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| Blaine's gascap
fix: The original flat gaskets are still available for around $15 but I much prefer using a rubber o-ring with a little super glue to hold it. An o-ring like this is available in the plumbing section of a Wal-Mart or other hardware store for about $1 for 4 of them (Peerless faucet repair kit) or you can get them loose at better hardware stores or hydraulic supply for a few cents. I have several bikes with this modification and so far they have held together with no signs of leaking or deteriorating (and the superglue hasn't come loose either). Added 9/30/99: I just tried the o-ring without any glue to hold it and it seems to stay in place just fine just by friction. |
| Danny
Kumin added
this note to the 650 list 9/27/99: I found that a "1-1/2-inch slip-joint washer," acquired at my local Ace Hardware emporium, worked perfeclty. the result requires (so far) no superglue or accelerant. FWIW, this is Danco stock #36649B; cost me 59 cents. |
| Blaine adds on 9/30/99: I find that even with a good sealing gasket I still get gas leaking with a very full tank, this is from gas bubbling up the air vent and out onto the tank. I took the cap apart (xs11 special) and found the air vent consists of several small chambers leading up to just under the top surface of the cap. If you remove the "hat" shaped piece holding the o-ring (remove the three small screws) and remove the thick, rubberized, paper gasket under that there is a small piece of foam rubber with a small, round, brass disk under it with a hole in the center. I sealed this small hole on the foam side and sanded the other side smooth with 600 wet/dry. The foam now holds it in place against the vent tube and it acts as a one-way valve that lets air into the tank but seals so pressure can't escape (or at least must escape very slowly). I can fill the tank full, close the cap and shake the bike vigorously without any gas running out now. WARNING: if you have leaking vacuum petcocks and leaking float valves this extra pressure will only make them leak worse - I have had no problems with overflow at all since my float valves work great. |