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Fuel line fittings (at the tank)

14K views 10 replies 3 participants last post by  IronTom  
#1 ·
This JonnyDear/Traxter 500 has two leaky fuel lines at the tank. Old stiff rubber fuel lines + old rotted rubber plug-fittings = sad story !
We have new fuel lines, the off/on/reserve valve, the inline filter, and a good clean fuel pump, but,,, this rubber-stopper-thing is a disaster waiting to happen !
The first (good) motorcycle molded tanks had molded-in brass fittings which accepted standard threaded petcocks.
These 'modern' re-molded-trash-containers are... thats another story.

How thick is the plastic ? Can we cut threads and screw in a nice brass bulkhead fitting ? I hope there is some magic fittings that can be used to avoid removing the tank. Any suggestions ?
Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
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#3 ·
You might still have to pull the tank....the 90s may have had poly line/in tank filters attached inside the tank...if youre lucky they are still attached and pull out with the grommets/fittings.

I wasnt.
Twice
Moose poly line and metal 90s should fix it for good. Dont know if you can do what you want to do and ditch the rubber grommets altogether?
Thatd be even better.
Good luck hope it works let me know if it does I wouldnt mind eliminating that whole weak link.
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#4 ·
Got the elbow-fitting on-order. Thanks - you may have saved the day !
Also, thanks for the info on the internals. Being an old dirt-biker, I don't want anything inside the tank.
As a rule,,, if it gets gasoline from a can, it needs an $5 automotive (metal can) inline filter.

Same tank - different problem----------------------
This DearJon has a gas-guage gizmo which (according to the drawings) seems to be another rubber-plug-in.
It is pictured as a simple plastic pipe containing a float, and some mechanism to turn the needle, which you can see in the clear plastic domed 'cap'. The problem is, the clear plastic has sun-burned to ghost-gray.
Is that thing fixable? I want to rotate the cap 180degrees to see the needle.
Any and all thoughts welcomed.
Thanks again
 
#5 ·
Mine's also hazed over, but from what I can see of it, it doesn't work anyway, so I haven't really worried about it- I'm never that far out/away from civilization.

But to directly answer your question- if your float is still twisting/reading, you could simply "plastic polish" the haze away, no?
 
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#6 ·
I poured boiling water over the gizmo to soften the rubber grommet that holds it in the tank. Slowly pry&pull the gizmo out of the tank. Hmmm, theres the hazy plastic dome with the EmptyFull indicator inside, and thats all.
Flashlight sees the other parts in the tank bottom. There is a WildTurkey 100proof cork, two rusty metal rods, and a flat spiral-twisted rod. All of which is stuck in the muck in the bottom. Time to pull this turkey out and steam clean the insides. I'll silicone the hazy dome back in place, then paint it black. Problem solved.
When the elbow-fittings arrive, we'll be good-to-go "far out/away from civilization".
Thanks for your help.
 
#7 ·
I tell myself if I ever run out, there's always "reserve" still ;-)
 
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#8 · (Edited)
Yeah thats the guy.
Hey wats up Bomb thanks for all your help.

Bet it looks like this...

Image
Image


Mine was fine and still readable but the rubber grommet was toast, replaced the grommet with a new one and I dremmel scratched a line at the E and rotated that to the front so I had a reference point and I could read the darn thing.
Its just like a boat gas gauge, pretty worthless as far as accuracy but it comes in handy on multimile trips for comparing to the trip meter and it does move...all around...but it goes from F to E and thats all that matters to me.

When it bottoms out at E and no longer bounces and the trip meter says 70 miles I know reserve is coming soon.

Might not get back to camp at that point so I also have a 2 1/2 gallon tank strapped on.
Backup reserve I call it.

Oh, napa has this stuff called RuGlyde makes installation of the grommets much MUCH easier. Works wonders on all the old rubber everywhere else also.
Image


Have fun good luck
Happy trails.
 
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#9 ·
A GALLON of RubberLubricant ??? We will assume, you own a tire shop. :giggle:
In my tool cabinet you'll find a big-blue-glass jar of Vaseline. Must be over 60 years old.

The end-of-the-tank ---- sorry, no photos.
Alcohol (gasoline) makes rubber hard and soon breaks it down to oozy black tar.
Alcohol mixes with moisture to congeal as water at the bottom of the tank.
Something in this goo, causes the 'plastic' to break down. Corrode... like aluminum in water.
My pressure washer opened a dozen pin-holes at the bottom of this trash container.
About 3oz of black goo flushed out. (plus the gizmo that held the gas-gauge together)
It took about 10min to remove the trash-tank using my sabre saw.
I have a SS boat tank that sits nicely in the hole on two angle-iron brackets.
Also have the big 4" chrome filler fitting for the 'deck'. Tomorrow, we will find the new filler hose.

The seat & body parts are last and final. But thats another thread. Thanks again !
 
#10 ·
My brother goes through craigslist tires like my dog goes thru water on a hot summer day and he likes to dismount and remount them by hand at home.

I figure it will last me my lifetime just like your blue jar, which Id like to have btw, thats a trophy.

Yep, lost pops motorcycle tank that way, wasnt worth saving.

Sounds like you have it under control.
Keep us posted when you get her done.

Happy trails.
 
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#11 ·
Done. Found eBay threaded brass elbow fittings. Female threaded for 1/4" barbed-inlet fitting.
3/8" extra-length male threaded thru tank. The tank holes were drilled 1/2" (oops!).
Teflon washer on outside of tank (bulkhead in plumber's terms) plus 1/2" O-ring spacer.
Another teflon washer + brass washer & nut on inside. No inlet screens.
Inline filter before carb connection.
Ready for Thanksgiving ride at the 'dunes', Glamis, Calif.
 
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