1975 BMW R90/6 - Rocinante

[ridesolo]

And I thought it was a reference to the ship in the James S A Corey The Expanse sci fi book series (now an Amazon TV series). Not that Don Quixote is a bad reference, but I find myself disappointed. LOL

Yeah just a direct carry over from Sancho Panzer to Rocinante. I haven't gotten to The Expanse yet but it's on the list.

I had a Pacific Coast named "Millennium Turtle" in the past so I suppose a Rocinante spacecraft reference would fit as well. I'll tell you what, you think of it in whatever context makes you happy. Disappointment is completely unnecessary and highly undesirable. (And I suppose an "old horse" would ride on spoke wheels and a spacecraft would be on Lesters, huh?

 

[ridesolo]

Let's see, did I mention that this thing is dirty?

I got a bit of a rain break from the current ongoing domestic project so I decided to tackle the first carb. From the way the gas tank smells and because it hasn't been started in 30+ years I thought there'd be some of the aforementioned unicorn vomit/dragon piss in the carbs, too. In short... yup.

First the outside:

Yup, there's a bit of schmootz there. Then the other side:

Even more dirt'n'crud but carb cleaner cuts right through it Then the inside:

The stuff would make you think that 30+ years has caused gasoline to revert back to crude oil! Very nasty, stinky stuff and lots of it!

Kinna looks like molasses... not nearly as pleasant, though. At least the thing has only two carbs.

Getting these carbs cleaned up will be a welcome thing but it makes me wonder how many INCHES of this same stuff is hiding out in the tank??? Oh joy...

 

[Maritime]

Yuck

 

[pidjones]

At least it was stored long enough ago that it was real gasoline and not the alcohol blends these days. Protected from corrosion, you should be able to clean out most of the gook with a good soak in acetone.

 

[ridesolo]

At least it was stored long enough ago that it was real gasoline and not the alcohol blends these days. Protected from corrosion, you should be able to clean out most of the gook with a good soak in acetone.

I hadn't thought about that but I'm sure you're right. So far things have cleaned up pretty well, spray carb cleaner has done a good job. Everything in there was coated w/ the crap, I'm going to have to be really careful to make sure every passageway and everywhere else is cleared out. I had gotten carb kits in but didn't order floats; new ones ordered this evening. Everything came loose fairly easily except for one of the top diaphragm cover screws that just refused to budge. I lucked out and got it out w/ an easy-out. New stainless screws ordered, too. I don't suppose I'll luck out and find the other carb in better shape.

The plan now is to get the carbs done and the mess out of the tank and get it to start. Once that's done I'll move on to... everything else.

 

[ridesolo]

The aforementioned domestic task is pretty much done and I've gotten the tools, screws, and other implements of destruction put away and the sawdust (composite dust?) cleared out. It's time to finish up the clean out of the first carb and get into the second one. B2V send word yesterday that my new floats and stainless screws are on the way and should be here Friday. In the mean time I'm amused that I'm happy there's rain forecast for the next couple of days... shoptime!!!!!

 

[ridesolo]

The floats arrived today so I was able to get the first carb done. It's cleaner on the outside and very clean on the inside w/ new gaskets, O-rings, & floats; ready to go. On to #2.

On a lighter note, I made a purchase today. My /6 now has balls!

Yeah, OK, bad joke... A visit to the local Dollar General resulted in these. They aren't exactly the type I wanted but they only had one of those even though two different employees looked all over; "I know we have more, I've seen a green one in different places all over the store for weeks." But these are soft and squishy and should do a good enough job of keeping dirt and damp air out of places where they don't belong and the red handle makes a good removal tool..

Is that an AIrhead peeking out of the airhead?

 

[Maritime]

Nice

 

[ridesolo]

FInally some more small progress today! I got a chance to pull the left carb off and get started on it. Amazingly it actually wasn't as bad as the right one! Dirty? Yes, but not as bad. Full of old gasoline crap? Yes, but not as much. That's the carb that was dripping all over, perhaps that's why there wasn't as much sludge in it? So far, much easier to clean, woo hoo!!! (Below is a before pix.)

