[MTchuckles]

Hey all, I lived on a rough road for a while, and sadly that opened a few welds on my tank.  Instead of trying to chase the leaky pinholes, I used por-15 and lined the inside of the tank.  I thought I did a good job of protecting the pump mount, but one of the bolt holes got partially filled by some epoxy splash.  I tried to clean it out, but it was too dry and ultimately I ended up breaking the bolt (I know....stupid & over aggressive).  4 out of the 5 pump mount bolts are perfect, but I know at some point the seal will fail.  I can't seem to find an '09 tank anywhere.  Does anyone know if replacement tanks are in production yet (or if an '08 would fit)? Or where I can find one used? I just moved to UT for school, and there aren't any dealerships/mechanics in the state for me to consult.

[barenekd]

Using a tap works much better to clean out threads. The bolts don't have any place to push the crap out of the hole so they bind up and break.
Bare

[High On Octane]

It couldn't have threaded too far in.  Drill out the center of the bolt and use an easy out.  VERY possible it will come right out if you use a reverse cutting drill bit a few sizes smaller than the bolt.  Then chase the threads of the tank with a tap like bare mentioned.  You should be fine.  Easy peasy.

Scottie

[MTchuckles]

I realize a bolt can't push out the dried epoxy.  I cleaned as much as I could, and then hoped I could force the bolt (It was only about 1 turn from actually being where it should be before it sheared).  It hadn't occurred to me to remove the broken bolt, drill out the epoxy, and re-tap for a larger bolt. It may not be pretty, but this isn't exactly a show bike...
Thanks guys. Seems like sometimes ya just need to talk out the idea...

[Arizoni]

If you can find a small enough Easy Out and a small drill, you should be able to drill into the broken off bolt and (with fingers crossed) back it out.

Once removed, running a tap with the same size threads thru the hole will clean out the epoxy.
Then, it's just a matter of getting a replacement bolt.

[mattsz]

It hadn't occurred to me to remove the broken bolt, drill out the epoxy, and re-tap for a larger bolt.

MT - I could be wrong, but I think the guys were suggesting you re-tap the same bolt size, not a larger one.

My pump mount threads story:

I got a warranty replacement tank; while the two screw holes for the fuel filler cap had dummy screws inserted to protect them from paint, the five fuel pump holes were left unprotected, and lots of paint got in.  It was an awful pain!  I actually had the same problem as you; I couldn't get the bolts to install properly and I was afraid of breaking them.

I bought a tap to clean the threads - I even bought a bottoming tap to get all the way to... well, to the bottom!  But for my life, no matter how I picked and scraped at the paint on the threads I could reach, or how much I twisted and finessed and cajoled and cursed at both taps, I couldn't get either one to line up with the existing paint-encrusted threads - they would just grab wherever they touched, and I felt sure they would start cutting new threads at will  .  Even in a hole in which I was able to run a bolt part-way in; even with oil on the tap, it just wouldn't play nice.  I even tapped a new hole in a piece of scrap to really check I had the right size (I did).

In the end, I settled on a happy medium between forcing a bolt (which I was just able to start into the holes, but couldn't proceed) and forcing the tap (which had such sharp cutting edges that it simply wouldn't conform to the paint-covered threads): I made my own paint-removing tap.  I got an inch-long bolt of the correct size, mounted a thin cutoff wheel in my dremel tool, and cut a single slot lengthwise along the threads of the bolt - useless for chasing battered threads or cutting new ones, but perfect for scraping paint from threads and, as Bare said, providing a space for the crap to go so it doesn't bind up.

[gashousegorilla]

  + 1 on center drilling and using an easy out to remove what is left of the bolt.

  And if the tapped holes are THAT encrusted with cured Urethane paint.... You can fill the holes with Lacquer thinner...think eyedropper or syringe and just to the top of the holes. And let it sit for a few hours or over night.  Then just blow out the softened paint from the holes.

[mattsz]

Well, I never thought of that!  Careful of the tank paint, however - the pump bolt-holes on the flange aren't blind holes, they're open at both ends, so if you're going to fill the holes with thinner, you gotta plug them well at the "top" of the flange, nearest the tank. Wouldn't want to drip...   

[gashousegorilla]

Well, I never thought of that!  Careful of the tank paint, however - the pump bolt-holes on the flange aren't blind holes, they're open at both ends, so if you're going to fill the holes with thinner, you gotta plug them well at the "top" of the flange, nearest the tank. Wouldn't want to drip...   

 
 NOT blind holes Matt !?   Then why would one use a bottoming tap ?   They are blind on the C-5 tank flange..... are they not on the B-5 ?    How do they seal ?   I'm sure they are not tappered threads..  Are they O ringed ?   And yes, of course..... when working with Lacuer thinner, one should use common sence  and not get it all over the joint !   Good point 

[mattsz]

NOT blind holes Matt !?   Then why would one use a bottoming tap ?   They are blind on the C-5 tank flange..... are they not on the B-5 ?    How do they seal ?   I'm sure they are not tappered threads..  Are they O ringed ?   And yes, of course..... when working with Lacuer thinner, one should use common sence  and not get it all over the joint !   Good point 

GHG - did you just talk yourself out of something?    Or, into something? 

The B5 tank flange holes are not blind. I've got some old pics of the first tank, but it's hard to see.  The flange is a pentagonal collar, maybe 1/4 inch thick, with five threaded holes for the bolts near the vertices, and an inset into which the fuel pump o-ring seats - there's some gunkiness (?) around that o-ring inset in the first pic.  There is sort of a cylindrical neck, equal in width to the inner diameter of the flange opening, which is attached to the flange - this protrudes and connects the flange to the tank - this last bit is the shiny black part around the inside of the opening:




Thus, the flange stands proud of the tank, and there are actually gaps between the five flange vertices and the tank body:



I got a bottoming tap so I could fully clean all the threads without poking the point of a tapered tap into the tank!  No matter, it didn't work and I didn't need it...

This is for the B5 tank; for others YMMV...

[Ducati Scotty]

Mine is like that too.

[gashousegorilla]

   Yup... I see what you mean now Matt. They bottom out, on the underside of the tank , not inside the flange or through the tank  .   My old tank IS the same.... except for a couple of welds on the exterior of the flange.  NO ,your right !... don't use the Lacquer thinner on those holes....  Better yet,  use a dampened cotton swab to soak it and try to thin out and soften the paint that way, if you must .