ETZ250 Petrol Tank (so near and now so far)

[Puffs]

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[nice2day]

Hi Puffs Thanks for the compliments. I have to say I didn't understand this bit:

No I believe both those 2nd hand tanks from the Greek were for an ETZ250

I've checked any previous links on this thread and I can't see what I missed.

Update: I checked the soldered fuel cock stub for leaks and not a drop of petrol seen on it and its dry as a bone so this is one step achieved.
Now I need to fully fill the tank with petrol to reveal all the pin holes that for some reason the 2x applications of TAPOX failed to seal. This surprises me in that the TAPOX has formed a very thick hard layer all around the inner surface and I am amazed that the minute pinholes have remained leaky. So far I can see 4x in the inside well area. Hopefully if I get any more they are also in that location as I can easily fix them (by soldering) without any noticeable damage to the tanks looks. However there might be an outside surface leak and this will mean a whole new paintjob.

By the way I haven't changed my mind about obtaining a much better less rusty tank but my tank is original and perfect on the outside.


Les

[Puffs]

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[nice2day]

Hi Puffs. thanks for getting back. My memory was playing tricks on me. I now realise I did see your links but as I had seen those same ads whilst doing a search not long before you posted them somehow the recollection of where I had seen them became obscured. Yes the tanks look OK but the postage, understandably, is far too much.

As for now, today, I will fill the tank to the brim with petrol and do a soak test to reveal the total amount of pin holes. As said, I can fix them relatively easy if they are in the tunnel area as appearance there is not of any concern. I said I would attempt to solder them but I am toying with the idea of using JB weld. which is inert to petrol and is very tough. Although I have a very strong urge to completely finish the bike and only the tank leaks have prevented this, I have to accept that I would not be getting the bike on the road before next April anyway, unless we have an exceptionally warm dry spell before then, so there is no rush at all in sourcing a better tank but I will continue to look out for one.

The failure of the TAPOX to seal pin-holes...well the instruction do say that it won't but I thought that meant sizeable holes which would be understandable but the pin holes in my tank are nearly microscopic and no Tapox exuded from them when treating the tank twice. I thought about this and maybe the fact is that there is a certain amount absorption of petrol INTO the Tapox which remains completely inert and protects from further rust but allows the petrol to seep slightly into itself so if there is a tiny hole behind the layer it will reach it. IE: I am not going to get a stream of petrol shooting out but just a damp area of petrol where osmosis continues to carry the petrol out of the hole and into the surrounding paint. Petrol has an incredible ability to leak through the tiniest holes a bit like liquid Helium does.
TBC soon. Thanks' again Puffs.

Les

[Puffs]

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[nice2day]

Re: Heike Kamerlingh Onnes...I hadn't realised you must be about 150 years old Puffs...you are doing exceptionally well for a human being.

Tank report: I filled the tank with petrol and as yet about 3 hours later it seems not to be leaking, even the suspect pin holes that were damp with petrol yesterday....this is weird (have the holes mended themselves?) but at least I don't seem to have any more and the ones that were leaking yesterday I will seal off with the JB Weld...After that I will have a go at fixing the missing paint....More leak monitoring to carry on with first though.

LATEST:. The leaks have returned. I remembered to check late last night as I was worried that if any leak appeared and started to enlarge I would have 3 1/2 gallons of petrol swilling around the tyres of my other bikes. Lucky I did as a couple of the pin holes were leaking and petrol was starting to run down to the internal seams blistering more paint in doing so. The tank was too full to tilt and pour so I opted to use the tap to run off the petrol. Well that took me just under an hour and it was freezing cold last night and I was not wearing a coat just a shirt and trousers. Waiting for the full tank of petrol to drain out was hideously boring and worse than waiting for a full ISO file of Windows 10 to download... When I got in I realised I had hyperthermia and it took me hours to warm up properly.

Fixing the tank will continue.
Les

[Puffs]

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[nice2day]

Hi Puffs. Yes syphoning would have been much faster, I'm surprised I did not attempt that as it's something that I often resort to. That's a good way to get the flow started. I shall never forget that when in my twenties there was an old VW beetle dumped nearby and the bonnet was open so you could open the petrol tank. It had lots of petrol in it and I went back to siphon it off. I used the sucking method to start the flow but ended up getting a complete mouthful which I also swallowed accidently. My stomach churned and bubbled loudly and I was burping up litres of petrol fumes for a couple of days....all for a gallon of petrol, I could have killed myself doing that.

I was always going to get one and now I will....https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Siphon-Sypho ... SwjMJXC-k6
OR: this one which seems to have a bigger and better hose: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6FT-180CM-SE ... 0005.m1851
Les

[breakwellmz]

I use one of these that came from Lidl, only £10. It`s been used for emptying numerous oil sumps and petrol tanks on mowers as well, brilliant thing.

[DAVID THOMPSON]

using that pump is a good idea
the old fashioned way of sucking on a hose could cause you to spit your tongue out on the floor

the new gas is nasty stuff

[Puffs]

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[breakwellmz]

Yep!
My other party trick - https://www.facebook.com/jay.medeiros.9 ... 7178327093

[nice2day]

Thanks for the heads-up on the electric pump. I was keen to buy one or similar but then realised as Puffs suggested they are not specified for using on petrol (gasoline). They suggest Diesel, water or engine oils but NONE (there are scores of them on Ebay) refer to petrol. The reason might be that petrol dissolves many types of plastic quite well so could damage the pump if used for lots of petrol pumping but maybe OK in the short term. The other reason is the fire risk. The shaft seal between the motor and pump body could let petrol seep into the motor and as the the motor is DC it will have carbon brushes that always spark in use. You could find the pump suddenly catches fire.
Using it for the other fluids looks really useful though so thanks for the suggestion.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X66ndq9f3us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fY40cmozOHE

Les

[Puffs]

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[Blurredman]

Good luck!