Race regulations require me to fill my plastic tank with some kind of fire inhibitor - foam or ExploSafe.
Since foam steals fuel capacity I was thinking ExploSafe, but have been told it can cause a short somewhere by the fuel pump...
Any experience?
Not here. :-\
I regret not studying the fuel pump better when it was out last winter.
Maybe it's the fuel level sensor (thermistor) - AFAIK it's exposed to gas and is somehow electric (?)
Quote from: stopintime on December 30, 2012, 03:59:40 PM
I regret not studying the fuel pump better when it was out last winter.
Maybe it's the fuel level sensor (thermistor) - AFAIK it's exposed to gas and is somehow electric (?)
My understanding is the late model fuel level sensors are not thermistors, but a float type rheostat.
The explosafe site doesn't really tell how it works.
The ExploSafe is made of aluminum. Looks like small balls of lathe/mill (?) shavings and is sold by the liter.
The SBK guys having issues with it talked about a short somewhere at the pump, but the symptoms of a confused fuel level sensor would be the same - engine suddenly stalling.
Maybe alu touching the thermistor could cause this. My parts catalog describes it as a thermistor, but I don't know if that's what's in there. Truth be told I don't know a thermistor or a rheostat is either...
I don't understand how it would be different from foam with regard to fuel capacity.
You're adding a volume of material to the tank which will reduce capacity in either case, unless you need a very small volume of the explosafe to work...
where is the benefit?
How long are these races anyway?
First: the metal tank (only checked the S4R) has a different sensor which I think has some kind of coil inside. My S2R has another sensor - an open thermistor/thingy - it slides into the base of the fuel pump assembly. I remember seeing it and it can be contacted by ExploSafe, but I don't know if that is my potential problem.
I can't see how a short would play out... In my limited experience, a short can cause sparks :o
The ExploSafe steals somewhere around .2 liters. The foam can hold a liter or two, but I haven't been able to get precise numbers. It's my bike's touring duties that will suffer.
It appears that the Explosafe is an aluminum foil mesh.
It inhibits the flame front physically, and absorbs the combustion heat.
Evidently to an extent that the explosion can't propagate.
IIRC, there are uninsulated connectors or wiring on the plastic tank fuel pump/flange assemblies.
But I've not looked at one in a while...
What about a 'race' tank and a 'street' tank?
Quote from: Speeddog on December 31, 2012, 05:19:10 PM
It appears that the Explosafe is an aluminum foil mesh.
It inhibits the flame front physically, and absorbs the combustion heat.
Evidently to an extent that the explosion can't propagate.
Thats my understanding of Explosafe too. When installed it looks like chook-wire inside your tank.
Quote from: Speeddog on December 31, 2012, 05:19:10 PMWhat about a 'race' tank and a 'street' tank?
^^ This IMO is the solution [thumbsup].
...still need to solve the exposed wires / sensor issue [coffee]
Quote from: stopintime on January 05, 2013, 02:49:28 AM
...still need to solve the exposed wires / sensor issue [coffee]
Foam? In the
who-gives-a-shit-about-lost-capacity race tank?
Quote from: ungeheuer on January 05, 2013, 05:36:19 AM
Foam? In the who-gives-a-shit-about-lost-capacity race tank?
Quote from: stopintime on December 30, 2012, 05:53:37 PM
First: the metal tank (only checked the S4R) has a different sensor which I think has some kind of coil inside. My S2R has another sensor - an open thermistor/thingy - it slides into the base of the fuel pump assembly. I remember seeing it and it can be contacted by ExploSafe, but I don't know if that is my potential problem.
I can't see how a short would play out... In my limited experience, a short can cause sparks :o
The ExploSafe steals somewhere around .2 liters. The foam can hold a liter or two, but I haven't been able to get precise numbers. It's my bike's touring duties that will suffer.
Quote from: ungeheuer on January 05, 2013, 05:36:19 AM
Foam? In the who-gives-a-shit-about-lost-capacity race tank?
True, but there are two/three deciding factors: low budget, minimal prep and the fun of 'race what you brung'.
I imagine it to be a lot more fun to finish mid pack on a bike that shouldn't be competitive than to get a podium on a race prep'ed SBK. I plan to show up on my bike with a few tools in a back pack, tape off lights, zip tie side stand, warm up the street sport tires in the parking lot and have some Desmo fun.
second solution is a secondary tank with foam for racing.
300-400 on ebay right now