Questionhi, i have a pretty heavily wintered honda cm400c 1981 that i've just aquired, i'm new to bikes but am somewhat proficient with my hands. where should i start, and what's the easiest way to flush a tank. what should i do if it's rusted inside the gas tank?
what other things generally need to be done after 6 months of outdoor storage? beside flushing the tank, fresh oil/filter, battery
and oiling the chain
AnswerJosh.... See your local Yamaha dealer for some of their effective fuel tank cleaner and carb cleaning products. Heavily rusted tanks can be treated with POR-15 or Kreem tank sealer products.
Drain all remaining fuel into a safe container. Remove the fuel tank after you have disconnected the seat and fuel lines. Remove the petcock assembly from the bottom of the tank and evaluate it for dirt, blockages, etc.
Clean/seal fuel tank as necessary..... then:
Drain the carb bowls at the bottom fittings into a container and see what all comes out. In all probability the carbs will have to come off for a good cleaning.
IF your bike has a front disc brake, then you may have corroded caliper seals, causing brake drag. The whole hydraulic system should be flushed at the very least.
Probably a good idea to flush the front forks and replace the fluid.
Clean the air filter, check all the emission control lines and fittings for security.
Replace the battery, as it is probably dead from long storage.
Get a good shop manual to guide you along. There is maintenance to do on the balancer shaft adjustment, valve adjustment, camchain adjustment, etc.
www.helminc.com www.motorcyclebooks.com www.motorcyclememories.com or Ebay are good sources for information and parts.
Bill Silver
