Gasket material ?

[oldnortonrider]

I've made some "adapters" to be able to attach my XS1100 fuel
petcocks onto the bottom of a Kawasaki Concours 7 & half gallon
gas tank. (??) Does anybody know of a gasket material or
a "squeeze gasket sealant", that would be impervious to fuel>that I can locate, to make my own
gasket(s) for this project?
(I think I saw that information somewhere within the last year, maybe on this site, or some link. Can't believe I didn't save it, or store it.)

[wildbill]

It depends on how much gap you have.Flex and so forth,if the gap isn`t much you could try some Permatex 2 form a gasket sealant{non-hardening pliable sealant}.The stuff can be found at auto parts stores.I used it to seal around the petcocks on my bike,78E, and it works real good.Hope this helps.

[oldnortonrider]

Thanks Wildbill .........; when you used the "Permatex 2" sealant> were you also using the O-ring type seals on the
petcocks?

[wildbill]

Originally posted by oldnortonrider
Thanks Wildbill .........; when you used the "Permatex 2" sealant> were you also using the O-ring type seals on the
petcocks?

On my bike I left the O-ring type seals on,then used the sealant with it.Hope this helps.

[CMA1]

"HYLOMAR" is the stuff to use on fuel related items like you mention. It gets 'thick' enough to fill in small dents and imperfections but stays pliable and does not 'dry' out.
It is unaffected by fuels. Coat all surfaces (ie. both sides of gasket, tank surface, and petcock mating surfaces.) it works !!

[John]

Re: Gasket material ?

Originally posted by oldnortonrider
I've made some "adapters" to be able to attach my XS1100 fuel
petcocks onto the bottom of a Kawasaki Concours 7 & half gallon
gas tank. (??) Does anybody know of a gasket material or
a "squeeze gasket sealant", that would be impervious to fuel>that I can locate, to make my own
gasket(s) for this project?
(I think I saw that information somewhere within the last year, maybe on this site, or some link. Can't believe I didn't save it, or store it.)

Why would you need to swap petcocks? Were the Kawi's petcocks bad? They all do the same thing, allow fuel flow to the carbs. Are you using the 'Octopus' in the fuel system? You must get some hellacious range with a 7.5 gal tank! My 80 SG only gets 100-110 miles per tank. I wish I could get that kind of range. How does it look? Did you have to modify anything?

[oldnortonrider]

CMA1 > thanks for the lead for "Hylomar" .
I checked/searched around on the web thru Google>lotsa testimonials about Hylomar . Some were "forming" a gasket that
could be reused.

[oldnortonrider]

John > here's the "story" on the Concours tank > back in
the 80s, when I had lotsa money, one of the motorcycles that I
bought was a new 1986 Concours. After I'd had it about 6 months, my 16 year old son, missed a corner, blammed into a
guardrail. He was lucky, he'd slowed down to about 20mph, before he whammed into it. Threw him over the guardrail into a
"soft" sagegrass field. I don't think he even got a bruise out of
the deal. Although he was stiff and sore for a few days.
Demolished the fairing on the Concours, and had a small
knee-dent on the tank. I replaced everything; saved the tank all
these years with the "knee-dent" > not really knowing, for most of those years, what I'd end up doing with it. Until a few years ago, I started thinking about how "good" it would look on my '81 XS11Special, that I've developed a good bit of admiration and respect for since I've been riding it. Got it in '95. Of course, the
original tank lid, petcock and fuel indicator apparatus, all , went
on the new "replacement" tank for the wrecked Kawasaki. I had
extra XS petcocks, that I had rebuilt a few years ago, not being
used; they'll be used now. I did "reshape" the bottom part of
the underneath section of the Concours tank, where the two doubleloop parts of the top part of the XS frame lets the tank
sit down on. Did this with a Benzomatic propane torch and a hammer. Before I did "the hammer treatment", it wuz sittin' up
too high. Just enough room now for "one" petcock. Haven't got it
together, yet. When it is finished, I'll either post a picture, or send
you a picture. May do both.
......... and, yes, I'm a firm believer in having the "vacuum
piston diaphragm" setup (the "octopus"). Can't let the "fuel system part(s)" of
this fine motorcycle, set, much length of time, not having "Sta-bil" in the gas, though.

[foxjohnc]

What kind of Norton do you ride? I have a '75 MKIII 850 Commando Roadster, how about you?

[oldnortonrider]

foxjohnc > has been "a while" since I had been on a
Norton. I had a 1955 "Dominator '99' ", that I acquired in 1957.
Tweaked it and hot rodded it from that time, until 1961.
Put between 60-70,000 miles on it, in that period.
(Several overhauls and rebuilds.) It was famous
on the highways and streets of NW Arkansas, in that time.

You might want to check >this "Norton riders' site" >
http://www.ntnoa.org/lop2002.htm

I've never been to any of their meets; but I'm a close acquaintance of one of their most "dedicated"> lives in Siloam Springs,AR. He's given me a buncha pictures of some of the
machines, that have been ridden and hauled to their "Lake 'O the
Pines" yearly October meet. Those guys are serious motorheads.

[wildbill]

Have you got your tank fixed yet?Did you use the Yamaha petcocks or the one that came on the tank your useing?Hope it worked out for you,would like to hear{or find out}how it worked out.

[oldnortonrider]

Not there yet>;but I'm gettin' there......

Waitin' on lid/tank cap, & various "gaskets"......., to get here> ordered from "Ron Ayers" . .......And, had decided to try the "Hylomar"; it's ordered>hasn't got here yet.

I'm going to start, in the beginning use of this tank, when installed> with "one" petcock. Petcock that I'm using>to start with (unless I change my mind, before it gits on the machine)> is a petcock off of an XS11 "Standard" tank. I have 2 of them; I might put them both on ..........., eventually (maybe, maybe).

I'll keep you posted, on it..........

[CMA1]

Good choice with the Hylomar.
If you haven't used it before.... I have one suggestion.
While applying it to 'all' sufaces, work QUICKLY !!! The Hylomar, while never hardening, does 'thicken'. It is easiest to work with as soon as it comes out of the tube and starts to thicken in about 45 seconds (making it less spreadable). Once spread on all mating sufaces, align the parts and tighten the hold-down scrws evenly and tighten. Let the Hylomar set-up for about an hour.
I like it, it's good stuff.
Larry

[oldnortonrider]

CMA1 > thanks for the "quick work" tip.

A motorhead-friend of mine, had me order an extra tube; he wanted to have it, also, after checking some of the web info on it.

[oldnortonrider]

Hylomar

The Hylomar works well; have had the petcock(s) on for about 3 weeks with gas in the tank. No leaking anywhere. Of course I had a couple gallons of gas in the tank, for a couple days, to give it a chance to leak, before I did mount the tank and hook it up. Got the lid with key tumbler and key(s) from Ron Ayers Motorsports, No. Carolina. I was able to attach both petcocks from an XS11 Standard tank, and do have both fuel lines interconnected down by the carburetors.

The "real convincer" re: the Hylomar was: in the process of remodeling the bottom of the tank with torch and hammer, to sit down on the frame better (did this about a year ago) > I got too close to the "2 screw-hole" petcock hole with my hammer; and it became "not a perfectly flush>flat fit" anymore. (The surface that would mate up to bottom of petcock). I wuz real unhappy about having done that; but did nothing to alter, or try to work it "back, perfectly flush",..........thinking maybe, just maybe, the boltdown of the petcock would pull it to a "seal". I don't think it would have, without the Hylomar.

.....Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..............mechanical art. It wuz almost this good, in the 50s .