Need a gas tank when syncing the carbs?

[Kabonkie]

I posted this when I was talking about working on my 80 850. I thought I'd put it here as well, as it might be something others could use that may not read my other post.

I was going to sync the 4 carbs on my 850. I bought the $20 tool so that I can loosen the lock nut and then use the screwdriver inside the tool so when it was right you can hold the screw and lock it back down without moving the carb out of sync. But the problem was how to get in there with the tool. It's pretty long and a temporary gas tank would really do the trick here.

But at the shop $50 for a plastic bottle and some fitting and some hose, seemed way over-priced to me. There just had to be a better option. Here's mine, and I made it with items already here.







I did buy some fuel line so that this could be hung from say a coat rack instead. I used no more than a half pint of fuel with this set up when I did it. And that was warming up the bike and the full sync. And the best part was the bottle can be folded and the excess fuel can be poured back out and into the gas can without a funnel or spilling it.

Hope this helps and saves someone some money....

[Sandy]

A lot of people rig up some pretty bizaar and dangerous ways to get gas to the carbs for syncing. Why not get and 6' to 8' piece of fuel line and just set your tank on the work bench. It's probably already got some gas in it to boot. Oh yeah, you'll have to set it to prime if you still have the vacuum gas tap.

[Kabonkie]

My tank didn't have a petcock you can change at all. No prime, no reserve, no on. With the vacuum the petcock is opened, no vacuum, no gas.

I thought about setting it on the bench, but would have had to buy vacuum line as well. Looked more dangerous than what I did, with the long line I could have pulled it off the bench and dropped it on the floor and discharged all that gas every where. Plus all that gas in the line you have to deal with after you're done.

This was done with items already in my garage. I didn't buy a thing. Other than the top was open, this is originally set up to have a 3 foot of hose on it and that hung on something other than the handlebars. You could add a shutoff valve and not cut the bottom of the bottle off and have exactly the same thing they sell for $50.

Sorry you don't approve.

[Chris.E]

When i did my carb sync i used an old lawnmower fuel tank.

[drhach]

Yikes

Creative solutions are always nice. That looks pretty dangerous though. The notion of an open top container held up with a coathanger, above a hot, running engine. I don't know... To me, it has burned down garage written all over it. I'm glad nobody was hurt.

[Jethro]

Bahhh, 12 oz. of gas goes up pretty quick with only a huge, not massive fireball. Nothing to worry about except scaring the crap out of yourself. Keep a fire extinguisher nearby.

[Sandy]

My tank didn't have a petcock you can change at all. No prime, no reserve, no on. With the vacuum the petcock is opened, no vacuum, no gas.

I thought about setting it on the bench, but would have had to buy vacuum line as well. Looked more dangerous than what I did, with the long line I could have pulled it off the bench and dropped it on the floor and discharged all that gas every where. Plus all that gas in the line you have to deal with after you're done.

This was done with items already in my garage. I didn't buy a thing. Other than the top was open, this is originally set up to have a 3 foot of hose on it and that hung on something other than the handlebars. You could add a shutoff valve and not cut the bottom of the bottle off and have exactly the same thing they sell for $50.

Sorry you don't approve.

It's not that I don't approve, I've seen lots of people do it this way. I don't sync carbs that often and instead trying to make something up to do the job I happened to have a bunch of gas line around. Works for me but could see where not having a prime would be a bit of a pain. As for draining the long fuel line, just pull it off the petcock and drain it into a clean container and put it back in the tank.

[Nightmare]

I was going to sync the 4 carbs on my 850. I bought the $20 tool so that I can loosen the lock nut and then use the screwdriver inside the tool so when it was right you can hold the screw and lock it back down without moving the carb out of sync.

And where did you find this tool... I'd gladly pay 20$ for that...

Instead of cutting one side of the bottle open, why not rig a vent line for the bottle and just fill the bottle through the cap. Or if a vent line is too much of a pain, just punch a small hole in the bottom of the bottle (plug it while filling) hang er upside down and now if the bottle falls over very little fuel will spill..?

[rapidray]

Actually, a better, and MUCH SAFER, fuel tank is available at any of your closest Pick-A-Part yards. Look for a Windshield washer fluid bottle as they have lids & come with a nipple already in place to connect your fuel line to. You can buy a piece of line 6-8 feet long to get the fuel away from your bike &, even if it were to fall, with a lid you won't have much spill. Trust me, an open ANYTHING containing gas in just an invitation to a SCREAMING ALPHA BRAVO! For you that aren't familiar with that term it is a person on fire with gas! Ray.

[rustybronco]

just punch a small hole in the bottom of the bottle (plug it while filling) hang er upside down and now if the bottle falls over very little fuel will spill..?

Exactly how I do it, plus i duct tape a hook to the bottle to hang it over the bars.

[Guest]

I use the fuel tank off of my snowblower

[bwringer]

Actually, a better, and MUCH SAFER, fuel tank is available at any of your closest Pick-A-Part yards. Look for a Windshield washer fluid bottle as they have lids & come with a nipple already in place to connect your fuel line to. You can buy a piece of line 6-8 feet long to get the fuel away from your bike &, even if it were to fall, with a lid you won't have much spill. Trust me, an open ANYTHING containing gas in just an invitation to a SCREAMING ALPHA BRAVO! For you that aren't familiar with that term it is a person on fire with gas! Ray.

Any auto parts store should have a universal plastic windshield washer/coolant catch tank for just a few bucks. With a few fittings and some hose, this makes a dandy temporary fuel tank.

[Nerobro]

Around the WDHQ we use a hose hooked up to a battery acid container. Well washed of course... But it's got a little nipple on it that's just dandy for a fuel line. It even has a well sealing cap.

[cberkeley]

I needed one too, so I built this last weekend from a 1-gal gasoline caddy, gasoline approved vinyl tubing, outboard primer bulb and a Briggs & Stratton fuel shut off valve. Tiny holes bored in the cap allow for venting. Works great!

[fatkid89704]

the best one i have seen was made from medical equipment.my friend used a iv rack and a plastic iv bottle with fuel line on it.looks pretty good to me nice clean set up.