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2bims
Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7308
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 Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 10:58 am Post subject: |
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| I just wish they made the tanks out of the same plastic used in 1 gallon fuel canisters....had mine over 20 years and no problems..and always some level of fuel in them |
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JeremyB
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 4:57 pm Post subject: |
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| sb8rs wrote: |
I have read that if you drain the tank and let it dry for a while, it will revert to its original size / shape.
Has anyone knowledge of this? |
Yes, it will - probably...
I had a Ducati GT1000 that suffered terribly from the ethanol-enhanced swelling. I live in Florida, we've had that E10 crap for years.
The latest thinking is it's the water 'phase-separating' out of the fuel, that then softens the plastic, then it expands in the suns heat.
Worse with higher Ethanol concentrations, fuller (and thus heavier) tanks, and heat....(its a little warmer here than UK).
My Ducati tank shrank back close to original size over a few months, then I coated it with Caswell brand Epoxy. See the Aprilia forum linked above, and do lotsa searches, or try 'Ducati.ms' forum.
Its a popular fix, and has a high probability of working. Surface Prep is the key.
Don't know if the Caswell stuff is available in the UK, the company is in NY State. Its about 65 US dollars for a kit here.
I will be coating my Moto Guzzi Griso tank soon - its the same material.
Jeremy
_________________
2000 DB4 tricolor (or is that tricolour ??)
ex-Mantra owner, and proud of it !!
2008 Moto Guzzi Griso 1100. Weighs as much as 3 Bimotas, but is somehow still fun... |
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2bims
Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7308
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 5:12 pm Post subject: |
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| Have you had any issues with your Db4 Tank (and yes...its tri-color)...or lined it in prevention? |
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tommo-sb6
Joined: 08 May 2013
Posts: 36
Location: United Kingdom
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 7:02 pm Post subject: |
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| 2bims wrote: |
| Have you had any issues with your Db4 Tank (and yes...its tri-color)...or lined it in prevention? |
Hello folks,
I am talking as a tanker driver who delivers this shit, The facts are that we are already delivering fuel with 10% ethanol not the 5% that we all think, its now called PU10 which is obviously PREMIUM UNLEADED 10% ETHENOL. When we load this stuff the normal unleaded is connected to a highly technical pump system which pumps in the ETHENOL, But when we load the more expensive stuff like for instance TOTAL EXCELLIUM this is not connected to this system, I use to drive for TOTAL, I now drive for SHELL my advice to you all is never use normal unleaded, Car or Bike, I load out of Lindsey Oil Refinery South Killingholme, You get Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury and Morrisons loading out of there to, These companies not only load the PU10 but they load it with no additive whatsoever, Where all the oil company Tankers like Shell , Total and BP all have an additive key which injects a fuel additive into the fuel as its loading into the Tanker, If you have a Shell Garage close to you put in the VPOWER this is probably the best fuel out of the lot as its blended specially at VOPAK up at Seal Sands..Keep away fro supermarket fuel why do you think its 1p a litre cheaper and to be honest it should be at least 10p a litre cheaper as its crap, We had 16000 litres of SHELL additive delivered to our yard last week and i saw the invoice with my own eyes and it was £127,000...Supermarkets dont have this expense because they dont use additive...Kindest regards Tommo |
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GeeKay
Joined: 29 May 2009
Posts: 1767
Location: West Yorkshire
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| Posted: Thu Mar 20, 2014 9:04 pm Post subject: |
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Wow ! insider information - always the best to follow. Thanks for this.
V-Power for my bikes it is from now on then - although I always used it in my SB8R in deference to it's high state of tune.
_________________
Bimota SB6 and Benelli TNT 899S road bikes.
Beta Techno trials iron. Project bikes:- Suzuki V4 500, TS185 cafe racer, XR11/71, Kettle/Katana, TDRGV250, OR50, Gag125,Triumph T595 and a Triumph X75 Hurricane replica.
Too many projects............... |
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JeremyB
Joined: 10 Dec 2010
Posts: 21
Location: Florida, USA
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| Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 5:11 am Post subject: |
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| 2bims wrote: |
| Have you had any issues with your Db4 Tank (and yes...its tri-color)...or lined it in prevention? |
No (at least, not yet...). I'm not unduly concerned because:
1. As you probably know, the DB4 tank is black plastic, but underneath the one-piece tank-cover/seat base/tailpiece, so its isolated from the elements somewhat.
2. Its kinda a loose fit on the frame rails and under this cover anyway, so if it swells a little it should still fit.
3. It looks like different material than the Ducati or Guzzi tank: they are denser in appearance, and white.
4. I have a spare tank (with the cut-outs for flat-sides) !
_________________
2000 DB4 tricolor (or is that tricolour ??)
ex-Mantra owner, and proud of it !!
2008 Moto Guzzi Griso 1100. Weighs as much as 3 Bimotas, but is somehow still fun... |
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sb8rs
Joined: 05 Aug 2011
Posts: 150
Location: London
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 10:12 am Post subject: |
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Hi Guys,
My friend and I have been contacting the major fuel suppliers and asked them directly about the addition of Ethanol in the petrol they sell. The results vary, but generally speaking…Super Unleaded fuel is far less likely to have Ethanol blended into it than standard Unleaded. However this is a moving beast and is only a snapshot in time. Things can and will change!
