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R65 gas cap stuck

smalltowntex
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:34 pm

Re: R65 gas cap stuck

Post by smalltowntex »

For those that are reading this with the same problem, I have lived the same dilemma and this is what I did after I finally got the key to go in the lock. If the cap is stuck, take the tank off and turn it upside down and pour some Marvel Mystery oil in the tank and leave it upside down for a day or two. That should do it without drilling the holes but the world does not end if that is what you have do. For a real rusty tank, get some Washing Soda at the grocery store, put about 1 tablespoon per gallon of water, buy a1/2 diameter carbon rod on Ebay and hook it up to a battery charger and apply some good old electrolysis. It is not a quick fix but it will get it. You might even use the one carbon rod up so get more than 1 when you order it. Be sure and keep the carbon rod insulated from the tank. This is not a project for the weak hearted. Drain the crud out...check your results and repeat if you don't like what you see. After all this, if you are not satisfied, you can send the tank to a company that specializes in this and send it to them. They will reline your tank and all with no muss and fuss on your part other than shipping it to them. You "might" have to reline the inside of your wallet when you pay but I cannot say that for sure, I have never used their service but I know they do exist. If anyone needs any help, just msg me and I will do what I can. I can testify this is awful aggravating. Plan on a carburetor kit while you are at it and get all the filters you can till this is taken care of.

smalltowntex
Posts: 2
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:34 pm

Re: R65 gas cap stuck

Post by smalltowntex »

It is hard to tell the whole scoop in one sitting. Get the sludge out first, use electrolysis to get the rust and the main point I wanted to add to the post I made above is the carbon rod and battery charger. Get the rod as far in the tank as possible and it will probably require slipping a rubber insulating hose over the rod where it will contact the tank. Major problems if it shorts out with the tank. Now, hook up the battery charger with the carbon rod being the anode and just clamp the negative to the tank, somehow. I just made a short pigtail out of 14ga and hooked it up to a cross brace on the bottom of tank. The charger needs to just "trickle charge". Don't set on a higher setting than low...more is not better. The new smart chargers will not work for this. More ? just drop me a mail.
My bike had been in a barn for 37 years. The gas evaporated eons ago but plenty of rust...big time, along with many other problems but now it runs like a clock.
smalltowntex

User avatar
Dave Reina
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 11:23 am

Re: R65 gas cap stuck

Post by Dave Reina »

Here is the end of the story with my mucked up R65 tank. I actually got it to look pretty clean inside after soaking the old sludge with a few gallons of denatured alcohol for a month and putting in old nuts and bolts and shaking it a few times every day. I had to use a magnet fastened to a length of aluminum wire to get all the nuts and bolts out. Then finally one more rinse with another gallon of alcohol. It looked like clean metal inside. I got the bike insured and registered, rebuilt the carbs and the distributer can and put the cleaned tank on. Wow, it started up after a few cranks. Pretty smokey at first but we had puts lots of oil down the cylinders. The smoke went away and with each ride around the block it kept running better. Then when I laid on my back to adjust an air idle screw I saw a wet spot on the bottom outside edge of the tank. Darn! We took off the tank and ran to the auto store to get some tank epoxy. Roughed up and cleaned the pinhole really well and put on a patch of epoxy. The next day when trying again found another leak. I decided to scrape down to metal all the suspect areas and discovered many more pinholes. I think my friends brother who painted the tank must have used an epoxy primer on the outside and that primer was strong enough to hold things together for a while but eventually failed. Tonight picked up an ebay tank that was for sale locally . It has dents on one side but otherwise seems clean.
Dave Reina
Brooklyn, NY

User avatar
Dave Reina
Posts: 106
Joined: Sun Nov 21, 2010 11:23 am

Re: R65 gas cap stuck

Post by Dave Reina »

Thanks for everyones good suggestions. I'd like to try the electrolysis technique one day.
Dave
Dave Reina
Brooklyn, NY

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