Powerplus problem

[20scout]

OK, so I roll in my next project from the shed into my shop and low-and-behold, a mouse has used one of the gas tanks to store it's winter supply of corn! Well it took me awile to shake it all out (to two courses of Innagattadavita) and now after washing the tank out, I find out that the little sweetheart had built himself a condo in it too! Now my problem is, how do I get that crap out of the tank? It's not like the later model bikes that are open but a maze of baffels (it was probably a lab mouse and there for attacted to the maze). Any idea's on how to get the nest out other than cutting open the tank?


Signed

"Frustrated in the great white north"

[yhprum]

I dunno about this, buy could ya put drain cleaner in there to dissolve it?
Good luck!
Steve

[20scout]

With the amount the little ****** used, it would take a long time to dissolve it all. But that would help prep the tank for sealer. Acid is too strong as it would eat the tank too and I even had one guy suggest burning it out! I think I'll wait and see if someone has a better idea. I'll look into the drain cleaner tho, Thanks.

TR

[brian_groff]

What about a box of bee-bees? And shake it all about.

[Carl N. Olsen]

Train a mouse to go back in and get it. Good Luck
Carl

[20scout]

Brian,
Did that with the corn.

[20scout]

Carl,
My feelings for rodents right now would not be benificial to the trainie. About all I could get it to do now would be to fly across the shop. I'm sure by then it would be to tired to do much else, but thanks for the idea!

[exeric]

I had a '28 JD that had sat for many years before I got it. A mouse, (I presume) made a home in one of the tanks. My first clue was the tank was real heavy, my second clue was the tank made a dull thud when you rapped it, and the last clue was, it smelled like rat sh*t. This industrious rat/mouse had managed to pull most of a wool blanket into the tank. I thought about cutting the back off the tank but it was a nice tank otherwise and I wasn't comfortable welding on a soldered tank. I finally armed myself with razor blades, scissors, and coat hanger wire that I could bend into whatever hook configuration I needed. It took awhile but I was able to fish all of the blanket out of the tank. If I had this problem today I would cut the back off the tank, glass bead the inside, and fix any blanket related rust-out, which was a big problem on that '28. If it was an original paint tank I wouldn't cut the back out and I would deal with the difficulty and uncertainty of preserving the inside by working through the gas bung.

[20scout]

Hi Eric,
I appreciate what you went through to clean out your tank. I too can see the advantages and disadvantages of going eather way. Since I don't know what the material is inside and it is not an original paint tank, I believe (unless someone knows of a better way) I would be better off cutting a hole in the back side and patching it. Atleast if I can see inside I can catch any future problems that may arrise. Thanks for the input.
TR

[exeric]

I cut the back out of an early J recently. The tank had a number of small pinholes on the bottom rolled edge and in the rocker cutouts. I made a cutout in the back panel with a fiber wheel in a die grinder. When the repairs were finished I spot welded steel strips around the hole I cut out, put the panel back in and soldered it up with a soldering iron. The repair is almost invisible but that's not as much a factor as having access to the inside of the tank. That spot welder has become an indespensible tool for me and I use it alot more than I would have imagined.

[20scout]

Having access the the back of the tank like that is pricless. The more I think about it, the more I believe that that is what I am going to do. In fact, that is what I will do this afternoon. Will let you know how it goes.
TR

[20scout]

SUCCESS!!! I did like you had mentioned Eric and had better luck than I had anticipated. It took me about an hour to cut, clean and repair the tank. As it turned out, the little darlin had used fiberglass insulation to build his condo. It was about the size of a softball and was full of acorns, corn and rodent "squeezings". I can only immagine the types of problems I would have had with my fuel system if I hadn't gotten it all out. Checked the inside and even sanded off a bit of rust before I closed it up. I am now preping it for the tank sealer and am confident that everything will be fine (except for the home-less rodent who is probably building a new complex in on of my other toys!). Thanks for all the ideas!

TR

[exeric]

Wow TR, you sure get things done ! That's a wonderful trait to have in this hobby. When you think of all the things that need to be done to a motorcycle in the coarse of a restoration, it makes you wonder how they ever get finished. I guess the secret is just getting out there and doing it because a mouse certainly isn't going to be of any help.

[20scout]

Your right Eric and I am blessed with a warm shop and the winters off. When asked why I have these ol' bikes, I tell them that it's cheaper than an ex-wife or a drug habit! But then ol' bikes are as bad as a drug habit too!! It's a passion I live for.
Regards,
TR