BP
Unleaded = 5%
Super Unleaded = 0%, except in the South West of England where it is added.
Esso
Unleaded = 5%
Super Unleaded = 0%, except in the South West of England where it is added.
Shell
Unleaded = 5%
Super Unleaded = 5%,
Texaco
Unleaded = 5%
Super Unleaded = 0%,
Total
Unleaded = 0%
Super Unleaded = 0%, except in the North West and South East of England where it is added.
Murco
Unleaded = 5%
Super Unleaded = 0%, see below
All Murco sites fed from Milford Haven Refinery, Theale Terminal and Westerleigh Terminal will have 100% Super Unleaded, i.e. no Ethanol content. Sites supplied in the Midlands and the North generally have Ethanol added to the Super Unleaded at 4.8%. We have pretty much Ethanol free Super Unleaded in the South East fed from terminals on the Thames. So, in general terms there is a divide from about Milton Keynes North, where the Super Unleaded would contain Ethanol and Milton Keynes South (including all of Wales) should be Ethanol free.
Supermarkets
Those that have responded to me (Tesco, Sainsbury’s & Morrison’s) say that they add Ethanol to both Unleaded and Super Unleaded.
Conclusions that can be drawn to de-risk the usage of Ethanol and therefore the effects it has on our vehicles
Try to avoid unleaded fuel (other than Total) if at all possible.
Try to avoid all Supermarket fuels.
Try to avoid Shell.
Try not to live in the South West, unless you have a Murco garage nearby!
I will monitor the effects this change on fuel usage has on my tank over the summer and then drain and leave for the winter. If then the tank needs coating inside, then so be it.
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husson73
Joined: 31 Jul 2010
Posts: 188
Location: Paris FRANCE
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:21 am Post subject: |
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BTW when you ride in France always put "Super 98" on the tank. the "super 95" even if it doesn't say has ethanol on it to say nothing about "E 10" which has of course 10% of ethanol.  |
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sb8rs
Joined: 05 Aug 2011
Posts: 150
Location: London
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 11:43 am Post subject: |
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Hi Husson73,
Yes I will, but do you know if your "Super 98" has Ethanol in?
The E10 absolutely crucifies my bikes performance. |
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2bims
Joined: 03 Apr 2010
Posts: 7308
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Cheers Sb8...seems like the great North South devide again...even with fuels...occassionally treat my bikes with 98....but will do more so in the future |
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sb8rs
Joined: 05 Aug 2011
Posts: 150
Location: London
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| Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 5:58 pm Post subject: |
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Update
I have just had emails back from Texaco & Jet.
They both now say their Unleaded and Super Unleaded contain Ethanol, so you might like to give these a miss also? |
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husson73
Joined: 31 Jul 2010
Posts: 188
Location: Paris FRANCE
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| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 11:25 am Post subject: |
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| sb8rs wrote: |
Hi Husson73,
Yes I will, but do you know if your "Super 98" has Ethanol in?
The E10 absolutely crucifies my bikes performance. |
they said no ethanol but won't buy "Super 98" on a supermarket unless have no choice 
just notice my Kawasaki triples work perfectly with "super 98" without any trouble on the rubber tubes and gaskets from the fuel tap.
My Bims too BTW
And BTW if one of you have troubles in France call me I think Geekay have had my work number phone and many guys on the Kawasaki triple UK forums have my phones numbers. Go through KTC UK forums (same aka husson73) if emergency as I don't come daily on the Bims forum. |
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atomibart
Joined: 11 Apr 2011
Posts: 132
Location: France
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| Posted: Thu Mar 27, 2014 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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In France the E10 can contain up to 20% of ethanol.
The super 95 can contain up to 10%.
The super 98 contains up to 5%.
And I don't even speak of fuel from supermarket gas stations.
They put far more ethanol in fuel than they are supposed to...
Because it is much cheaper than petrol...but the price remains the same.
This is a major issue for engines that were not designed to work with these kinds of mixed fuels...because ethanol is highly corrosive.
Like husson73 says...always put super 98 in your bike, and never supermarket one... |
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Admin
Site Admin
Joined: 22 Oct 2007
Posts: 508
Location: Stafford, UK
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| Posted: Sun Mar 30, 2014 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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Hi
That could explain a problem we had about 2 years ago in France. Filled up with fuel and the car used massively more fuel with the fuel gauge dropping like a stone although the trip computer was reading about what is normally expected (trip computer was saying about 35mpg, calculating it manually it was doing a shade over 20mpg).
All the best
Keith |
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sb8rs
Joined: 05 Aug 2011
Posts: 150
Location: London
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| Posted: Fri Sep 19, 2014 2:37 pm Post subject: |
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Success.................
I have only been using Super unleaded without any ethanol in my bikes (including my Mantra) since March and I can report that my Mantra tank has started to shrink!
How do I know you ask, well; I measured the "gap" between the cubby hole flap (non expanding as it is not connected to anything other its hinges) and the tank.
This measurement was 8mm back in March.
I used to have to add washers so the lock would fit. If you had a Mantra you would understand.......
I have just measured the same gap and it is now only 4.5mm
So thanks to all those that helped get the information together so I could fill up, knowing that ethanol was NOT present in the fuel.
I will measure again after the winter to see if it has shrunk any further. |
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