Two of the screws holding on the top wouldn't come loose but quick application of a drill and an easy out cleared that up. (Strange, I've needed to use an easy out only three times in the last 15 years or so and all three times were on these carbs.) I ordered all new SS screws from B2V there should be no problems in the future; just a tiny dollop of anti-seize should do it. The two screws holding the throttle butterfly are being resistant but I've got Blaster on them now so hopefully in the morning they'll snap loose.

Once this one is buttoned back up it'll be time to clear the goop out of the gas tank. Really not looking forward to that, but don't have much choice. @Hurco550 thinks that if I just dump a bunch of gasoline in there it might go a long way toward thinning the goop up and flowing it out of there. I hope he's right!

 

[JerryAssburger]

...proof that the gasoline WAS trying to morph back into a dinosaur! Glad there was still some carburetor in there, somewhere!

 

[pidjones]

I think dumping a gallon or so of acetone (seems to be primary ingredient in most carb cleaners) in the tank will disolve the goop from the gas. Then, your choice of deruster can reach the rust and attack it. I think the failure in most derusting attempts is in not getting the residue off so the deruster (Evaporust, Metal Rescue, vinegar, electrolysis, etc.) can get to the rust.

 

[ridesolo]

I think dumping a gallon or so of acetone (seems to be primary ingredient in most carb cleaners) in the tank will disolve the goop from the gas. Then, your choice of deruster can reach the rust and attack it. I think the failure in most derusting attempts is in not getting the residue off so the deruster (Evaporust, Metal Rescue, vinegar, electrolysis, etc.) can get to the rust.

Surprisingly, there doesn't seem to be much rust in there. I'll do my best to get whatever is there, though..

 

[ridesolo]

I think dumping a gallon or so of acetone (seems to be primary ingredient in most carb cleaners) in the tank will disolve the goop from the gas. Then, your choice of deruster can reach the rust and attack it. I think the failure in most derusting attempts is in not getting the residue off so the deruster (Evaporust, Metal Rescue, vinegar, electrolysis, etc.) can get to the rust.

After they gave me CPR at the store because of the heart attack I had after looking at the price of a gallon of acetone...

Dumb question: What does a responsible person living in the 21st Century do w/ the remains of a gallon of acetone mixed w/ the remains of 30+ year old gasoline? Many years ago I suppose one would have dumped it into the weeds behind the shop. Then more recently one might have waited til dark to dump it out behind the shop. Now days, being much more environmentally savvy and responsible as well as assuming that a neighbor would be hiding nearby behind a tree or bush waiting for you to transgress into evil hazardous waste dumping, what do you do w/ the stuff?

 

[benroloff]

My local dump has a drop off for hazardous waste and such. They’ll take pretty much anything, but of course you have to pay to dump it. Not sure if that’s standard for most cities, but you can always check that first


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON

 

[irk miller]

Wait, so you're telling me there isn't a random hole somewhere on your property that collects stuff?

 

[ridesolo]

Wait, so you're telling me there isn't a random hole somewhere on your property that collects stuff?

I guess it would depend on who you talk to. Ask Mrs Ridesolo and she would most likely describe the entire shop as "a random hole that collects stuff."

 

[pidjones]

Mix in with motor oil going back in for recycling, take to county hazwaste recycle day, use again for the next tank clean after settling and filtering what you can out.

 

[Maritime]

I use it to burn brush in the spring.

 

[doc_rot]

Wow, those carbs were really gross.

You should check with the city/county you live in but many cities will have some sort of pop-up free hazmat drop off site every few months. I bring them everything from old solvent, to old paint and used cooking oil, some places will even let you drop off a couple tires.

 

[irk miller]

You live in Ohio. Mix it with kerosene, fill up your garden sprayer and hose down your barn with it. Keeps the bugs away.