First Buell - Fuel Tank

[hfx987]

Hi

Ive just started riding recently - and the other week I bought my first Buell... a 2006 XB12Ss.

It was bought as a fixer-upper... it hadn't been started for at least 3 years - so I knew that i would be in for a bit of work. The guy who owned it previously complained that it would stall, and be hard to start occasionally - but didn't bother to look in to it any more.

When i got the bike home, i downloaded the service manual, and did all the normal maintenance etc etc. Once i got the bike going electrically - tried starting it - and it would turn over but not start. A spray of intake cleaner, got the motor to fire... and then die again. So ignition / ecu etc looking ok. No fuel.

I checked the fault codes... and happily - just fuel pump and exhaust control.

I then followed the diagnostic steps for the fuel pump - bringing me to the point of removing the pump for replacement.

No dramas there - get the fuel pump out and find this:

again - no real drama - ill order the bits and put it back together.

with the pump being so cruddy - id thought I would have a look at the tank - and it is a mess...,

no real wonder why the pump clogged up and carked it.

ive played around with cars for years - but totally new to bikes... even with all my messing around with cars - ive never noticed this sort of thing before.

now... do I worry about the state of the tank?
if so - how the frick am I going to clean it?
is there a way of installing an external filter (and bypassing the internal filter) while I run a heap of fuel system cleaner through?

any suggestions would be most welcome.. I have still got a few months before the restrictions are removed from my motorcycle licence and I can ride the thing - so I don't mind putting a bit of effort in....

Ta!

Sam
06 Buell XB12Ss
06 Ducati Monster S 400

 

[Cosworth]

Someone else has a issue similar to this a few months ago, A few other members and myself suggested he get enough kerosene to nearly fill the tank and slosh it around for awhile to eat the gunked up fuel away. Its hard to tell how bad the tank is from your pics but the pump looks nasty. Id suggest you try the same thing.

 

[hfx987]

It is a bit hard to see in the pictures - but the inside of the tank is covered in a thick, sticky greeny black treacle like substance. I'm guessing that someone might have tried to sabotage the PO (sugar in the tank?)

There was at least 15 litres of whatever had be come of the fuel in the tank when I started draining it - and it smelt like nothing I have ever smelt before

I'll get some kero and try out your suggestion... Given it is a fuel receptacle already - I can't imagine any harm in leaving the kero in there a while....
thanks for your tip - I'll let you know how I go.

 

[gammax]

Id definitely do the kerosene... may be let it sit in there for a while and possibly get some kind of agitator....If the pump still works i would prolly take off both filters and run a tube up to the the gas inlet to keep the kerosene moving around. Mineral spirits may works good in the price range for the first run... then a final cleaning with kero.

If you didnt know the fuel filters on that pump are identical to a 80's/90's mustang. Tones of info on that on the forums. Good luck!

 

[WIGGLE2]

Mineral spirits may works good in the price range for the first run... then a final cleaning with kero.

I do not know if there was any sealer/coating put on inside of these, but this will not hurt it....if fuel doesn't affect it, this surely won't either.

I'm guessing that someone might have tried to sabotage the PO (sugar in the tank?)

I doubt it.....most pump fuel turns into goo after sitting that long. I happen to be the guy everyone comes to after the first snow and their snow blower doesn't start or runs terrible. And....I find this goo in there frequently.

 

[WIGGLE2]

You will also want to sent those injectors out to RC Engineering and get them serviced. (or replace them). Cleaning them and having them tested willl only set you back about $25 a piece. These guys do AWESOME work.
http://www.rceng.com/Fuel-Injector-Cleaning-P43C0.aspx

 

[djs2k2]

I will have to say that pump looked more like a septic pump than a fuel pump!

 

[WIGGLE2]

and it smelt like nothing I have ever smelt before

I think we've all been there already?!

 

[hfx987]

thanks heaps for your tips guys...

ive been away for the last week and a half - with the kero sitting in the tank since before I left. tonight I might drain the kero out and flush with new stuff.

thanks also for the tip on the injector cleaner - im in Australia! - I do have a local guy that has done awesome work for me previously on my car stuff - ill whip the injectors out and send them around to him.

hopefully my fuel pump parts start arriving this week, and I can post some good news

cheers