That Gap!

[Exfreelander]

I don't know about you but that gap between the fuel tank and the headstock bugs me. Or is there a bit missing on my bike.

Quite apart from being an eyesore, it's right above the battery and some electrical connections, and rain can get straight in there.

So I took a piece of cardboard and made up a template, cutting around the headstock bolts and tracing the tank mounting and the bolt holes, then found a nice piece of black plastic. I cut some from the battery cover off a pick-up, it's obviously meant to be near a warm environment so shouldn't be affected by heat.

I then used a sharp scribe to trace the shape I needed from the template and drilled the holes for the tank mounting bolts. It was then an easy job to slide it under the mount and fit two stainless steel flange head bolts to fasten the tank back down. I took the precaution of wrapping the threads with a little bit of plumber's PTFE tape, you could use threadlock, there is a lot of vibration through the frame and these bolts are prone to working loose otherwise.

It's not easy to see in the photo but you should be able to see it here

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[Carlos840]

I would be worried about obstructing the airflow to the airbox!

Not sure how your part is since i can't really see much on that pic, but the snorkel is aligned with that gap.
It never bothered me to be honest...

 

[Exfreelander]

I would be worried about obstructing the airflow to the airbox!

Not sure how your part is since i can't really see much on that pic, but the snorkel is aligned with that gap.
It never bothered me to be honest...

The plate is flat so doesn't cover the snorkel or obstruct it, wish I had photo'd it when making it but just wanted to get it done before the rain started again!

 

[Carlos840]

Yeah, it's hard to understand what you are on about...

Can't really see much from your pic i'm afraid.

 

[outasight20]

Quite apart from being an eyesore, it's right above the battery and some electrical connections, and rain can get straight in there.

I've ridden in torrential downpours many times and never had any problems with the bike. I'm sure the engineers at Yamaha tested this extensively.

 

[Exfreelander]

I've ridden in torrential downpours many times and never had any problems with the bike. I'm sure the engineers at Yamaha tested this extensively.

I didn't find or think it was a problem when riding, it's when the bike is stood outside in a downpour. And if you think Yamaha tested extensively, why are there so many problems with water getting into the ECU on the FZ6? Or that plastic moulding under the seat on the left of the bike which has a tiny little drain hole and a collection of electrical connections which fills up with water when the drain blocks? My bike's immobiliser refused to recognise the key after standing outside in the rain all day, and though I don't think it was water getting in around the battery area, it must have been water getting in somewhere, as it started fine next day and has never done it again since.
IMHO most motorcycles are built on a budget and the manufacturers rely on owners treating their bikes like an expensive toy, and we as owners don't mind too much, as we love our bikes despite all the little niggles they have. Can you imagine a car which needed as much looking after as a motorcycle does? It wouldn't sell.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

I made, years ago, basically the same thing but with velcro. Its not bolted down, just cut to fit in that space snugly. Helps direct water to the outside of the frame vs down the middle. There's plenty of air available inbetween the frame and tank. Bikes runs fine. :thumbup:

As a side note, my old FJR, after a couple of years, had an issue with a connector, under the fuel tank, where water got into and corroded a connector. It was still under waranty and Yamaha couldn't find it. On one of the FJR forums (back in 05, 06?), same issue on other bikes. Opened up the connector, found a bunch of green. After cleaning and di-lectric grease, purred again.

IME, I would trim something and fit it in there, just as the above. There wasn't anything in that spot on my FJR (same set up), and I had major issues, until it was found...

 

[Exfreelander]

Yes, good old di-electric grease. I came across this little wonder product a few years back on a car forum. Apart from it's waterproof qualities, it is also has electrical insulating properties, it's not there to conduct electricity, so sounds as if it would be counter-productive when used on electrical connections. But electricity is funny stuff and behaves in funny ways, and one of it's quirks is that it can jump from one conductive surface to another - arcing. The problem with this is two-fold, firstly it's destructive and causes pitting, secondly, this arcing can send erratic signals to electrical sensors in the vehicle's fuel and ignition circuits. This can cause problems in how the ECU interprets signals sent from MAF sensors for example, more of a problem on cars but with more and more car-like electronics are used in motorcycles it could yet find more uses on bikes, such as on the ECU multiplug, which on the FZ6 is prone to water ingress and burnt-out connections.

So, this grease, when applied to the connections, gets rubbed off when the connections are pushed together, but only where they touch, and fills in those tiny little imperfections where there has been any arcing, a bit like when you apply grout between tiles but on a much smaller scale.

