The answer depends what sort of 'screens' you have. If they're the type that fit over the inlet pipes inside the tank, then you will have to remove the taps completely to check them. If they're the type that fit inside the outlet union, you can just remove the union nut. That being said, though, if you're going to drain the tank anyway, it's always worth pulling the taps and rinsing the tank through to get rid of any accumulation which might form around the outlet tubes. Not only will you get rid of a lot of potential rubbish that can get stirred up and get into the tap, it'll give you a heads up on the internal condition of the tank.
Personally, I would avoid running inline filters on an airhead. The fuel we get in the UK is clean enough that they aren't necessary and the additional resistance to fuel flow can cause issues. If you do run them, avoid the type that are sold for injected engines which are unsuitable for carburetted use and make sure filter surface area is as big as wou can get. Also replace regularly.
I tend to remove mine annually or so, usually every 10Kkms. I had an issue a few years chasing a hesitancy problem, which became a stalling problem. The filters were blocked.
When you know the tank is low...drain it, taps off, flush the filters.
I don't use additional in line filters.
The in line filters I use are quite coarse, but probably are redundant. I'll see if I have any fuel line around to remove them. I think my fuel valve screens can be accessed without removing the valves from the tank. If I wanted to remove them off the tank for cleaning and examination, would I need to replace any gaskets? I would have to order some in that case.
gspd wrote: ↑Sat Jan 30, 2021 11:48 pmZM said: " I think my fuel valve screens can be accessed without removing the valves from the tank."
The taps must be removed to inspect the screens.
Some have a fibre washer/seal, some have a washer built into the screen
Not all airheads have screens on the inside of the tank. Some had plastic screens at the tap outlet and some have no screens at all. The screens in the tap outlet can be accessed without draining the tank or removing the taps. All of the airheads I've worked on have had a fibre washer betwixt tap and tank but that isn't to say that other variations don't exist.
My '79 R65 (b Sept 1978) had a single tap on the left. It had both the large screen on the inside, and the small screen at the bottom of the tap with the hose nipple.
I emptied it annually, as we used to have real winters where I live and put the bikes up for @ 4 months. I would empty my tank and air it out, then bring it in the house for climate control.
When I sold it 35 years later, it still had the original tank lining.
