ninjette.org - View Single Post - Bike sat years. Overhaul time. What’s first?

CZroe · August 27th, 2022, 02:11 PM

Updated the image gallery. As usual, there’s a bit more there than here including video:

https://imgur.com/a/bivUW24

I wrote replies with the last update but didn’t get the chance to post it until it was time for another.

I disassembled my old petcock and found it was in much worse condition than it was when I removed it from the bike in 2014. Probably because it spent years cast off in a plastic bin that somehow filled up with water.

https://i.imgur.com/G5eCSHa.jpg

This time I actually took the ring thing out. It looks stained now but it was a smooth, clean, Teflon-lookin’ material 8 years ago. Makes me wonder if it was always some kind of deposit after all. Though I’ve been in and out before I was forced to tear diaphragms this time due to the conditions it was left in. Still, I think it’s more salvageable than my zero-mile petcock.

https://i.imgur.com/uswl6Qp.jpg

At first this seemed encouraging: It looked like the zero-mile petcock leaked through seal against the tank instead of leaking through the fuel line, but there were no corresponding deposits on the bike below. Doesn’t look like there’s any hope of a new petcock sealing against the tank in this condition and I don’t see how treating the rust inside will help. Open to suggestions here.

https://i.imgur.com/0J56EAu.jpg

Even after scraping off the loose stuff the remaining deposits on this are too bad to even seat flat on the tank. Hard but flakes… like sandstone. There’s no way it’ll mount flush like this. I’m hoping to use one of these old petcocks as a plug to seal the bottom of the tank during electrolysis (rust removal). I got a #9 (1.5”) neoprene rubber stopper for the filler neck but I still need a smaller one for the fuel sender opening (~30mm).

https://i.imgur.com/KVQsWd6.jpg

So, yeah, I couldn’t see any fluid level through the sight glass and the filler cap was stuck HARD so I needed to come back with pliers. It’s a clear fluid all the way at the top. I don’t presume it went any higher than the arm for the clutch cable.

The bottom of the tank has over a dozen of these little bubbles that squirt rusty water when you pop them.

Video of me popping them:
https://i.imgur.com/vYPOM5B.mp4

The bottom is one thing but there are also a couple tiny ones on the top that I hope will go away without popping them. Not sure how water gets there.

Back to the zero-mile petcock:

https://i.imgur.com/FqyrQND.jpg

There was white stuff caked in the passages but it cleaned up easily.

https://i.imgur.com/VVH6Qqz.jpg

Can’t say the same for the top:

https://i.imgur.com/G4aHAKF.jpg

The corrosion went deep and compromised the rubber seal. That pin is supposed to be nearly flush with the surface. Even the plastic ring at the bottom of the filter screen is supposed to be embedded in metal.

Yes, that is the same zero-mile petcock. Vinegar in an ultrasonic cleaner ruins the finish on aluminum:

https://i.imgur.com/tpAUsT7.jpg

So it seems to me that the fuel definitely made it through the petcock and into the engine but it also corroded the petcock seal… even if that’s not where the fuel got out. This leaves me with corrosion inside and out. I’ll start with a wire brush and sanding smooth but what else can I do to get this to seal again?

August 27th, 2022, 02:11 PM	#23
CZroe CPT Falcon Name: J.Emmett Turner Location: Newnan, GA Join Date: Apr 2009 Motorcycle(s): '08 CP Blue EX250J, '97 unpainted EX250F, 2nd '97 unpainted EX250F (no engine), '07 black EX250F Posts: A lot.	Updated the image gallery. As usual, there’s a bit more there than here including video: https://imgur.com/a/bivUW24 I wrote replies with the last update but didn’t get the chance to post it until it was time for another. I disassembled my old petcock and found it was in much worse condition than it was when I removed it from the bike in 2014. Probably because it spent years cast off in a plastic bin that somehow filled up with water. https://i.imgur.com/G5eCSHa.jpg This time I actually took the ring thing out. It looks stained now but it was a smooth, clean, Teflon-lookin’ material 8 years ago. Makes me wonder if it was always some kind of deposit after all. Though I’ve been in and out before I was forced to tear diaphragms this time due to the conditions it was left in. Still, I think it’s more salvageable than my zero-mile petcock. https://i.imgur.com/uswl6Qp.jpg At first this seemed encouraging: It looked like the zero-mile petcock leaked through seal against the tank instead of leaking through the fuel line, but there were no corresponding deposits on the bike below. Doesn’t look like there’s any hope of a new petcock sealing against the tank in this condition and I don’t see how treating the rust inside will help. Open to suggestions here. https://i.imgur.com/0J56EAu.jpg Even after scraping off the loose stuff the remaining deposits on this are too bad to even seat flat on the tank. Hard but flakes… like sandstone. There’s no way it’ll mount flush like this. I’m hoping to use one of these old petcocks as a plug to seal the bottom of the tank during electrolysis (rust removal). I got a #9 (1.5”) neoprene rubber stopper for the filler neck but I still need a smaller one for the fuel sender opening (~30mm). https://i.imgur.com/KVQsWd6.jpg So, yeah, I couldn’t see any fluid level through the sight glass and the filler cap was stuck HARD so I needed to come back with pliers. It’s a clear fluid all the way at the top. I don’t presume it went any higher than the arm for the clutch cable. The bottom of the tank has over a dozen of these little bubbles that squirt rusty water when you pop them. Video of me popping them: https://i.imgur.com/vYPOM5B.mp4 The bottom is one thing but there are also a couple tiny ones on the top that I hope will go away without popping them. Not sure how water gets there. Back to the zero-mile petcock: https://i.imgur.com/FqyrQND.jpg There was white stuff caked in the passages but it cleaned up easily. https://i.imgur.com/VVH6Qqz.jpg Can’t say the same for the top: https://i.imgur.com/G4aHAKF.jpg The corrosion went deep and compromised the rubber seal. That pin is supposed to be nearly flush with the surface. Even the plastic ring at the bottom of the filter screen is supposed to be embedded in metal. Yes, that is the same zero-mile petcock. Vinegar in an ultrasonic cleaner ruins the finish on aluminum: https://i.imgur.com/tpAUsT7.jpg So it seems to me that the fuel definitely made it through the petcock and into the engine but it also corroded the petcock seal… even if that’s not where the fuel got out. This leaves me with corrosion inside and out. I’ll start with a wire brush and sanding smooth but what else can I do to get this to seal again? Last futzed with by CZroe; August 28th, 2022 at 08:27 PM.