Long Term Storage Damage
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 118
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From: Port Huenrme
Long Term Storage Damage
Hey guys, need some help saving a life here. Saw a beautiful 2001 FXST online that was up for auction. It was being sold by a community college that had purchased the bike 10 yrs ago to use for a small engine class. The listing said that the bike had been put in storage temporarily, but ended staying there for 10 years. There were extensive pictures of the entire bike. Not a spot of rust, super clean. The listing stated New battery, engine starts but wont stay on because of gas.
I bid $3700 and to my surprise won the bike. I got it home, and found the oil dipstick rusted and needed to be pried out of the reservoir. Which is empty. The gas tank is full of rusty chunks and the trans fluid is milky white.
Theres no way this engine starts like this. Can it be saved? Is it worth trying? I already have $3700 invested. The bike looks great, but .......
I bid $3700 and to my surprise won the bike. I got it home, and found the oil dipstick rusted and needed to be pried out of the reservoir. Which is empty. The gas tank is full of rusty chunks and the trans fluid is milky white.
Theres no way this engine starts like this. Can it be saved? Is it worth trying? I already have $3700 invested. The bike looks great, but .......
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2017
Posts: 12,186
Likes: 4,908
From: England
There is a guy on here who has a straight answer for you. lol.
If it is full of crap I would strip it down and thoroughly clean everything, changing parts that need them.
If the cases hold the liquids in then it is only the internals that need attention.
If the frame is good and everything else is good then how hard can it be to get the engine going?
If the frame was shot with rust then that is for the skip and you are looking at a new bike.
If it is full of crap I would strip it down and thoroughly clean everything, changing parts that need them.
If the cases hold the liquids in then it is only the internals that need attention.
If the frame is good and everything else is good then how hard can it be to get the engine going?
If the frame was shot with rust then that is for the skip and you are looking at a new bike.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2018
Posts: 84
Likes: 31
From: Homestead FL
It sounds like you still got a great deal... You just need to invest in either a brand new engine/drive train/fuel tank or get your hands dirty and rebuild what you have from the ground up...
I would not even think of starting that engine without a real good rebuild.
Keep us posted, it sounds like a great project.
SPEED SAFE, NICK
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 118
Likes: 8
From: Port Huenrme
Ive decided not to do anything physically harmful to the lying bastard thats responsible for this, instead I accept the challenge.
Common sense is telling me to first remove the gas tank and work my way down. Im open to any and all opinions on how to proceed. Im hoping for everyones support as we together can save this girl.
Common sense is telling me to first remove the gas tank and work my way down. Im open to any and all opinions on how to proceed. Im hoping for everyones support as we together can save this girl.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,075
Likes: 11,096
From: San Diego, CA
Ive decided not to do anything physically harmful to the lying bastard thats responsible for this, instead I accept the challenge.
Common sense is telling me to first remove the gas tank and work my way down. Im open to any and all opinions on how to proceed. Im hoping for everyones support as we together can save this girl.
Common sense is telling me to first remove the gas tank and work my way down. Im open to any and all opinions on how to proceed. Im hoping for everyones support as we together can save this girl.
It should be a fun project AND you will learn a lot about your bike. Plus, if you take your time and don't cut corners, you will know everything was done properly....!!
I'm glad you accepted the challenge, butall due respect, you really have no one to blame, other than yourself....
FWIW.... you bought a bike, sight unseen, prior to inspecting it.... That alone is always taking a BIG chance. The person who posted, "New battery, engine starts but wont stay on because of gas, probably got that info second hand, just like you did....
One line in your first post, "It was being sold by a community college that had purchased the bike 10 yrs ago to use for a small engine class. The listing said that the bike had been put in storage temporarily, but ended staying there for 10 years."..... should have been a BIG red flag! How many times that bike been "fixed" by unskilled hands, and then just put away for 10 years with no prep, would have given me major pause. I would have contacted the seller with a ton of questions and only offered a bid with conditions...
But that's water under the bridge at this point, live & learn.... as I said, in one way, you are very lucky... if the bike is as clean as it looked in the pics and you describe... it can be fixed... and it WILL be a fun project!!!
Enjoy and post up some pics...
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Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 118
Likes: 8
From: Port Huenrme
I guess I wasnt clear about the school, they dont have a small engine class. They bought 2 bikes with the intention of starting a class but never did. So the bike was as is when purchased.
Of course its ultimately on me, but thinking it starts was a significant factor when I bought the bike sight on seen.
But we can agree that its going to be fun.
So I got the tank off and its full of varnished chunks. Looks like thats the worst of it. Theres no large openings in the tank to clean it out. Any ideas?
Of course its ultimately on me, but thinking it starts was a significant factor when I bought the bike sight on seen.
But we can agree that its going to be fun.
So I got the tank off and its full of varnished chunks. Looks like thats the worst of it. Theres no large openings in the tank to clean it out. Any ideas?
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 14,075
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From: San Diego, CA
Originally Posted by 805dwg;17817313[left
But we can agree that it’s going to be fun.
So I got the tank off and it’s full of varnished chunks. Looks like that’s the worst of it. There’s no large openings in the tank to clean it out. Any ideas?
So I got the tank off and it’s full of varnished chunks. Looks like that’s the worst of it. There’s no large openings in the tank to clean it out. Any ideas?
I had the paint liner of my '01 peel... with a carb bike, there are only 3 holes in the tank. You won't get much out of the petcock hole, so you'll have to work with the gas fill on one side and remove the float for the gas gauge on the other side.... it's not hard, and the easiest way to flush everything out.
When you put the gas gauge float back in, remember to use a new gasket and new sealing screws....
That varnish could be the main culprit... clean it out of the tank, petcock, lines, and carb... then you'll be rolling in no time!
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