So my cycle tank is kinda crudded up from lack of use

It seems to just be gas residue/varnish. There's a pretty nice custom paint job on the tank now which I REALLY do not want to damage. Got any great tricks for cleaning it out?

It died on my on the road the other day with 2 gallons in it, switched on reserve and it started right up and ran fine.

What it really ought to have is a tumble, but I can't imagine saving the paint job.

Soap & water? Coke? Kreem? Por15?

'83 Yamaha Maxim XJ750

Sand. Or rather, silica if you can find it. Empty the tank, remove the petcock (you'll need another) and let the tank drain for a day or so in warm (preferably not hot) weather. Tape up the petcock hole and dump in a few handfuls of sand/silica. (The silica works better because it doesn't clump when wet like sand does.) Now tape up the fill hole and shake the crap out of it. Side to side, up and down and all around. After you've done this long enough that you can't lift your arms, give it to a friend and have him/her do the same. Untape the fill hole and dump the sand out. Let it dry completely and blow out the remaining sand with compressed air. Once this is done, pour 2 bottles of rubbing alcohol in the tank and swish around to clean out the remaining sand dust (you'll have less of this if you use silica). Install the new petcock, reinstall the tank, fill 'er up and go. This seems like a lot of work, but if you don't do this, you'll likely have more problems down the line. This also cleans out any rust, BTW.

Add a handful of small pebbles to help loosen the gunk up.

I just got rid of a 84 maxium...

[This message has been edited by Gokart Mozart (edited 08-03-2006).]

Yamaha sells a product called carbclnr Yamaha carb cleaner. It's designed to be mixed with gas and dissolves varnish really well. There are alternative instructions, tho. Instead of mixing gas, mix a quart of carb cleaner with water to make a gallon of solution--buy two quarts and make two gallons with HOT water. After removing the old cruddy gas, pour the carb cleaner/water solution in your tank, carefully. It won't instantly crap on your paint, but caution is wise. With two gallons of this stuff in the tank, take it out in the hot summer sun and let the sun heat everything up--agitate occasionally to slosh the stuff around. I'd leave it in for about a day, and open the petcock so a little will flow into those passages. After a day or so, drain the tank into a bucket (save the solution, it can be reused.) Now rinse the tank with hot water, if you have one of those little sprayers at the kitchen sink. The tank will be clean as new. Dry it out, fill it with fresh gas and go ridin'.

If it's rusty, Use the molasses treatment (gonna take some time) http://www.homercidal.com/molasses/ but again, leave it out in the sun and let the suns warmth help with the job.

Sand and stones and tumbling are old school and don't work as well. And sand residue tends to do bad things to motor innards.

And also, subscribe to the VJMC (vintage japanese motorcycle club) email list. Lots of bike restorers there who know tricks you'd never think of. The guys there are masters at Kreeming tanks, btw.

[This message has been edited by Brian Lamberts (edited 08-04-2006).]

Both above mentioned tricks work well for cleaning the tank (a lot depends on just "how" it's crudded up). The chemical cleaners work well for varnished surfaces, the abrasive method is great for any odd hard build up that might be present.

Now do you know if it's rusty too? Or just cruddy & varnished? If it's showing signs of rust (I actually had a tank spring a small leak from internal rust)... then after doing a thorough cleaning - pick up a POR 15 gas tank sealer kit.

Good luck!

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Looking for Fiero posters?

Eastwood Company sells a product used for cleaning and sealing a motorcyle's gas tank. Just in case there might be pinhole leaks. Might want to check them out.

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Whade' "The Duck Formerly Known As Wade" Duck
'87 GT Auto
'88 Ferrario