Trying to clean inside fuel tank

aardvark421 said:

After I drain the Vinegar and rinse with soap and water to neutralize the acid, I will fill then flush with clean water and then put the compressor on it to blow through the tank to try to get the most liquid out I can, once that's complete the heat gun will go into the fuel entrance and i'll leave that on to dry it as quickly and thouroughly as possible.

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I used a hair dryer and a rubber band to hold the hair dryer against the fuel opening. Worked like a charm.

I would strongly encourage you to reseal your tank using professional grade chemicals that dissolve the rust, prepare the metal, and permanently reseal the tank.

I did this on my 2007 after buying it last year with only 3500 miles on it. It sat for a long time. Fouled my carb, ruined my airbox, and more. Cleaned carb twice because I did not treat the problem... the fuel tank! I also recommend a rebuild kit for the carb, once done with the tank. But the tank should be first.


It just takes patience. I used hair dryer on hot setting, no petcock so air could escape, as described to dry the tank as appropriate. With the fuel tank sealer, I called POR and asked them about not being able to get all excess out. They said not to worry too much about it, just to keep turning the tank every few minutes for 2-3 hours so less pooled in the bottom of the tank. The easiest opening to drain is the fuel outlet (not the top of the tank). Most important is to dry and cure the sealant completely. More hair dryer action over two days to ensure the sealant was dry and cured, then open air for another 3-4 days.

Next, replace petcock with Honda-only OEM part. I used a cheap chinese knock-off, but it began to leak a few months after installation. So get OEM. It's pricier, but worth the $$.

Next, disassemble and clean your carb, and use a rebuild kit. Be sure to clean the carb well. I just used carb cleaner from O'Reilly's or Autozone parts stores in an aerosol can. This is easier than it sounds, TBH. Do it on a table on some sort of towel as there will be some random fuel in the carb. If you have a parts washer, you might use this. Of course, I'm fairly sure all gaskets/rubber pieces must be removed from the carb?

Next, install the air-fuel mixture screw extension kit (it's described here on the Cafe a lot - Glen's Perm A/F Screw ). You will find this immensely useful as you tune the carb after reinstallation. Be sure all parts of the old a/f screw are removed (before you clean the carb). My o-ring was a sticky lump (don't know why... assume someone used brake clean to clean the carb only 5-6 months before I bought the bike).

I recommend that you also buy an inexpensive tachometer (I got mine on Amazon) to help you gauge RPMs as you adjust the A/F mixture. Cost is about $25. Easy to use as it uses induction on a spark plug. I attached a battery clip to mine so it grips the cable and actually left the tach on my bike (for now).

Finally, check the large diameter rubber vacuum hose which attaches to the airbox and runs across the bike up to the valve on the opposite side of the frame. Mine was so bad it was chunking out of the hose like charcoal. It was very soft in the corners. You might check if yours is doing same. I do not know if this was caused by age or by the fuel-flooded carb. Replace the hose if needed.

This was a learning experience for me. Worst case scenario, I figured, was that I could take it to a shop if needed as a last resort.

Hope this helps!

Update:
The worst part was the smell coming out of the tank, which was really bad, I believe there was a lot of varnish that had collected in the tank.
The household vinegar did eat some of the rust. But it was really slow, and not enough.
I swapped to electrolysis.
Which is working to get the rust out.

So far I have swapped the water and chemicals twice and cleaned the steel anode a lot more than that. I am using very low AMPS though so its taking way longer than it should be.

I have rebuilt and cleaned the Carburetor and used a rebuild kit.
The good news is the outside of the carb is clean, the bike has 5K miles and my brother owned it since new and garage kept it.

When I opened the bowl there was a black tar like substance on the float, the bottom of both jets, and the bottom of the bowl.
Anyone that has seen this before?

Sprayed the float with carb cleaner black stain came right off... Soaked bowl, A/F screw, idle and main jet in carb cleaner overnight and it dissolved/came off.
I wire brushed the outside of the jets and it shined them up.
Large jet was open, and all holes were clear, small jet had blockage in the main hole.
There was nothing I could get through that was small enough and hard enough to pass all the way through, blew air through it and it does flow through, but I am not overall happy with the main hole cleanliness. Carb cleaner went through under the spray can pressure with no problem, I might remove the bowl again and take another wack at the idle jet.

The carb is back on the bike but trying to get the rear most carb heat hose on really sucked, any pro-tip on getting that sucker to seat with it wrapped on the backside of the rear intake, like it was when I removed it?

I have wrapped the bike in Vinyl... so it is no longer red but yellow, added the highway bar, and a windshield and fairing, and lower fairings, still working on the lower fairings, they are made for a Harley, and were a might wide for the bars I purchased.

FYI I have found that the parts and pieces of the VTX are not fun pieces to learn to wrap on.
Have not done the tank yet as I am waiting until I am happy with the inside state before removing the badging and the doing the wrap.

So after slicing a few inches off the inside of the lower fairings, and removing a few inches from the closing vents I was placing the right side on and dry-fitting and its really close to the front exhaust cover, so I am going to do some filler and add a layer of heat shield to protect the ABS from melting from proximity with the exhaust pipe.

I have replaced all of the lights headlight, brake light, and turn signals with LED's.
I also replaced the turn signal relay with a low amp version to avoid hyper-flash.
I have not yet installed and wired the USB plugs and the battery tender, nor installed the new battery.
Once I get the tank rust free, and coated, then cleaned and vinyl wrapped I will remount and then fire it up, hopefully!
I will take it to the local shop and have them mount and balance the new tires and do the state inspection.
Aardvark

Ask and Ye shall receive!

Update, Closing in on completion.
The fuel tank appears to be rust free.
I will be replacing the electrolysis fluid today or tomorrow, and running for an additional day for verification then emptying and drying the tank.
Once that is complete I will use the tank coating to seal the inside.
Once that is done the outside (of the tank) gets washed really well and then the vinyl applied.
I am making a leather cover for the tank cover to hide the seam for the vinyl, which I am putting on in two pieces that will meet in the center of the tank.
I have now received all the pieces for the carburetor, new accelerator pump, vacuum pump, air pump and the remote adjust for the air/fuel screw.
All of those will be installed and the carburetor reinstalled while I am awaiting the tank seal to cure.
Then its fluid replacements for brake, rear end, coolant, and oil.
Once the tank seal is cured the tank will get reinstalled and gasoline added.
I will button up the electronic addons, (USB charger and Battery tender pigtail).
Install the new battery then test fire and tune.
Once I get that wrapped up, should be a simple matter of taking it to the local shop and having the tires replaced and the state inspection completed.
I will add pictures when I get the tires on.
Aardvark