The Road to Recovery

When I ponder the word 'recovery' I think about 12 step programs and sponsors and "one day at a time"
I think the rehab model applies to what I have to do to get my bike into the condition it needs to be in Where do you begin such a long journey back? At the beginning? No way man! Lets start the A-Team way. Hannibal didn't do anything without a plan. How else can you sit there afterwards smugly saying, "I love it when a plan comes together". Of course I probably have more in common with Murdock than Hannibal. Lord help us!

So here's my plan (I pity the fool who gets in the way):

1. Drain the gas tank
1. inspect tank and recondition if necessary.
2. clean petcock and fuel filter.
3. remount
4. new gas
   
2. Charge battery
3. Change Oil
1. Change oil filter
4. New spark plugs
1. or clean up the old ones and regap for now.
5. Start your engine
1. Make new plan depending on what happens
   

Ready---BREAK!!

Removing the Gas Tank. The lock on the cap is completely ruined. This will have to be replaced.
Look at my bike without the tank. What a mess the years of neglect can leave on a machine.

Here's the petcock. The fuel is flowing well through it. Good sign but let's not push our luck. Hey Look! There's actually a drain plug in the bottom of the tank. My other bike doesn't have this. It must have been added after the fact. Brass plug with Teflon tape wrapped around the threads. You really shouldn't use thread tape around fuel systems - can you say contamination? Like it would make a difference on this rust bucket.

WOW! I've heard about gas 'gelling' but I've never seen it. These little brown spots are like jellyfish swimming around a bucket of gas. Very Cool. It's times like this that I'm glad I didn't take a short cut. Imagine getting that out of your carburetors?

Well charging the battery isn't an option. It's hooped. I'll pick one up tomorrow. May as well grab some plugs at the same time. That's gonna cost me.

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