650/X-2 X2 Gas Tank - Convert to Internal Fill

[kkosche]

Found some threads on SuperJets going to internal fill, but not X2. Got three tanks, and working on an empty hull, so thinking about foaming / glassing the gas cap.

Questions:

1. Assuming I leave the pickups in same location, how would you suggest I cap the filler neck? Some sort of aluminum plug and a piece of filler neck hose?

2. For new filler location, appears to be plenty of flat area just to the right of the pick ups, use a hole saw cut a new opening to accept the old plastic filler neck? If so, what would you recommend to seal it / attach it? Need some sort of RTV / 5200 that is vulcanized I would suspect. Could use aluminum pop rivets, or riv-nuts as well. Thoughts?

Thanks all.

 

[whitca]

I did internal fill on an x2 tank I had in my old 650. You can get a rubber pipe cap for the tank where the fill tube connects to the tank from any hardware store. I just used the same screws and made a rubber gasket to seal the fill cap to the tank. Hopefully it works better in the x2. The tank in the 650 was up under the pole mount making it a pain to get a gas can in there to fill up. If you use vp fuel tanks with the long hose it probably wouldnt have been an issue. I can get a pic of it if you'd like...i have that tank somewhere.

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[WFO Speedracer]

Here is what I did, I got a Seadoo pickup tube holder from a 1990 model Seadoo, then I found a piece of hose that would just fit over the stock filler spigot on the tank. Then I added new lines and fuel clunks to the pickup tube holder and put it over the hose. Then you just take your stock gas cap and screw it on the tank where the pickups used to go.

 

[kkosche]

Convert to Internal Fill

I did internal fill on an x2 tank I had in my old 650. You can get a rubber pipe cap for the tank where the fill tube connects to the tank from any hardware store. I just used the same screws and made a rubber gasket to seal the fill cap to the tank. Hopefully it works better in the x2. The tank in the 650 was up under the pole mount making it a pain to get a gas can in there to fill up. If you use vp fuel tanks with the long hose it probably wouldnt have been an issue. I can get a pic of it if you'd like...i have that tank somewhere.
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Picture would be appreciated. Did you worry about having Vulcanized rubber for the seal or cap?

 

[kkosche]

Here is what I did, I got a Seadoo pickup tube holder from a 1990 model Seadoo, then I found a piece of hose that would just fit over the stock filler spigot on the tank. Then I added new lines and fuel clunks to the pickup tube holder and put it over the hose. Then you just take your stock gas cap and screw it on the tank where the pickups used to go.

Sounds pretty clean . . but that filler neck is way under there, near the front . . . did you end up making new pick ups that were longer? Thinking the gas would slosh back in the tank and not be able to be reached if the pick ups tubes were just at the front of the tank. Picture would be wonderful. Advice is appreciated.

 

[w650gb500]

Pretty simple. The threads on the inside of the tank where the stock pick-ups are located are the same as the fuel fill cap. Problem #1 solved by Kawasaki. The tougher part is making new pick-ups, but not that bad. A small piece of aluminum, a lathe, some brass adapters and a few in-tamk filters and its done. All-in-all about 2 hours of playing around and I had mine done.

Here's what I came up with.

 

[w650gb500]

A few more.

 

[kkosche]

Pretty simple. The threads on the inside of the tank where the stock pick-ups are located are the same as the fuel fill cap. Problem #1 solved by Kawasaki. The tougher part is making new pick-ups, but not that bad. A small piece of aluminum, a lathe, some brass adapters and a few in-tamk filters and its done.

Pictures very helpful. So the aluminum piece that the brass fuel fittings screw into . . is that the "1990 Seadoo" piece? You mention a lathe, what needed to be turned? I (more accurately my father the machinist) would have no issue turning a piece of aluminum round stock down to those dimensions, but I am not certain about cutting the female pipe threads into the piece. Would also prefer not to use a "machining credit" up, unless I absolutely have to.

Why not just adapt the stock Kawi pick up set up?

 

[w650gb500]

I has some 2" solid aluminum stock here at the shop, so I measured about 2 inches and cut it off. I used the stock piece of rubber that used to connect the fuel tank to the plastic filler piece, measured the O.D. of that filler piece and cut one side of the billet to that dimension on the small lathe. After that, figure how many holes you need(whether or not you are using reserve) and lay them out as far to the outside as possible. Drill down thru the piece, tap them to the appropriate size and go find your fittings. I used brass 1/4"NPT 90 degree adapters and straight 1/4" pieces for the "ON", "RESERVE" and "VENT" lines and a straight 1/4"NPT to 1/4" line straight adapter for the "RETURN" line. The pick-ups are actually pieces of brake line and the adapters to NPT all from the local auto supply store.

Using the stock Kawi set-up would have been ALOT easier, but the lines come straight out and would not have fit. This way you can get the lines on and off.

I'm not saying its the "right way" to do it, it is just the way that I did it on my latest ski.

 

[Vumad]

I went lazy and simple. I am running a Kawi 550 fuel tank. I used the stock exterior cap assembly and hose, put it on the end of the 550 tank and unscrew the updraft hoses to add fuel. I don't care so it's good for me.

If your goal is to shave fuel door, you can cut out the area, glass over it, and put the fill assembly back together. To fill unscrew the updrafts. It's not the prettiest and most certainly not the best way, but it's the easiest.