Removing fuel tank tomorrow

[The Big J]

OK guys. Tomorrow as part of my motorcycle education I will be
removing the fuel tank, adjusting the throttle cable at the carb, having a look at the carb (just a look at what is where, mixture screw, where you would remove the bowl etc.), change oil and filter, replace brake pads.

I am posting this to a) make sure I get around to it or you'll all know.
b) can anyone let me know if there's anyway you can really fuck up inadvertently. Turning off the fuel line is just at the reserve switch correct? Not another tap I need to know about?

VTZ250 is the bike.

cheers

[merv]

I don't know your model of bike but assume it has just the one fuel tap mounted on the bottom edge of the left side of your fuel tank. Turn it to the off position and then remove the fuel hose from the tap. The hose will have a wee spring clip holding it on and typically after a long time the hose will be quite stuck on to the tap. Move the wee clip along off of the where the rubber is on the tap - a small pair of pliers can be used to squeeze the clip and move it. Then I use just a small screwdriver in one hand to put in behind the end of the tube to help push it off as I'm pulling the tube off with other hand. The hose just needs a bit of persuasion to move it.

Your bike will have two carbs I'm sure but there will be a linkage between the carbs. This will probably not be visible until you've removed the tank and taken the cover off the airbox and taken the filter out. If you bike is running well now I'd say don't go touching any mixture screws but sure have a look where they are.

For my comments on oil changing check this thread of Mrs Kendog's http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=40364

The best way not to fuck up is don't touch anything that's working fine like the carbs. Sure, change or clean the air filter, change your oil and filter and the brake pads and maybe change your plugs too if it hasn't had new ones for a long time.

[surfer]

You might want to drain as much of the fuel out of your tank as you can before you start your adventure. That way it will be a bit lighter and easier to move around, especially if you have to wiggle it forward to get it off the frame and run the risk of knocking the handle bars. You will also be less likely to drop it which will leave one muther of a dent in it if it is full of fuel.

Not sure if this is stuff that you might be aware of alreay: Always use the correct spanner size so as not to round off any nuts. This will create a bigger problem for you later when you go to repeat this exercise sometime in the future. If you have any nice flash chrome nuts you may want to consider puting a thin piece of cloth between them and the spanner so as not to scartch them. Remember where stuff comes off from. Keep everyting in one neat little place on something rather than just on the floor. If you damage your fuel line when pulling it off get a replacement one, it is cheaper than squirting fuel over your bike and turning yourself into a potential torch when you go to ride it.

Check all the nuts and fuel lines carefully when you have put it all back together. You should not have any leaks at all on your fuel line. Run a finger around the connections if they are wet and smelly(feel I am running into dangerous groud here ooo eer) you have a leak. So find it and sort it out.

Good luck.

[Wasp]

OK guys. Tomorrow as part of my motorcycle education I will be
removing the fuel tank, adjusting the throttle cable at the carb, having a look at the carb (just a look at what is where, mixture screw, where you would remove the bowl etc.), change oil and filter, replace brake pads.

I am posting this to a) make sure I get around to it or you'll all know.
b) can anyone let me know if there's anyway you can really fuck up inadvertently. Turning off the fuel line is just at the reserve switch correct? Not another tap I need to know about?

VTZ250 is the bike.

cheers

Nothing to fuck up, just dont do something stupid like leave the side panels in a place you will step on them and dont drop the petrol tank (or damage the petcock)

TURN THE FUEL TAP TO THE "OFF" POSITION, otherwise it WILL flow (should be labled otherwise be creative and find it)

idle adjust is on the left hand side of the bike

air filter is in the middle of the air box (its a flat pad - cant be cleaned replacements are about $100) like the top of the airbox lifts off.

cant think of much more and its home time, if you have a problem feel free to pm me, im sure insanity_rules would be willing to help too

oh, some of the gas/air lines (pipes) might be perished careful not to split any critical ones (fuel line form tank) and replace them if need be

[The Big J]

f... I am no good admitting I don't know something!

OK so the tank is off - had a bit of a curse getting the plastic petcock cover off (didn't see the phillips head screw in middle until poking round with flashlight, could have been worse, I could've struck a match)
So am I right that it's too much hassle removing the air filter?

Question is, I can get to one sparkplug but the other seems to require I remove the radiator hose to get to - is this a bit crazy? I suspect they may be a bit too much hassle. I now have an idea of where they are seated, pulling more off the bike a bit more than required when there's not actually anything wrong with them? Should I just check the one that's easy?

Does anyone know what the gap should be at?

Good news is I did 3 oil & filters today without a hitch (1bike 2 cars) so am well versed in keeping the texas tea off my hands and off the floor! Just ran out of time a bit for the poking around.
Only outstanding thing is to clean chain and buy a new rear tire and it's off to the markets!

[The Big J]

Does anyone know what the gap should be at?

for a 1989 VTR250
Spark plug gap 0.8 - 0.9 mm (0.031 - 0.035 in) (http://www.tomiandcarl.com/honda_250.htm)

Can't find anything on net for VTZ not in Japanese (domestic only for Japan)

Anyone care to disagree?

[Wasp]

nope, nothing on vtz afaik stuff for vt250fs though, its at home

air filter is a peice of piss to do as far as i remember, its like 4 screws one in each corner going down through it or something, un do them

although.... looking at that first photo..... its already done?!

the air filter is massive, like i dunno... 20cm2 or somthing?

[Wasp]

yea looking at that photo on the left, that black box where the air hose is sitting next to - im pretty sure thats the air box. the smaller box inside is like a wire mesh is it not?

the filter should sit on top of that and then there should be a lid......

[The Big J]

ok - have described the air box. The filter itself is out - yes.

I don't remove the airbox correct?

Do I have to remove the radiator to get to the forward plug?

[Wasp]

not a clue, plugs and ht leads were on my to do list when i owned one but never did them

whats your airfilter like? mine was completly (almost) black, after replacing it the bike ran sooo much better

you cant clean them because the paper/cardboard is coated in sticky stuff to catch and trap the crap

[The Big J]

OK
Had to be in town at 12.00 so all put back together.

Air filter was darkened but not overly dirty. Could have used a air compressor to blow out but I don't feel it would have impaired engine in state it's in. Thanks for thoughts.

It does feel like it runs better on fresh oil - anyone else notice that? Maybe just psychosematic. Last change was 8000-8500 km ago so not too long between them

[Wasp]

8k kms is too long for an old vt(z), what grade oil are you using in it?

air compressor wont give as good results as buying a new (or custom cleanable) air filter because the black stuff is actually STUCK with GLUE to the paper

im not trying to tell you off or tell you how to run your bike, im just saying that in hind sight i should have taken better care of mine (and would be today if i had knowen) but hey its all about learning

[The Big J]

yeah point taken. I did 4000kms in the last 10 days though and wasn't going to find a garage to do it myself in so I hung in there.