'll use it and I'll keep an eye on it. If it starts to come apart, I'll just get a new tank.
Only paying $200 for the bike lets me justify paying another $200 for a tank.
I stopped at the Honda dealer today and picked up some Kleen and a clear fuel filter. Coming from a car
background, I don't understand why motorcycles don't use fuel filters all the time.... Strange. So,
I'm gonna run one.
After giving up on the gas tank until the weekend, I turned my attention to cleaning the bike. Check
out how dirty the bike was after I removed the fairings:
Dirty Bike
Dirty Engine
More Dirt
Even more
What a mess!!! It looks like it hadn't been cleaned EVER. According to sources, the bike was this dirty on the
outside too before I was able to see it. The owner hosed it off right before I came by, washing off the 6 years
of dirt.
Now, when I took the fairings off, I found the bike had an alarm. The installation was the most horrible
thing I have ever seen. Wires we just laying around, taped here and there, running all over the place. I
had great satisfaction removing the thing and stomping on it! Yep, I stomped on it. One wire is still on the bike.
It goes to the gauge cluster and I'm going to leave it until I can turn the bike on and make sure it's not
needed (to start the bike or something.)
Alarm
Also, the battery on the bike was totally fried. Notice, in the picture, that some of the batterie's cells are
completely out of water. Sheesh.
Battery
Well, the washing begins. Eric and I got down and dirty with the hose and sponge. Luckily, most of the crap on the
bike was just dusty and not really soiled. And, I'm used to washing a car, which takes a long time. Washing the
bike top to bottom was pretty quick and didn't take long. I still want to go over it again with simple
green and then soap and water to really clean this thing. There is a bit of oil under the thing, most probably due to
spillage when filling it up. The crankcase is still totally full, even 6 years later.
Washing the bike
More washing
Cleaned parts
Clean bike! Yay!
Gauges
Now, the final issue of the night is the fuel gauge sender. Check it out: It's very rusted out just as the gas tank
is. I'm not sure I know what to do about this. I guess I should replace it as I don't want to put
this rusty crap back into the "Kleen" gas tank. What a pain....... This all makes me thing: "Why doesn't the gas
tank have a solid coating on the inside right from the factory so this kind of thing would never happen!?"
Rusted fuel sender
Rusted fuel sender 2
Well, day two is done. Over and out. -Adrian
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