Finally got my tank out:)

[Steven May]

Couldn't decide on a more appropriate thread...
I bought a non-running VMax for too much money from a prison buddy of mine, at the time he swore all was wrong was the clutch was burnt up. It was out and yes the plates were worn to a nub. Little to my knowledge it had a venture clutch setup in it, and after buying wrong parts, sending wrong parts back, getting right parts, I got it back together and buttoned up. Added oil and a filter, new battery and a gas filter (there wasn't one on it, red flag) I did get it to fire up. I haven't really decided if it was missing on 1 or 2 cylinders, but after pulling the carbs have decided it was probably the latter. I was intimidated by the prospect of pulling the carbs so I took it to a shop. 3 weeks later they tell me they just can't afford the lift-time for it. (haha now I understand) So I pick it up, buy a lift (Harbor Freight $279.00 with membership!) And take it home where I proceed to pull the carb assembly. Getting them apart was a trick, and honestly I never got 3 and 4 seperated...the bowl screws were already stripped out and I had to get most of them out with vice-grips. 3 of the 4 carbs had lots of dried gas, a crystalized meth looking substance in the bowl, 2 of the pilot jets were stripped and stuck in the jet block, another one completely obstructed. The number 3 carb was a mess (see pic), I cleaned them up the best I could, then rookie mistake, I cleared the passage one last time (175psi) and blew the jet plug out and I still haven't found it. At that point I boxed up the carbs and sent them to dannymax, problem solved. Now to get the rest of the fuel system out and clean. This is what the bike looks like after I get the tank out,(see pic) haha. The inside of the tank is 100% coated with rust, and now I have to find someone who does tanks. I tried with an '85(?) nighthawk and wasn't up to the task. I shook the tank cause something was in there...a clamp, and a portion of the sending unit(?) that had broken off (see pic) So good news is I have the tank out and it's about as tore down as it's gonna get this time. Flush the pump (it's new) buy some new line and another filter, new sending unit...just gotta get that tank clean. The shop that had it for 3 weeks was going to charge me $130 for cleaning/treating the tank, maybe I should make peace and ask them to (I was a little sore when I had to go pick it up untouched). I am learning alot I guess, and I do enjoy tinkering, I just get annoyed when I get out of my depth or encounter something I just don't have the tools for. Good excuse to buy more tools, right?

 

[Fire-medic]

Easiest cleaning is 'cleaning vinegar' which is 2X the strength of food-grade vinegar. Fill it to the top, let it soak a couple days. Put it into a tub to let it soak.

You can also try electrolysis, which will give you good results, done properly, it doesn't require expensive equipment or a degree in chemistry. Do NOT leave the house, and have this system working. The deposits you accumulate on your sacrificial anode will amaze you.

Wherever you do these, you should have good ventilation, and no flammable sources like a pilot light for a hot water heater.

Take before/after pics.

If you remove your tank sending unit for reserve, you're probably gonna find you have it rusted in-two, and the piece loose is what's gonna come-out. From your pics, looks like you already found that to be the case. You might be able to weld the pieces back together with a bit of care.

If you want to collect some tools which will help your work, one of the things I like for carbs and chrome is a soda blaster. Harbor Freight has an inexpensive one. They have a couple sizes. They will scour the inside of your carb bowl, and the outside too, leaving it nice & clean, another 'amazing' result. Don't do this where the sodium bicarbonate will land on foliage or grass, it kills plants, dead! That means you should wear a respirator. Using it on chrome, it gets-into pits, and cleans them out pretty-well, then you need to do something to seal the metal. You might find a local radiator shop which can clean your tank, but you'll probably have to re-paint the outside. Call-around.

 

[dannymax]

Steve, maybe Google 'gas tank cleaning' in your area there may be someone that does it. Radiator shops may be good candidates.

