Tanks and Ethanol.

[D-Rider]

I purchased one of the new tanks from AF1, which I then coated with a treatment from Caswell. It’s been on the bike now for about 7 months, running 10% ethanol blend (I’m in the States). The tank has not expanded at all.

Nice one - that's the way to do it, I think. New tank, tank-lining treatment from new and before a drop of petrol has passed through it. I guess AF1 will run out of tanks pretty quickly...

That said, Richard Vanags (morepower) who made out CF tanks, has said that the standard plastic tanks can't be successfully sealed internally as the sealant will de-laminate from the tank. He explained why .... but I can't remember the detail
I also know that micah knows his stuff - so maybe he's found some sealant that doesn't suffer that problem.

If anyone has any plan to go this route, it may be an idea to explore a bit more deeply with both of these chaps.

[DavShill]

So...... after much discussion they couldn't get the necessary clearance to put an big automotive part on the same carne (or bill of lading or whatever it's called) as a freight load of guitars, drums, amps, lighting rigs etc etc.

So i may live with mine until it's too fat then think about replacing it.

[fatboy]

So...... after much discussion they couldn't get the necessary clearance to put an big automotive part on the same carne (or bill of lading or whatever it's called) as a freight load of guitars, drums, amps, lighting rigs etc etc.

So i may live with mine until it's too fat then think about replacing it.

I often think that about the mrs

[micah]

Given the interest due to expansion, I will gladly report if mine expands. I used Caswell’s coating. If I remember correctly, Caswell sells its product in the UK.

While I was researching potential solutions, I noted failures are due primarily due to improperly prepared tanks. Proper preparation requires a full cleaning of the tank from all old fuel residue. In addition, some had diluted the treatment with a little paint thinner to make the coating flow around the tank easier during installation. Thinning too much can cause failure.

I started with a new tank, thus no fuel residue to contaminate the epoxy before it set. I did not dilute the coating at all. It is very think (like honey), and it sets quickly, so getting the solution properly around the tank insides in time is key. Prior to putting the liquid in the tank, I also took the time to scratch up the inside of the tank with screws for better adhesion.

Still no expansion, and the tank is full of 10% ethanol blend at this point. My old tank expanded noticeably when on a trip and I had no choice but to put 10% ethanol blend in the tank (where I live there are two stations that sell 100% gasoline).

So far, I am quite pleased and have recommended it to my Ducati friends who have plastic fuel cells.

[mangocrazy]

Hi Micah, thanks for the very informative post. Given that most (if not all) tanks will have fuel residue, what would you use to clean them? Would isopropyl alcohol or strong detergent (or both) be suitable cleaners? I'm pretty sure that Caswell tank sealant is available in the UK, so that's good news.

[micah]

Based on what I have seen, isopropyl is an excellent cleaner. For my old tank, I would do this TWICE before the Caswell treatment. If lack of making sure the prior fuel residue is completely removed is the reason for failure, I would do whatever necessary to remove the old fuel residue. Prepping with rubbing alcohol is a good way to remove old fuel residue.

Seems as though the tank expansion issues (after cleaning) are primarily due to not having cleaned or prepped the tank properly.

[micah]

I cleaned my new tank with rubbing alcohol prior to application of the Caswell. It was my way of removing any dust or whatever residue might be in the way. The alcohol I used was 70%.

[mangocrazy]

Thanks Micah, much appreciated.