hey guys i know this is about a motorcycle but maybe you guys can point me in the right direction... i just got an older motorcycle from my uncle, it needs some repairs, new throttle cable, rear fender, and gas tank, the gas tank is what im inquiring about. Its got a crack in it nothing huge just a few inches on the left side near the seat, i was wondering if there is a way to melt the plastic back together? i saw something on powerblock about a plastic welder did anyone else see that? and does anyone think that that would work on a gas tank for an old dirt bike?
thanks
Brian

 

what about a hot glue gun?

 

Yeah you can get a plastic welder. I know Harbor freight has them but I don't know how good they are.

 

Just pour some gas in your lap and light it.

Buy a new tank.

What is a Gross Polluter vehicle? HEP. High Emitter Profile. How do cars become gross polluters. My car is a HEP. High Emitter Profile. Failed smog. GP vehicle. Hybrid. Why is my car a Gross Polluter? How can I pass the smog inspection? Do I need a T

And yea, I know it's $200+, but don't be a damn fool and sit on top of a gas tank that is going to leak or split. You ever see a gasoline fire? You ever see anyone who lived through one?

 

I saw the episode with the plastic welder, I would like one for myself.

You should look at finding a new tank first, it might be cheaper than the welder.

Could you post the details on the bike?

I do not think heating the tank with that tool will cause an explosion, but I would hate to buy the welder and have fail in making the repair. Then you will have to buy a replacement tank anyway.

If you are not going for a restoration, you maybe able to get just about any tank to replace your cracked one.

If you go with the plastic welder, clean and purge the tank with argon just to be safe.

 

yeah i wouldnt be fixing it with gas in it... id empty it and let it sit a while, and i dont have specs on the bike, sorry i know its a 490 but i dont even know the brand, its rather old and hes giving it to me cuz he just bought a newer bike and doesnt have the time or inclination to fix it and i said id take it and fix it

 

Looks like I gave you the wrong link. If it is a Yamaha 490, they came for several years in several flavors. I had an IT 490 with a 3.5 gal tank. YZ tanks were smaller. There should be a lot of these around, maybe even an old stock one at a larger dealer. The link I meant to give you was Clarke tanks, they for sure have one.

As for the fire/no, not while your working on it, as you'll be real careful, purge the gasoline, fill with inert gas (right?) etc. It's when you're out on the trail under load on a hill in a turn and it splits again.... Nothing cleans the outsided of a hot engine like gas...

Clarke Manufacturing

 

Give this place a call for a tank - Tri County Motorcycle Salvage - Used Japanese Motorcycle Parts
Here's one in Simi - Suzuki Motorcycle Parts, Honda Motorcycle Parts, Yamaha Motorcycle Parts, Kawasaki Motorcycle Parts

 

ok i think ill just go with a new tank then...too much risk i suppose in trying to fix it...thanks for the links steve and 85e150 ill check them out

 

You ride Gorman much?

 

uh no actually mostly in the desert, i take the truck in my sig up to gorman though. I go in the winter when its way too damn cold to ride up there and theres way less people i ride out in cal city and el mirage areas if you know where they are

 

ok guys i got the bike today, its a 1986 Yamaha 490 IT, it needs a new gas tank and rear fender and a spark plug boot, but it should work with a little swearing elbow grease and gas!!! i gotta check the links you guys left for the parts i need

 

Got photos?????????
Thread's no good without photos!!!!!

 

I had an '83 IT 490 for quite some time. Some thoughts:

--not a YZ, in fact, pretty sedate for a 490.

--hope you have a front disc brake.

--a bit porky, but...

--I redid my carb. I seem to remember cutting the slide, putting a new nozzle, needle, and jets. I'm no fast rider, but I was able to make the bike run quite well for trail riding and one 30+ mile asphalt run in Baja, without sticking it and without fouling the plug. Gas mileage was actually decent!

I had a DG pipe on it as the stocker got squashed up a bit, and I can't recall the silencer but it was pretty quiet. You can still get pipes and silencers from DG, but it's YZ stuff so you may have to mod it a bit.

I think I put Boysen reeds in it as that was a habit I had at the time...

I had a guy go through it and reseal it, and when I got it back, the woodruff key on the flywheel sheared off. It popped backwards and $300 worth of clutch basket went bye-bye. Of course, I didn't catch this until the second clutch was junk....

The kick-starter return spring rests on a sharp edge and will break on you, but only if you are at the bottom of a ravine (up hill all sides...) your buddies are way ahead of you and night is falling.

Only beef on the trans is 5th is too short.

It revs out a bit farther than, say, a Ford 300, but like the 300, if you are looking at a hill covered with rocks the size of grapefruit, you can get it in 3rd and lug your way up whilst picking a suitable path without the engine screaming out of control antics of your average 125 or 250 mx bike.

 

wow man you said a lot of things that i dont know what they mean... ha sorry, im not THAT into bikes i have only been riding on and off for a little while, about a year, so im by no means an expert or anything even close. Im a total novice at all this, BUT this bike hasnt been started in a few years, what are the number one things to do before i start it?