600 Gas Tank

[bweight]

Hey guys.. got a crack in my tank.. not much of a crack, but it leaks nonetheless.. I went to a rad shop around here and they won't fix it.. Now I've read up on POR-15 and Hirsch's Motorcycle tank repair kit.. But I'm wondering if it's just easier to get a new tank.. Now, I've got an 89 400.. But I've got my eyes on a couple 600 tanks from fleabay.. However, I've read in the faq that the tanks are the same, but the filler neck is taller on the 600.. Has anyone confirmed this or could someone please measure the height of the neck for me?

If the cap doesn't stick over the tank cover by much, then I don't care.. but if it does and I gotta do some modifications to it, I might just get the repair kit and move on....

Thanks in advance guys..

BW

[cad600]

Find an automotive restoration shop and talk to them about welding it. Of course you want to find one that actually does the work not jsut sell parts. The other place to try is a local tech school that teaches welding. If nothing else, they should be able to point you in the right direction. I've never had to do it nor have I talked to anyone that has, but I remember my father talking about his dad doing it once back in the 60's. From what I remember, people don't like doing it because of the fumes. There was also some talk about filling the tank with sand or something else to help get rid of them. Not really sure though. Good luck.

[megaloxana]

Not sure but do yzf tanks fit on the fzr400's too? cuz you could go that route too. I had a decent dent in my yzf600 tank and a autobody shop had no problem fixing it. They made me clean it out really well before I handed it over to them though. I'd call a few autobody places and see what they say about fixing it.

[bweight]

Yeah, I'm gonna do more checking around locally tomorrow.. The place I went to said they wouldn't touch it because the fumes and shit.. It's not much of a leak, but it's enough.. It's on the LHS (from the back of the bike looking forward) bracket that's welded to the tank.. It looks like a pinhole, but when the gas leaks from it, it doesn't really seem to be flow coming from a pin-hole.. I did notice this afternoon when I was trying to determine exactly what it was that where the screw from the tank cover goes into the side (on that bracket) it looks like it's been impacted there.. I know the bike went over on that side first in the accident, and the only thing I could think of honestly is that when it hit the ground, the screw pushed into the metal and made a crack/tear in the tank..

If that's the case, I might (I stress MIGHT) be able to jb weld it or use some sort of fuelproof epoxy from my old man's work.. Either way, I'll have to get it fixed before firing it up which I hoped to do this coming weekend..

[dans96fzr600]

You could also go to autozone and get some gas tank repair puddy it works wonders. I used it on my old Talon that had a leak right on the seam and it held for over a year and I put that car through hell drag racing it etc.
To weld a gas tank our teacher taught us you fill it up with gas and then weld it believe it or not I remember when we were going over it in school and I was like you must be crazy . But it pushes the vapor out and that is what you dont want when you weld.

[yamaha_george]

[quote="cad600" I remember my father talking about his dad doing it once back in the 60's. From what I remember, people don't like doing it because of the fumes. There was also some talk about filling the tank with sand or something else to help get rid of them. Not really sure though.[/quote]

Cad600,
Probably being close to your Dad's age our generation do know how to weld Gas tanks properly

!} empty the tank , remove pet cock and all other fittings , gas caps etc

2} let it breathe for a day if possible

3} not actually required but an extra safety layer :- wash out with soapy water & rinse with hose water

4} dry tank by placing the filler hole over the exhaust of your car (volkswagons good for this ) start the engine let it blow exhaust into the tank until it is almost too hot to touch.

5} now using oxy acetaline torch NOT stick / mig / tig cause they give crap finishes weld the crack closed

6} if still nervous you can fill the tank with water and just lay the tank until the crack is just above a small air pocket and weld it (however you will need a bigger tip than normal as the water takes heat away rapidly from the weld. ) Nerd



If you want to see welding I did on an RD tank by replacing the whole filler assembly to a modern flush type see:-

http://www.saltmine.org.uk/kgb/yp2.html

[cad600]

I remember when we were going over it in school and I was like you must be crazy . But it pushes the vapor out and that is what you dont want when you weld.

Yep, Gas just burns. It's the fumes (vapor) that explode.

+1 on what yamaha_george said. His method would do the trick.

