1978 GL1000

You REALLY want to laugh, try taking the fuel tank out of one of these beasts!

 

Yeah, thanks Mello!
She is a pretty nice one!!
Praise God!!!

 

No hands on with GW but from the picture it looks tucked away quite well - where is the filling opening?
It also looks - at least on the outside - in really nice shape for a bike that may have been used two or three seasons and then stored away.

 

The tank is under the seat, kinda like the V-Max
The filler is under a little door on the "false" tank or "covers".
It was REALLY bad in there, I should have taken some before pictures but the worst rust that I have ever seen!
I am trying to clean it while still in the bike, put the metal rescue (Evapo-rust) in last night. Going to leave it in there for a couple days!
We'll see how that works?

 

Do aftermarket glass fibre fuel tanks exist?

 

An endoscope peek in the cylinders and here and there could be interesting.
On bikes with steel frame I would also give that a close Inspection, especially around the welds for motor support, although the general quality seemed to improve a lot during the 70s.
Cool project on a bike which I consider one of several great innovations by Honda.
Even if not being a V4

 

If prepared for some experiments this method could be interesting:
https://web.archive.org/web/2019102...ncegarage.com/public4/gas-tank-cleaning-1.cfm
No personal experience but the person behind the article seems experienced. As I recall I found the reference in a post here somewhere.

 

Thank you for all that information!
As for the new tank, I have not looked, I am sure they are available as there are MANY aftermarket options for this bike!! (at least there were)
I am working currently on saving the original!!! Pics to come ...

 

I still haven't taken any good photos but I did get the tank all cleaned out. I used the Evapo-Rust and it worked pretty good. I let it sit in there for about 36 hours, pumped it all out, sprayed the crap out of it with the pressure washer, drained and blew it out with air and dried it out with a heat gun and vacuum then filled it up right away with non-ethanol premium. I put a new battery in it and she started right up! Runs super smooth!! I aired up the tires and thought I was going to test ride it until I pulled on the brake and got nothing!!! The back brake is also not really acceptable. So I got a friend to help me with those to make sure that I can stop safely, then I will ride and tell you all how she does.

 

all clean and put back together

 

Be sure to check/change the coolant also.

 

Yeah, for sure!
Thank you!!
I was planning on drain and flush the cooling system as well!!!
Fill with new coolant.

 

So the question is how do you check the oil?
I was just going to drain and fill and of course change the filter.
But how are you supposed to check the level??
No dipstick, no sight glass??? (that I could find anyway)

 

Yup, just like that guy!
Thanks Mello!!
Kinda hard to find and see, there IS a sight glass, you just need to wipe it clear with the little do-hicky!!!