 

[Steven May]

Thanks for the info guys, I took the tank back to the shop I was mad at (now I understand), they have a 3 day process for cleaning rusty tanks. I wouldn't be surprised if they are using the vinegar treatment fire-medic mentioned...sounds like sodium bicarbonate might be the answer to all these fruitless mulberry trees that keep popping up!...and yes the sending unit was broken but I found one on eBay, along with a cam chain assembly I ordered just to get the bolt(assembly used 14.99 vs 20.00 plus shipping for just the housing and bolt. Here's a pic I took, I was taking the slip on Kerkers off, and going to put the stock ones back on, and took off the heat shield (to tighten the pipe) and noticed something dangling...reached in and pulled off a rubber cap of some kind (don't think it's stock!!)that was siliconed in place, I guess the heat melted it. Some people just have no business working on machines! Also found a speedometer cable on Ebay, Bikebandit didn't have one. I'm trying to keep my sense of humor about it all, but after having to cut the Kerkers off cause they were tac welded and then finding THAT thing, I wonder what other unpleasant surprises will I find? I just wanted to put in a new clutch and ride, y'know? Do some paint, and polish up the aluminum, new seat cover, give it some TLC. I enjoy a challenge as much as the next guy, but I never would have found that had I not decided to change the pipes. Sneaky hobbit.

 

[dannymax]

Not familiar with these but are the tensioners spring loaded?

 

[Steven May]

They seem to be...I started to pull the bracket/housing off and noticed it was being pushed out as I loosened the bolts. So I tightened it back down and went online to find the bolt (right word?)that is missing. It's kinda awkward getting in there between the pipes and frame anyway...I'd probably wind up cross threading one of the bracket bolts trying to get it back in anyway.

 

[one2dmax]

They have one way clicking tension locks to take up slack and hold it. There is a spring in the center held on with the center bolt. Both missing from your picture. BUT, if you take it out then any valve spring tension depending on where the position of the cams are at will push that out. WORSE is that it may likely also let the chains run slack and jump timing.

 

[Steven May]

well, probly should have read that before I did it...however I think it's all ok. I did take it off after understanding the locking mechanism on the tensioner. I adjusted the replacement to no tension and bolted it back to the block, then used a long alan wrench to push the tensioner in till I felt pressure, put in the spring and pushed the bolt in until I could catch a thread (heard it click a few more times)and tightened the bolt back down, this time with a bit of Loctite on the threads. think that will be ok?

 

[Steven May]

The threads on the bolts that were in it were very worn, note the alan head bolts that came with the replacement

 

[Steven May]

Latest surprise...looking at how to reattach the stock pipes...did a bracket used to be here for the muffler support? Guess I'll have to fabricate another...

 

[Fire-medic]

Yes

 

[Montana vmax]

Is that the muffler stay (part 36) that you are looking for? or an actual piece missing from the frame. As I happen to have a muffler stay taking up space on my stairs.

 

[Fire-medic]

Looks like he's missing the welded frame bracket for the dual megaphone/resonator to attach to it

https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/500452aaf8700209bc792426/exhaust

 

[Montana vmax]

Very good.

 

[Steven May]

hmmm, not sure what that is, I've given it a rest for a couple of days, gotta work on the old dump-truck (got D.O.T.'d)...I was referring to whatever he cut off of the frame. I can't get the mufflers in place yet to see what I need there as there are a couple of jack stands in the way. Here's hopefully a better pic. There is a clamp of some kind wrapped around the cross member underneath, not sure where it might go, though. I may refer back to this Montana, if I need that part. I should get my carbs back from dannymax in a day or two...it's coming back together slowly...is there a thread on touching up engine paint?

 

[Fire-medic]

Looks like the centerstand brackets are removed, the welded to the frame bracket for the exhaust is still present. Removal of the centerstand is required for the Kerker 4/1 mounting. This also means removal if the left centerstand bracket, and a tweaking of the right centerstand bracket, for clearance for the kerker 4/1 pipes, many people just removed both.