How to Clean a Motorcyle Gas Tank with Acetone

If you don't use your motorcycle very often the gas tank can become gummed up and will not get clean gas to the carburetor, and your bike won't run properly. Even if you use your motorcycle often, it doesn't hurt to clean out the gas tank occasionally because over time the tank will inevitably become dirty . Cleaning out most motorcycles' gas tanks is very easy.

Things You'll Need

• Acetone
• Dish soap
• Water
• Hose
• Pliers
• Duct tape
• Empty milk jug
• Rubber gloves
• Safety goggles
• Garden hose/water

Instructions

1. Unscrew the clamp holding the hose to the base of the motorcycle gas tank with the pliers. Have the empty milk jug in one hand, and using the pliers, grasp the hose and ease it off the nozzle on the base of the motorcycle's gas tank and quickly put the jug under the gas tank base nozzle. Allow all the old gas to drain out.

2. Place duct tape over the nozzle hole on the base of the gas tank. Add 2 cups of acetone to the gas tank and screw the lid back on the gas tank. Grab the handle bars of the bike and shake the motorcycle back and forth to jostle the acetone in the gas tank. This will allow the acetone to clean the entire tank.

3. Take off the duct tape and have the jug ready to catch the dirty acetone. Drain the acetone and replace the tape. Fill the gas tank half full of a soapy water mix and replace the filler cap. Grab the handle bars of the bike and shake the motorcycle back and forth again so the soapy mix can finish cleaning the gas tank. Take off the duct tape and have the jug ready to catch the dirty soap water.

4. Insert the water hose into the tank and rinse every wall of the tank to remove any excess soap or acetone. Park your bike outside the garage or on the grass, since water will be flowing out of the uncovered base gas tank nozzle while you are rinsing the gas tank.

5. Place the hose back onto the base gas tank nozzle and screw the clamp back on with the pliers. Fill the gas tank with fresh gas.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear rubber gloves and safety goggles.

Resources

• Clean Gas Tank