Chassis, Frame, Forks and Tires
Title: 64
FLH tanks
| As a new pan owner, and not a motorcycle mechanic, (bad
combo right?), I still have the desire to learn more
about my machine. Couple q's. 1) Do original 64 tanks both vent from caps, if so, how does gas from full tanks not leak out of the left hand tank vented cap when parked on sidestand? 2) Where would one look for HD tank part numbers to identify original sheet metal? 3) I must have aftermarket 3.5 gal tanks, because they have an overhead vent hose between tanks and only the right gas cap is vented. Thoughts? 4) I read an earlier post about removing surface rust inside, but now cannot locate it? Any leads? thanks in advance. Jonathan - 64 FLH Post by headhog on Nov 29, 2004, 12:24am Definately aftermarket no crossover on the top of those original tanks no part no. either sorry HEADHOG Post by DanM on Nov 29, 2004, 2:21am Welcome Duo. I have a '64 FL. If you are new to the pan, I strongly urge you to get a parts book right away. Probably more important than the service book, but hey, get both. I use the red '68 ElectraGlide/duoglide 1958 to 1968 book 1) The tanks from 63-65 are part number 61229-63 left side; 61202-63 right side. The tanks from the various years vary at least due to the emblem mounts. I'm not sure of detailed differences other than that. I've had the tanks down to bare metal and did not see any # stampings on them. I think the '58-'64 would interchange as far as mounting and the gas fittings. 2) Only the right cap is vented. The parts book shows two numbers one for each and lists the left cap as not vented. 3) There is a "gas line- tank connecting" pn 62355-48 that acts as a crossover to balance the fuel level. One end screws onto a bung on the tank bottom, the other has a fitting that the fuel shut off bottom seat passes through. In my experience, if you fill up only the right side tank, you need to wait for it to move to the left. The line is small and cannot move the fuel as fast as you can fill it. On the other hand, if you really fill the left and right sides, you still might get a leak past the left gasket when on the side stand. I try not to fill to the top unless leaving the gas stop on a long ride. There are a couple of different rust removing products you can use. If you are not repainting, you need to be very carefull to mask the paint and not let get anything on it. Basically you pour in the rust remover, seal the tank, slosh and rotate the tank over and over, then pour it out. Then you can add a sealer which is done similarly, leaving a build up of a sealant on the walls of the tank. POR makes a phosphate rust remover, a cleaner, and a sealer I've used. You might get different opinions on what is best for sealing. Hope this helps. Post by DJ on Nov 29, 2004, 4:00am The best rust removing agent on the planet is: 1 part plain white vinegar 1 part lemon juice {Real Lemon brand or equivalent} Buy a lot. It's cheap. You can fill the tank and let it soak overnight if the rust is really bad....but...Plug the fittings and fill the tank about 1/4 full and dump in a handful of different sized screws, small nails, what have you.... Put a cap on top, and SHAKE VIGOROUSLY. Dump. Repeat until you have results desired. Then use the prep that comes in most sealer kits like POR 15, then seal the tank. You can use vinegar and lemon juice on anything rusty. That, a little steel wool or ScotchBrite, and elbow grease make for a mighty combination. I swear by it. Post by PanPal on Nov 30, 2004, 3:09pm I have the POR 15 in my tanks now and after more research, I would not put this or any type of sealer in my tanks. Por 15 worked well enough and the gas is not eating away at it, but old tanks have been known to crack from inproper shimming. If future repairs are needed on tanks with sealer in them, you really need to get the old sealer out. Getting old sealer out will also remove the paint. I would suggest cleaning them as DJ suggests, them test them for leaks, weld up any leaks you find and run them. If the tanks have gas in them, they are unlikely to rust. I am currently in this situation. My left tank has a leak. I Had an original paint 59 tank when I painted my tanks and matched the paint pattern very well. Now what??? I have been told, heating the tank with a torch is the best way to remove the POR 15. :-/ Post by Cotten on Dec 1, 2004, 2:12am POR-15 lasts 15 minutes in crappy Midwestern US convenience store pump gas. Been there,...done that. Ouch. Why seal a welded tank anyway? (Earlier models were soldered, and they are worth taking to your local radiator shop.) Post by headhog on Dec 1, 2004, 2:27am Cotten, I like your way of thinking. Just cap em off couple shots of air, little soapy water. Then if you spot some leakage you have em zapped up, I use 308-309 stainless cause its less crack prone. I usually purge the tank with ar.After you put that sealer in the tanks its very hard to affect a good weld later down the road, if need be.HEADHOG Post by DJ on Dec 3, 2004, 11:35am Thanks for the tip about heating the tanks to remove the POR-15. I have the original '60 tanks that are in good condition, but they have a very poorly done layer of "something" on them with a lot of rust peeking thru. One of these days I'm going to get around to working on them and I also like the idea of not putting any sealer back in them. After all, once you get them clean inside, and if the're not leaking, why seal them? And if they are leaking, they might as well be repaired right...by welding or even JB weld on the "pinners". It also occurred to me that gas fumes themselves act as a rust inhibitor so if the intent of sealing a tank is to prevent rust....you don't need it. But I absolutely maintain that vinegar and lemon juice is the cheapest, safest way to remove any kind of rust. Post by 64duo on Dec 3, 2004, 9:05pm So rust results from moisture (H2O) in the tank. Does it stand reasonable to maintain a habit of keeping the tanks full over time to reduce the forming of condensation etc? Would a fuel filled tank not rust? |
