winterizing ?

[hotbunz4]

to work on the carbs this winter could I just leave my tank inside my house without any gas in it, or should it be full with stabilizer anyway?
Thank you,

[Rema1000]

If the tank is in the house, don't leave it full of highly flammable stuff!  

And if you leave it empty, blow air through it for a while to make sure the gas vapor is gone (vapor=boom).  You could coat the inside with something to keep it from rusting (like, 1 part oil to 2 parts WD40), then you also have less to worry about explosive vapor.  Be sure to rinse with gas in spring.

Probably easiest to leave it full of gas + stabilizer on the bike.  All-the-way full, up into the filler neck.

[scratch]

What Rema said.

[Moose]

Now if there is not alot of rust on the inside of the tank is there something that can be put in the tank to keep it from rusting further.  Something that could be a DIY project rather than taking it someplace to have it done?

[BadBatzMaru]

what about cylinder walls. I'm gonna take my bike apart and rebuild this winter so I dont think I need to worry about carbs, but if I have tank off (and do one of the previously mentioned things for that...) then what about cylinder walls? Is it enough to take out plugs and squirt oil in 'em and crank it over a few times by hand??

[scratch]

Moose-to reply to your question, a half gallon of gas and a handfull of ball bearings or some nuts, no bolts, shaking the tank gently (so the bearings don't cause dents from the inside) to break up the large chunks of rust off the inside of the tank, and a rinse (or two) with another gallon of gas should get most of the rust. Be sure to remove the shutoff valve with the filters so you don't damage them. Swirl around half a quart of engine oil to coat the inside of the tank, but remember to drain the oil before you fill it back up with gas.

Cylinders-if you can get a syringe with a curved tip, like those available in the earwax removal kits, squirt some oil into the spark plug holes, rotating the syringe to get the entire circumference of the cyl. Rotate the engine over by hand to distribute the oil up and down the cyl and then squirt some more to trickle past the rings so the rings don't rust together with the cylinder walls.

[Moose]

Thanks for the info scratch, the tank is off of the MC with nothing on it.  I have been working on stripping the tank to bare metal right now. Using a product called strip X, works great.  And just got the cap off last night, that is when I notice the small amount of rust on the inside.   :mrgreen:  From the amount of stuff moving around on the inside when I shook it, I thought there would be alot more rust than usual.  I still have yet to look at it in the daylight though.  I didn't know if there was something that would coat the inside of the tank.  But I will definetly do the ball bearings and oil treatment.  

[scratch]

If you're looking to coat the tank permanently, you could use Cream, but make sure you remove the in-tank fuel filter and fuel shutoff valve completely, because the stuff will clog the filter completely and permanently. Also, you probably dont want the gas cap on there either as I think the Cream will glue that shut when it solidifies.

[scratch]

Also, see my post on storing for the winter:

http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=4354.msg34764#msg34764

But add the oil in the cylinders, that's one of the steps I forgot to include.

[Moose]

If you're looking to coat the tank permanently, you could use Cream, but make sure you remove the in-tank fuel filter and fuel shutoff valve completely, because the stuff will clog the filter completely and permanently.

Okay where is the in-tank fuel filter?  Both the petcock and the fuel shutoff valve are off the tank.  They are still attached to the hoses on the bike.  So where do you get this "Cream"?  That is basically what I would like to do.  And can you DIY or do you have to take it somewhere?

[scratch]

The in-tank fuel filter is attached to the shut off valve, so you must have already removed it, if it had one. You know what, I don't know if there is a fuel filter, but it doesn't make much sense to make a bike without one. Even my little 250 had one. Anyway, can you poke a finger around inside the shut off valve hole in the tank? If so, you got the filter out.

The Cream stuff is available at most m/c shops and it is something you can do yourself, just follow the directions, they should be sold in complete kits. You may have to mix something before you pour it in. Not sure as I've never used the stuff myself, but seen it on the shelves. Pretty sure it's called "Cream" in a clear or white bottle, white stuff inside, black and clear/white label.

Ah just found the link and the stuff is labeled "Kreem":

http://www.motorhelmets.com/htm1/engineparts-service-kreem.htm