Anyway, back to my gap-flap...........there is something else under the front of the tank which needs protecting which I had forgotten were there until reading FinalImpacts thread on spark plug caps http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-technical/48874-vibration-cure-bad-vibrations-spark-plug-caps.html, the coils!

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This picture is from FinalImpact's thread, I hope he doesn't mind me using it here. Now the cover I made doesn't come back this far, but I'm thinking of a second version, which may just come back further to cover more, though I do think the battery has a cover which also covers the coils, as I did the mod a couple of months back I can't quite remember. You can see the airbox would be unobstructed from FinalImpacts picture.

 

[FIZZER6]

IS this only noticeable on the S2? My 2006 never bugged me.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

A little bit of di-lectric grease on each connector would be fine by itself.

ANY plastic/metal connector I open up / disconnect (or change out a bulb), a light coating of D G gets applied.

I had, besides the FJR, some electrical issues (corrosion) on my KLR unitl I discovered the product.

IMO, I'd leave the inital gaurd and just coat things applicable as you get to them..

Re the spark plug caps, the very light coating on the rubber boot edges (where they meet the valve cover) makes installation and removal of the caps MUCH EASIER and helps keep out water.. DO NOT PULL up on the wire itself... :thumbup:

 

[aclayonb]

+1 di-lectric grease. Have restored some old, craptasmic Honda's and every plug that doesn't have this grease is corroded together and burned. The ones that were maintained - looked like new.

 

[FinalImpact]

Yes, good old di-electric grease. I came across this little wonder product a few years back on a car forum. Apart from it's waterproof qualities, it is also has electrical insulating properties, it's not there to conduct electricity, so sounds as if it would be counter-productive when used on electrical connections. But electricity is funny stuff and behaves in funny ways, and one of it's quirks is that it can jump from one conductive surface to another - arcing. The problem with this is two-fold, firstly it's destructive and causes pitting, secondly, this arcing can send erratic signals to electrical sensors in the vehicle's fuel and ignition circuits. This can cause problems in how the ECU interprets signals sent from MAF sensors for example, more of a problem on cars but with more and more car-like electronics are used in motorcycles it could yet find more uses on bikes, such as on the ECU multiplug, which on the FZ6 is prone to water ingress and burnt-out connections.

So, this grease, when applied to the connections, gets rubbed off when the connections are pushed together, but only where they touch, and fills in those tiny little imperfections where there has been any arcing, a bit like when you apply grout between tiles but on a much smaller scale.

Anyway, back to my gap-flap...........there is something else under the front of the tank which needs protecting which I had forgotten were there until reading FinalImpacts thread on spark plug caps http://www.600riders.com/forum/fz6-technical/48874-vibration-cure-bad-vibrations-spark-plug-caps.html, the coils!

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This picture is from FinalImpact's thread, I hope he doesn't mind me using it here. Now the cover I made doesn't come back this far, but I'm thinking of a second version, which may just come back further to cover more, though I do think the battery has a cover which also covers the coils, as I did the mod a couple of months back I can't quite remember. You can see the airbox would be unobstructed from FinalImpacts picture.

No worries on pic. There are more here - borrow at will, just provide a link to location... >> Yamaha FZ6 Forums - International FZ6 Motorcycle Community Forum - FinalImpact's Album: Bike P o r n

FWIW; arc over is concern at increased voltages ~> 90V or more. Cross talk, induction, noise, impedance are all properties of contact and proximity.

Low level signals like sensor inputs should not be routed next to high voltage (ignition coils/wires) or high current (starter motor leads) as inductance can alter low voltage signals.

When I changed rear shocks I tilted that pan that the ECM resides on. Its much more likely to drain water before my ECM becomes immersed in it. IMO the ignition switch itself is the weak link. Those items right behind the steering head are just as likely to pick up moisture from sweating during temperature change as there are to hold moisture during a rain storm.

So you're trying to fill this gap; right behind the stem?

Another under the tank:

 

[Exfreelander]

Thanks FinalImpact,

and yes, that's the very gap I am bridging. The second photo seems to show the coils aren't covered by the battery cover.

Which makes me wonder, how are the HT leads fixed into the coils? Your thread on the plug caps and this thread made me wonder if the coil to HT lead can suffer the same as the cap to HT lead.

Or perhaps I'm spending too much time thinking of things which can go wrong?