What Did You Did To Your Motobrick Today ?

[Skunky]

Donated http://www.motobrick.com/index.php/topic,10818.msg93595.html#msg93595

[The Mighty Gryphon]

With the Moby Brick squared away and in the best shape it's been in since I got it, it was time to build a fire in the stove, clean up the garage and send a little love in the direction of the other Bricks.

First up is going to be Cheetos for it's annual tune up and to repair some damage when another woman driver backed into it while it was parked out in front of my favorite watering hole.  So far, I have the bad fairing bits off and a bit of filler applied.  While the filler cures and I get up the ambition to sand it I did oil changes on the engine and forks, and checked the throttle position switch and balanced the throttle bodies. 

Also had to replace the rubber caps on the throttle body vacuum ports as both of them were badly cracked.  That probably did more to smooth out the idle than balancing them as they were not that far out. 

Not much to do on her this year as she only accumulated about 4,000 miles because I spent most of my time on Moby Brick.  Next up is a brake bleed, lube the stands and some other moving bits, and do a good inspection of the bike.  Will need a good cleaning when the weather gets warmer.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Went out to the garage this morning when the temperature was 45 degrees F out there.  Hit the starter and for the first time since I got it, Cheetos fired right up WITHOUT the choke.  For as long as I've had it, it's needed choke to start no matter how warm it was.

I'm thinking that those cracked vacuum caps leaked enough to make starting difficult with the throttle closed even though they hardly affected the idle or driveability.   Glad I noticed them. 

If your bike is reluctant to start, you might want to check them.

[woodgeek]

Checked the valves and they’re all good. Yay! [emoji106]

In other news, my fuel tank has a leak. [emoji15][emoji853]
Now to figure out the best course of action.


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[Laitch]

In other news, my fuel tank has a leak.
Now to figure out the best course of action.

Redkote. :yippee:

[Chaos]

Checked the valves and they’re all good. Yay!

In other news, my fuel tank has a leak.

So air stays in your tires but gas leaks out your tank?   :hehehe   You're probably talking about some other valves but I've had a schrader launch itself out of the stem and try to poke my eye out.   Had good luck with Permatex gas tank patch for a quick and dirty fix.

[Laitch]

. . .  I've had a schrader launch itself out of the stem and try to poke my eye out. 

Right there is the main reason to lower your helmet's face shield when checking tire pressure. High velocity, windblown pigeon droppings comprise the other reason.

[woodgeek]

So air stays in your tires but gas leaks out your tank?   :hehehe   You're probably talking about some other valves but I've had a schrader launch itself out of the stem and try to poke my eye out.   Had good luck with Permatex gas tank patch for a quick and dirty fix.

[emoji23]
Intake and exhaust valves measure good. [emoji106]

For the gas tank, I’ve got one vote for Permatex and one for Red Kote.

Now I need to pinpoint the leak location and plan the attack.

[Nine80seven]

Cutting up old ripped corbin for a lowered seat for my butt.  hope it works, next upholstery.

[woodgeek]

Found my leak(s). There were bubbles in the paint. When I scratched through those, the tank started peeing. [emoji23]

[Nine80seven]

Been working on tank/fuel too.  Removed pump, good original with carrier well intact.  Will keep for spare.  Inside of very early tank surprisingly pristine. expected corrosion galore.  Guess pure gas in this tank for 83K.  Has no opening for fuel level sender.  Wonder if this is common?  7/84 manufacture date.  103rd RS imported.  What's strange is there's not even a dent where the sender normally appears?

Was lucky, so far, with this bike.  Everything I get into or open up since acquired, looks better than expected.  The tank/pump being the last.  The bottom seams always seam bad, especially the left side under the pump holder where it can't be sean. The red stuff is redkote which may prevent the usual water collection point/corrosion.  Fingers crossed, always keeping an eye on this stuff.  Never park it and forget about it till summertime.  Don't know everything about these K-bikes, learning curve is ongoing.  Pays yer cash, reduce yer stash.  Still thinking about the infamous rattling at idle somewhere around the tranny?  Maybe those eight rivets?  Oh-oh.

[woodgeek]

I wish I could find “pure gas” in Nevada. There’s nothing within a reasonable driving distance.

[woodgeek]

A buddy talked to Kevin Cameron about my leaks and he recommended filling the seam and holes with molten lead. [emoji15] Anyone tried that before?

[Martin]

They used to lead steel tanks, I don't think lead will stick to aluminium. You can get solder for aluminium, but I've found it difficult to use, lot's of practice would help. A proficient welder would be able to weld up the holes, or you can go the putty or two part solution.
Regards Martin.

[Laitch]

A buddy talked to Kevin Cameron about my leaks and he recommended filling the seam and holes with molten lead. Anyone tried that before?

