Parked at the door and not quite ready.......:(

[vadasz1]

AS you all know I am about to ride my V for the first time and also a motorcycle too.  I prepped her this winter and painted all the parts.  Filled her up with super unleaded mixed with STP cleaner.  Actually rode her to the back of the shop and parked it infront of the dock level shipping door.  Then I had to take a phone call.  Got back to the bike and noticed a few drops of liquid under the motor.  "DAMNED" I said out loud (along with some other silor words...;)  )  and started to examine where the leak is coming from.  I wiped from the bottom upward from underneath the motor and did it on both sides.  As I was wiping the left side and going upward, I noticed a few drips coming from the petcock.  "SHIT" and a few more sailor words followed.  Well I wiped the petcock completely and felt around it and noticed that it was leaking fromeither the mounting screws or from the diaphram.  Well I diconnected the filtered line and attached a fuel line to the spigot and let it drain overnight back into the jerry can.

Come in this morning and remove the tank from the bike and take it to the paint booth where I ghave a big table set up, and I noticed after I have taken the petcock off that the left front outside corner had the paint peeling away from the bottom of it.  More freaking sailor words.  I then pryed away the loose bondo underneath and removed about a 3" circle worth.  Yep, there she blows.  A few pinholes that the epoxy that I placed over it didn't cover well.  Then I noticed the same shit on the right side but smaller.  So I pryed it off as well to make about a 2" circle. There was a small hole that a small threading needle would have a hard time to fit in.

So the next thing I did was call my local electrical supplier who happens to stock JB Weld.  Told him to bring me two packages fo the Long Bond stuff because I preffer a slow cure to a rapid cure for better results.

So to make a long story short, I have JB Welded the two lower corners and will pour some gasoline into the tank with the petcock on as well to make sure ther are no more leaks.  Then I will leavie it that way for the entire long weekend to see if it will leak.  If it doesn't then I will rebondo the corners and sand them down and prime and paint the corners.  Luckily this spot isn't easily seen since I have the full fairing on the bike.  I might do a complete tank repaint during the winter season.

This is starting to make me feel like changing my technique for tank repairs.  I might just go with JB Weld instead of fiberglass for  the lower.  Or better yet, I will probably JB Weld the lowers and then lay a layer of fiberglass the entire lenght of the bottom of the tank and on both the inside and the outside.  Then bondo and shape it like I do.

This really PISSED me off.  But a minor setback now is better than having it popup out on the road.  I think I can wait another week to ride as the season is just starting.  The motorcycle gods must really be watching over me.  Kind of reminds me of the scene in DAYS OF THUNDER when Robert Duval finds the oil leak to the racecar the night before the big race.

I think I can also start trusting my V to let me know when things aren't right too.

[YellowJacket!]

I have fealt your pain.

David

[don_vanecek]

That sort of happened to me in 2007 just a few weeks before getting ready to go to the 25th anniversury ride in Colorado. JB welded it, still dry and solid now three years later-gosh has it been that long already!

To me the trick is a dry surface, can't have raw gas dripping in it before it cures.

[Raj1988]

The first of many(i hope not) obstacles to working the kinks out of your Bike. After a while, you learn to enjoy fixing them as much as you enjoy riding!!! ;D

[Night Vision]

couple years ago when I "refreshed" my brother's Vision, he too had some pins hole leaks... I commented that it was the nicest tank I ever saw leak..... paint is gorgeous and the starburst red in the sun is unique...

anyway,,,

I por'd the tank, let the corners puddle, allowed generous drying time and never had any problems since...

are you Canadians not sealing your tanks?

[Tiger]

 :) Use my spare gas tank that you have at the shop... until you get yours repaired and repainted mate... 8)

                  8).......TIGER....... 8)

[QBS]

Don't remember where I heard this tip.  T'was probably on this board.  I haven't used this process myself and of course........Your Milage May Vary. 

Prepare the tank for PORing as per the POR instructions.  Just before the POR material is put in the tank, stuff every rust hole it has with cotton (think cotton balls).  Put in the POR material and let it puddle in the holed areas of the tank long enough for the cotton to become fully soaked with the POR material.  Then distribute the remaining POR material throughout the inner tank surface and complete the PORing process according to the POR instructions.  After the POR has completed setting up, sand the now POR filled cotton down to the tank surface level and paint as desired.

[lexx790]

Anyone tried lead soldering a tank ?

[vadasz1]

I come in this morning to flip the tank onto my horse I specially made for these V tanks for when I paint them, and I got to install my petcock.  I wrap some teflon tape around the thread of the 6mm sockethead cap screws I am using and what happens now?  The damend rear thread is practically stripped clean.  I turn the screw to tighten it down and notice that it isn't snugging up as a screw normally does.  Then I feel the tell tale sign of an over-torqued thread hole.  It just spins and spins.  More freaking sailor words ( such as GDMFSOB!!!!!)

Has anyone tried to repair the threads on the petcock mount on the tank?  Is there a helicoil kit that will work on the thin boss?  Or can I make a threaded spacer plate from say 1/4" stainless steel and then just JB Weld the plate to the tank's boss?

[funkamongus]

Aw man,, sorry youre going through all this when you were ready to go!! that sucks!!! Best of luck to ya!!

[Lucky]

More freaking sailor words ( such as GDMFSOB!!!!!)

Lol, i had no problem figuring that out!  :D

Has anyone tried to repair the threads on the petcock mount on the tank?  Is there a helicoil kit that will work on the thin boss?  Or can I make a threaded spacer plate from say 1/4" stainless steel and then just JB Weld the plate to the tank's boss?

tap it oversize & install a stud...

[vadasz1]

Lucky , that is almost exactly what I did.  Tiger came in today and he suggested to just tap it to 1/4"-20tpi thread.  So that is what I did.  Will fill it with fuel later today and then see if it still leaks or not.

[Tiger]

Tiger came in today and he suggested to just tap it to 1/4"-20tpi thread.

::) K.I.S.S. principal...I wish more would use...

                Keep It Simple Stupid!!!

As I explained to Vad'...stop trying to over engineer a simple fix!!!