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v-pilot
Joined: 01 Jun 2014
Posts: 79
Location: Rexford NY
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 Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 5:06 am Post subject: |
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| JeremyB wrote: |
| 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 |
It is in fact phase separation. The ethanol is hygroscopic. The amount of moisture held is usually proportional to the relative humidity. Tanks made of polycaprolactam otherwise known as Nylon 6 are also hygroscopic. So the ethanol absorbs water and when it separates the tank then absorbs it and expands. The tanks can shrink back to close to the original size if left for a period of time in a dry air environment. aprilia has issues with their tanks as well. I think Acerbis made tanks for most of the Italian stuff...nylon 6
_________________
02 aprilia RSVR Mille, 02 aprilia SL1000 Falco
99 bimota db4 tricolor, 98 Moto Guzzi V10 Centauro
97 Suzuki LS650 96 Triumph Trident 900
96 Ducati 900 SS/SP
87 moto Guzzi Le Mans IV se (2x)
78 Moto Guzzi V50
68 benelli 250 65 Ducati 250 |
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trev45
Joined: 15 Jun 2011
Posts: 450
Location: Sydney Australia
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| Posted: Sun Sep 21, 2014 8:08 am Post subject: |
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Good thing we can buy fuel with no Ethanol here in OZ
Good fuel for great bikes
TRev |
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Quadrasuarass
Joined: 23 Aug 2013
Posts: 82
Location: New Zealand
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| Posted: Sun Mar 15, 2015 2:18 am Post subject: |
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Also had a similar problem with a DB1 tank, the underside that is exposed to the heat from the engine ended up becoming "pliable" or flexible. I have since stripped the bike down for a freshen up and the same section of tank has gone hard to the point of feeling brittle. Additionally the foam mesh inside the tank used as a surge baffle disintegrated into a mush. The problem may not have been ethanol, the govt here changed the acceptable formulation for gasoline and allowed high levels of toluene which destroys a number of gasket and O materials. There was a subsequent spate of vehicle fires after this bit of political brilliance from out mandarins. The spec has since reverted to something saner/safer.
I am not taking any risks from here and have sourced an ally tank. |
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