:hehehe

[woodgeek]

They used to lead steel tanks, I don't think lead will stick to aluminium. You can get solder for aluminium, but I've found it difficult to use, lot's of practice would help. A proficient welder would be able to weld up the holes, or you can go the putty or two part solution.
Regards Martin.

Probably end up going with Red Kote. Lead sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

[Martin]

The corrosion is caused by ethanol and water forming acetic acid. Apparently microbes feed of the ethanol and excrete the acetic acid. A mate has four bricks and a spare tank all have suffered from corrosion, as has the fuel pumps and dampers. My brick has never run on ethanol and has no corrosion, I still have the original mint damper as a spare. I only replaced it because I had a new spare. Where I live there were moves to add ethanol to all octanes of fuel to prop up the sugar cane industry. Thankfully this has not happened at this time.  :nono
Regards Martin.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

I used to run only corn-free fuel in my bricks, but the extra cost and hassle of getting it got to be too much.  From what I have heard in the marine business, ethanol really only becomes a problem when it sits in the tank for extended periods.  This is why seldom used boats have had so much trouble with fuel.  During the riding season I am burning a tank of gas in each bike at least once every week to 10 days(usually more often), so it really doesn't sit in the tank long enough to cause a problem.

Now I run whatever is available when I need it until late Fall when I switch over to the good stuff for the last weeks of the season.  That flushes out the moonshine so when I lay the bikes up for the winter all I have to do is add some Stabil and Techron.  About every two or three weeks during the winter I run each bike for 10 minutes to circulate the Techron and warm up the oil.  So far the bikes seem to like it.

[Martin]

Gryph it makes sense that the microbes won't breed when the fuel is constantly circulating. However it might still be possible if you don't completely run out all the water and ethanol when storing. Due to the fact your Bricks are in use makes them a lot less likely to suffer from corrosion. But really who wants microbe poop in their tank?  :hehehe
Regards Martin.

[woodgeek]

Along with the other things I did to my Brick today, I pulled a rusted valve out of the fuel tank return port.

[woodgeek]

Not sure of all the exact politics behind it but ethanol doesn’t seem good for anyone.


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[Laitch]

Not sure of all the exact politics behind it but ethanol doesn’t seem good for anyone.

Ethanol, a product of plant fermentation, is pure alcohol and a useful disinfectant. Among its many other uses, in small doses it's an analgesic. In larger doses it makes all saloon patrons attractive at closing time. It is a renewable fuel for cooking. It's an effective solvent. In specific blends, it helps to retard freezing.  Use of it in gasoline lessened the amount of imported crude oil needed in the USA. Ethanol production helped support farms and created economic booms in some areas devoted to growing it for fuel.

Things aren't always what they seem, especially if you're confusing ethanol with methanol.

[Chaos]

In larger doses it makes all saloon patrons attractive at closing time.

The correct term for that is beer goggles, not to be confused with beer googles, which would be drunken web searching.

[woodgeek]

Things aren't always what they seem, especially if you're confusing ethanol with methanol.

I’m good at confusing things. Psychiatrists and psychologists, ethanol and methanol. Thank god the proper stuff comes labeled with a proof label and a government pregnancy warning.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Ethanol is an interesting thing.  It's added to gasoline for three reasons: first, to reduce the amount of crude oil needed to produce a gallon of motor fuel.  Second, to add oxygen to the combustion process to reduce unburned hydrocarbons in the exhaust, and third and most important, to get the agribusiness in Iowa to support Al Gore in his run for president in 2000.

Unfortunately, it not only replaces crude oil in the production of fuel, it can absorb water which replaces the gasoline in the fuel you buy at the pump.  This is good for the oil companies because water is a lot cheaper than actual gasoline.  It's one of the reasons your fuel economy drops as much as 10% on this stuff.

Another down side is that the water in your fuel and the extra oxygen atoms in the ethanol also work to oxidize things like fuel tanks and engine parts(oxidize is a nice word for corrosion A.K.A. rust).

Ethanol is a fancy name for alcohol.  Alcohol is a pretty good solvent.  One of the things it dissolves and carries away is chemicals known as plasticizers.  Plasticizers are added to things like seals and hoses to keep them flexible, which is usually important to make these things work properly.  Have a fuel hose that is as stiff as a piece of steel pipe?  Thank a farmer in Iowa for ethanol.  Have a fiberglass fuel tank in your boat that has dissolved and gummed up your $9000 engine?  Yep thank that same farmer.   Your BMW vibration damper turned to goo?  Yep, thank a farmer.

Last, not only does ethanol do all the cool stuff above, but it actually requires more energy to make than it provides as fuel for our vehicles. 

One thing that really stokes my sense of irony is that when I am travelling on I-80 across Iowa, the prime source of corn for ethanol, it is the easiest place in all the states I have been in to get no-corn fuel.  I've been in gas stations where only one pump out of 6 has 10% ethanol fuel, the rest being the "good stuff".  Must be they're selling so much of that crap to the rest of us they don't have enough for themselves.