[bweight]

bah.. the hell with it.. Called every damn welding and radiator shop in the city.. nobody wanted to touch it except for one place.. Brought it there and was talking to him. He told me that he'd fix it, but obviously couldn't guarantee his work. Then I asked him how much it would cost and he told me ~$50.. Said screw it and just bought a 600 tank from Ebay for $50 including shipping.. meh.

[yamaha_george]

bah.. the hell with it.. Called every damn welding and radiator shop in the city.. nobody wanted to touch it except for one place.. Brought it there and was talking to him. He told me that he'd fix it, but obviously couldn't guarantee his work. Then I asked him how much it would cost and he told me ~$50.. Said screw it and just bought a 600 tank from Ebay for $50 including shipping.. meh.

T,
well at least Ebay came up trumps, I would hold on to the old tank and have a word with the local tech night school lecturers I am sure that he or one of his students could handle it for a beer or two.

Glad to hear you can be back on the road but this does show we live in a Kleanex mentality world when our supposed tradesmen cannot / will not fix things ,

[YAM93]

I hate to be the one who always seems to want to do things the "easy way" or the "more expensive way", but the fuel tank, as I learned recently, is not something to take lightly. Here's the kick in the pants, no matter if you know how to weld the Eiffel tower together... your bike is a 1989. NINETEEN-EIGHTY-NINE... the year I graduated from high school. (jeeze!!! that's old!) Trust me, the inside of that tank is likely surface rusted to shit and the rust is just looking to get worse, has probably already worked its way into that crack and is "tearing it up" as we type. I'd get a BRAND NEW ($210 who cares) tank and THEN POR-15 it. Yes, so total is $250 and some of your labor. But here's the kicker----<<<<< NO RUST EVER >>>>> period.

Devil's advocate... Ok so WHY don't I follow my own advice? Well mine is a '93, was only lightly rusted on the inside in a few spots, and otherwise in perfect working condition, no dents, accidents, cracks, leaks etc. That and my wife didn't want me spending $210 if I didn't have to... when the $50 for the POR-15 would work fine. NOW... I told her.... "if I get in there and it's really bad then I'm buying a brand new tank AND the POR-15." So I was honest with her up front because, you know, my FZR is my baby. Since you're restoring the bike, do the best job you can so it lasts as long as possible. That's just my opinion anyway. The only reason I seem like a jerk here is because I'm REALLY afraid of gasoline leaking and catching me on fire (or blowing the bike up with me on it). I'd rather have really bad sunburn than be on fire, but I'm silly that way.




George is right though, we do live in a kleenex mentality world, unfortunately you kinda can't blame those guys, I mean, if you get hurt or catch on fire and then SUE them, take them to court, whatever, that's NOT good for them, plus their insurance goes thru the roof and maybe they go out of business just for taking the risk helping you. I think it's called liability insurance.

[yamaha_george]

I I'd get a BRAND NEW ($210 who cares) tank and THEN POR-15 it. Yes, so total is $250 and some of your labor. But here's the kicker----<<<<< NO RUST EVER >>>>> period.



George is right though, we do live in a kleenex mentality world, unfortunately you kinda can't blame those guys, I mean, if you get hurt or catch on fire and then SUE them, take them to court, whatever, that's NOT good for them, plus their insurance goes thru the roof and maybe they go out of business just for taking the risk helping you. I think it's called liability insurance.

Yam93,
Which is why I learned to do the engineering on my bike, then I do not have to pay the rip-off insurance companies more than I absolutely have to or feed the legal sharks with "oh I broke a nail " sue sue sue

As to rusty tanks 50c of a common chemical & your battery charger will protect your tank & kill the rust in it far better than any POR 15 or any other DIY liner.

When I got back to the 1st world (as opposed to the 3rd world where I had been living) I hooked up full time to the internet & the various bike lists. That was 18 years ago and the amount of guys who cursed out POR15 for the fact it flaked out & clogged filters carbs left gooey mess etc.

Yup if you follow the instructions all SHOULD be great but humans are prone to error ,cut corners,lazy & plain old fashioned murphy's law.

By the way if you ever dent a tank that you lined you do what exactly .....................