Hey all: I have had the issue with regards to the bike starting/running fine for a bit, then suddenly dying and being difficult to start/run, etc. Turns out the liner in my gas tank was deteriorating and coming loose from the inside walls of the tank, and each layer would wrap itself around the pit cock tube and shut off the flow of gas to the carb. Soooooooooo, Here is what I did and you can too:
1. I had to remove my tank, drain it, rinse it out with water, let it dry. 2. Remove the fuel valve entirely, and the top seal from the gas hole opening,(including the gas cap of course).
3. Plugged off the fuel bung with anything that wont leak; I used a steel bolt and duct tape - The inside walls of the fuel bung is not threaded, so a bolt wont just screw itself up inside, hence, the duct tape.
4. Buy a gallon of Muratic acid, and using a long funnel, pour the whole gallon into the tank and in stages, let it sit inside the tank for a day or more; you may have to check it's status every three or four hours to turn the tank on the left side, right side, front end, etc / But be very careful to not let any acid spill out of the top of the tank! There is a 1 1/5 " inner lip to the top of the gas tank top so, by tipping the tank over on its topside down, and supporting it to hold that position for a duration of time, you can gauge how much of a tilt to go with before any liquid reaches that edge. After each turning of the tank has sat for 3-4hrs, filp it upright again and remove the bottom plug.
5. Once the tank is empty of Muratic acid, take it down to your local car wash and flush the loosened liner out with a hot, high pressure washing, the liner will be soft and similar to strips of wet noodles and should come out the bottom bung hole easily. I had to turn my tank bottom side up, and place the wand tip into the opening to get at the top innerside of the tank. Rinse and repeat as often as necessary to get as much of the liner out. Finish with plain, hot water to Rinse. Let dry in the sun.
6. When your sure the tank has no more liner, take it home, and let it dry out; I used a hair dryer down through the top to make sure the inside was bone dry. If there is any lapse of time, surface rust can begin to cover the inside of the tank; this is because regular tap water has minerals in it that can promote rusting, if that happens, you can rinse it out with Apple Cider Vinegar. Pour a gallon into the tank, swish it around, let is sit for about an hour, more or less, swish it around again, just make sure like before with the Muratic Acid, that you cover the entire inner walls of the tank; let it sit for about an hour each rotation, then pour it out the bottom.
7. Since Apple Cider Vinegar is acidic.....you will need to Rinse out the tank again with a gallon of Distilled water (NOT tap water!) and baking soda to remove and neutralize the inner walls of the tank. Use a hair dryer again to dry it out as quickly as possible.
8. After all this, your tank should be completely clean of any traces of liner, rust, and acidic residue.
9. As soon as possible, Put the fuel valve back onto the tank, pour one gallon of gasoline into the tank, swish it around inside the tank to cover all the inner walls; ( 5min) this is just to reaquaint your tank with a petroleum based liquid again.
10. Put the tank back on the bike, make sure all connections are secure, and no leaks. Start the bike and let it idle to warm up, again, check for any leaks, if no leaks, then fill the tank and go for a ride!
I cannot assume any responsibility for the out come of your experience; this is what I learned by watching a few Youtube videos and following the instructions carefully. Read all labels concerning Muratic acid and how to handle it. If your not sure of a step, review it and make very sure you understand before you try it. Remember, this is YOUR bike, so take care to not mess it up!
This is just a home remedy that works well, but is a bit time consuming, but it's worth the wait if you do it carefully.
Otherwise, you can send your tank out to this place:
West end Auto and Radiator Repair 1-636-527-6603 Ask for Mike or Garry.
