Help desperately in need of a fuel tank

Discussion in '5th Generation 1998-2001' started by John rice, Sep 20, 2018.

  1. John rice

    John rice New Member

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    Hey everyone I'm need here but I got a 01 tht I thought just needed a tank painted until I realized that all the bubbles in the paint where from the tank rotting out from the inside so I'm trying to find a tank that need little to no work can anyone help me out
     
  2. cbviffer

    cbviffer New Member

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    I just got a tank on ebay, even the right colour, you might check on there.
    Good luck
     
  3. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Welcome to the MadHouse John

    Your best bet is to look on eBay or Craigslist, but be aware that a used fuel tanks may be just as rusty as your current one, so try and see the item before paying out money.

    You might want to update your forum profile to include an approximate location (city/state is plenty) and also post up a photo of your bike, so folks know what colour fuel tank you are looking for. You never know there may be someone on here who is local to you who is able to help.

    Sadly parts for 5th Gen VFRs are becoming increasingly hard to find, so contacting any local vehicle dismantling firms is also worth considering. Typically if the tank is full of rust then there is a serious risk of debris gumming up the carbs, so you should probably check they are clear before trying to start the bike.

    If you are new to VFRs then find time to browse through posts in the 5th gen section as it will flag up most of the common issues to be aware of - like the charging system which have proved to be a major source of grief for many. If nothing else consider fitting a cheap eBay volt meter - the sort that show the system volts as LED numbers, but you don't want to drain your battery so don't wire it direct to the battery just take a feed from an ignition controlled circuit.

    Whilst they meters sold on eBay may not be very accurate, they will still allow you to monitor the charging system and once you become familiar with whatever is "normal" you should quickly spot if the charging system starts misbehaving. OK, it won't prevent problems, but it will give you a chance to head for some place safe before whatever energy is left in the battery is drained and you are left stranded by the roadside.

    Take Care and ATGATT


    SkiMad
     
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  4. VFRIRL

    VFRIRL New Member

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    I think I'll fit a volt meter,what's the normal running voltage for a 5th gen?
     
  5. skimad4x4

    skimad4x4 "Official" VFRWorld Greeter

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    Hi VFRIRL

    There is no single figure answer to that question as there are many variables to take into account.

    As I said above not all voltmeters are wonderfully accurate - so you may find the numbers on your specific meter are consistently a bit higher or lower.

    If from the outset you see really weird numbers on your meter (way too high or low) then it is well worth comparing against a certified meter before just chucking it out - as it may be showing your charging system is already in trouble!

    However even the super cheap volt meters should be good enough to allow you to monitor what is happening with your charging system provided you have chosen one which displays volts as numbers rather than the very pretty but largely useless coloured lights versions.

    On fuel injected bikes like the 5th Gens it is doubtful the fuel pump will prime if the before you fire the bike up battery volts are below 12.3 volts.

    If you watch a voltmeter whilst starting the bike there is a relatively large demand on the battery by the starter which could see the volts briefly drop to around 10. But it should climb almost immediately to 13 volts+ once the engine fires up a healthy charging system.

    Once the bike is running normally then the numbers I would look for are at least 12.5 volts at warm idle, 13.0+ at cold idle when the revs will be enhanced. Once riding volts should ideally settle between 13.0 and 14.5 volts and stay in that range whenever the engine is running at above idle.

    Over time you will quickly get a feel for what are the normal volts shown by your specific meter. Obviously do not allow the meter to distract from riding safely! But all you need is a very occasional glance at the meter when it is safe to do. That will allow you to see if there has been a change from the norm - either a spike above 15 or dropping to 12 volts or lower numbers - in which case it is probably time to head to a place of safety and get a dealer or your recovery service to check the bike over.

    SkiMad
     
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  6. VFRIRL

    VFRIRL New Member

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    Thanks that's brilliant info, I'm not great at electrics but I understand now which numbers to keep an eye on and will hopefully know if there is a problem occurring.
     
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