A few Questions about a 86 250

**86.Rebel** · 10-07-2009, 01:48 PM

Hey guys I have a 1986 250 & have a few questions.

1) How can i clean or cover the rust inside the gas tank?
2) How wide is the throttle body? ( I want to get a air filter but not using the stock air box)
3) Best item's to go with to do a tune up?

& is there anyone in NY area that has a rebel & can give me a hand?
I can pay for the work to be done..

I don't have much knowledge about bikes just trying to learn.

Thanks in advance

**flitecontrol** · 10-08-2009, 01:25 AM

Here's a quick answer to question number 1.

Go to Walmart and buy a bottle of "The Works" toilet bowl cleaner. It is 20% hydrochloric acid. Wear splash proof safety glasses, chemical resistant gloves, and old clothes. Remove gas cap, sending unit, and petcock from tank. Cover petcock and sending unit holes with good quality duct tape. Pour entire bottle of The Works into the tank through cap hole and cover hole with duct tape. If the rust is more than light surface rust, throw in 50 (count them) small steel nuts or a similar number of short sheet rock screws to help knock the rust off.

Slosh these around in the tank for about five minutes. Make sure the entire surface is exposed to the acid and nuts/screws. Do this two to three times. If any acid leaks out, wash it off the tank immediately. If you have a small mechanic's mirror, insert it into the tank and see if the rust is gone and the tank clean. A flashlight helps illuminate the inside of the tank. You can collect the acid and use it to clean your toilet if you like. Cleaning the tank won't hurt it a bit. If not, pour it into a bucket of water with a box of baking sode dissolve in it. This will neutralize the acid and it can be poured on any non lawn area.

Once the acid is out, immediately rinse the tank with water 3-4 times to remove the remaining acid. Use a magnetic pick up tool to retrieve all the nuts/screws. Count to be sure you got them all.

Immediately after pouring out the last of the water, dry the tank. This can be done by removing the duct tape and placing a hair dryer set on medium heat in the cap hole. A vacuum cleaner with the hose attached to the exhaust also works well. Using a leaf blower first can get rid of much of the excess water. In humid areas, some flash rust may occur. Don't worry, the next step will take care of it.

Next, reseal the holes with duct tape and pour in about 16 oz. of phosphoric acid or Naval Jelly. Slosh this around in the tank every 15 minutes for 2-3 hours, again making sure all parts of the tank are covered. Pour out liquid (wash off any spills) and dry the tank as above. Tank is now ready to be installed.

**86.Rebel** · 10-08-2009, 01:51 AM

Thanks so much man, i'll give it a try this weekend. Hopefully it'll all come out. Thanks once again.

Have any advice about giving it a nice/decent tune up?

JunkyardDog · 10-08-2009, 03:20 AM

Here is my method. Drain the tank, remove it, and thoroughly wash it out with Castrol Superclean to get all the gas and anything oily out. Warning, this stuff will take the skin right off your hands, wear latex gloves and eye protection. When you are satisfied it is clean, remove the petcock, and rinse all the Superclean out it with a garden hose, and let it dry thoroughly. Now, get a short hose that will fit fairly tightly over the threads where the petcock was, and find a bolt to screw into the other end of the hose. Now comes the tricky part. Go to Lowes or Home Depot, or a swimming pool store, and get some muriatic acid. They sell it for use in swimming pools. again wearing gloves and eye protection, slowly pour undiluted muriatic acid into the tank. DO NOT INHALE THIS STUFF. It can burn your throat and even your lungs. It will react violently with the rust in the tank, thats why you pour it in slowly. Pour in one gallon, wait an hour, pour in some more, and so on, a little at the time, until the tank is full (the tank should be sitting securely on a level surface, so the filler is as level as you can get it). Let it sit for 24 hours, then pull the bolt out of the hose and let it drain out. All the rust should be gone. Rinse it good with water again, then pour a little gas in, slosh it around to pick up the remaining water, pour it out, put the petcock back on, and fill it with gas. If you should happen to splash a little acid on your hands or arms, don't worry, it's not fatal, it won't react with skin. Just rinse it off with water.

As for the air filter, I strongly recommend using the stock filter and stock airbox. If you use a pod type filter, your carburetor will have to be rejetted, and that is a PITA without the right equipment. It will have to be done by trial and error. To find the carb inlet outside diameter, just measure it. Jerry.

**86.Rebel** · 10-08-2009, 09:32 AM

That sounds good too,i'll get it cleaned this weekend and post a few pictures.
I don't have the stock air box that's why im looking for a new way to have air filter.

My bike cranks while i use a side gas tank but shuts right off, it barely cranks on. It'll crank but than cough up. Is it becuase i have no air filter there and it's running way to lean?

& my shifter is very very stiff as well as my twist throttle. It's hard to push the gears & my twist throttle doesn't roll back after I open the throttle.

Anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Sorry once again for the newb questions..

**flitecontrol** · 10-08-2009, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86.Rebel

Have any advice about giving it a nice/decent tune up?

New plugs and wires, adjust valves if it's time. Do you know what the maintenance history on the bike is?

**86.Rebel** · 10-08-2009, 04:09 PM

on a car yea but motorcycle i dont,

school me on it please.

**flitecontrol** · 10-08-2009, 11:06 PM

What I meant was, do you know what the previous owner did in the way of maintenance (or at least what he said he did).

If not, you need to assume there was no maintenance and start doing what is suggested in the maintenance schedule. The best way is to get a Service Manual for the bike. It will have the maintenance schedule AND the procedures for how to do it, including pictures. Clymers brand may be your best bet. Can find them from time to time on ebay.

**86.Rebel** · 10-09-2009, 01:29 AM

Ohh okay,sorry.

The bike was taken well good care off. It belong to a guy in California & he drove it all the way here to NY. He dropped it off at my step fathers so he can fix it for him & the guy never came back.

That was 3 years ago,bikes been siting there since..

**flitecontrol** · 10-09-2009, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 86.Rebel

I don't have the stock air box that's why im looking for a new way to have air filter.

Do a search for air fitler or air filter mods here. Several folks have used different filters. Find a post by AlabamaRebel and click on his photos. I know he did a filter mod and he posted pics. Since this bike came from CA, it might have the emissions add-ons. You might want to remove that when you change the filter and have the tank off.

My bike cranks while i use a side gas tank but shuts right off, it barely cranks on. It'll crank but than cough up. Is it becuase i have no air filter there and it's running way to lean?

Possibly. The carb could also need cleaning due to sitting so long. If it will crank and run with the new air filter, you might get by without a carb pull by using SeaFoam. Start out by removing the carb drain screw and draining carb. Then replace screw and fill carb with straight SeaFoam. Leave it for a few days and then drain the SeaFoam and put it in the tank, add about 4 more ounces of SeaFoam and fill the tank with gas. Ride it till that tank is gone and if it's still not right, repeat with another tank and SeaFoam. If carb still isn't right, pull and clean it. BTW, you may need to rejet with filter mod. Also, add an inline fuel filter if that hasn't already been suggested.

& my shifter is very very stiff as well as my twist throttle. It's hard to push the gears & my twist throttle doesn't roll back after I open the throttle.

Lubricate all your cables. The foot shifter is stiff, not the clutch cable, right? It may be due to sitting so long. Ride it a while with new oil and see if it loosens up.

Anyone have any suggestions or advice?

Sorry once again for the newb questions..

No need to apologize for lack of knowledge. Everything we learn pretty much comes from others. If not, there would be no need for teachers!

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