Plastic Tank problems: Discussion thread, see info thread sticky for updates

[Curmudgeon]

My recommendation- get the oil cooler or consider purchasing a water cooled machine if you plan on longer rides in the heat, and I've heard the Aussie sun can be ferocious.

His issue has little to do with engine heat. It's the flapper valve under the seat which gets hot. Cooling the engine would do little if anything to address this. Swapping out the flapper valve for a 696 mid pipe might help, but ungeheuer or Raux might be able to confirm. I don't notice it much under ~ 85 F / 30 C ambient temp. Above 90 F / 33 C, you feel it. The kind of pants or leathers you wear will also have an impact. (I don't ride in jeans. )

[ungeheuer]

Swapping out the flapper valve for a 696 mid pipe might help, but ungeheuer or Raux might be able to confirm.

I got nothing to say about that here.  Here's about plastic tanks 

[NAKID]

OK, so the tank swap went well. Interestingly though, the tank wouldn't close properly with my PCIII installed in the same place it has been for 5 years now. Not a major issue since there's additional room now due to the Shorai.

So the tank looks good. The caswell coating is a noticable layer of clear coating on the inside of the tank.
The dealership dropped a little fuel in it and I headed to the gas station. They also installed a new fuel filter in it while I was there, the original filter had about 18.5K miles on it.

Everything seemed fine until I was on my way back to work this morning. My fuel light came on at 123 miles. I usually get about 135 before it comes on. I'll fill up again today and see if I notice a difference again. Could it be that there was just some air in the tank since it's new?

[ducpainter]

OK, so the tank swap went well. Interestingly though, the tank wouldn't close properly with my PCIII installed in the same place it has been for 5 years now. Not a major issue since there's additional room now due to the Shorai.

So the tank looks good. The caswell coating is a noticable layer of clear coating on the inside of the tank.
The dealership dropped a little fuel in it and I headed to the gas station. They also installed a new fuel filter in it while I was there, the original filter had about 18.5K miles on it.

Everything seemed fine until I was on my way back to work this morning. My fuel light came on at 123 miles. I usually get about 135 before it comes on. I'll fill up again today and see if I notice a difference again. Could it be that there was just some air in the tank since it's new?

The volume of a complete kit is 1.5 quarts...

do the math.

[ducatiz]

The volume of a complete kit is 1.5 quarts...

do the math.

Of which is about 70% VOCs

[ducpainter]

Of which is about 70% VOCs

I never read the label with regards to solids content, but that seem really high for that type of epoxy.

[NAKID]

I figured the amount of tank swell would have been about the same volume. I certainly didn't expect to lose capacity...

[ducatiz]

I never read the label with regards to solids content, but that seem really high for that type of epoxy.

Actually I was exaggerating and now that I think about it, its probably pretty low.  The epoxy they use is available for industrial coatings in a non liquid form which has a 0% voc.  I assume they add reducer but I dont know how much.

In the tank that I did testing with the coating cured at about 1mm thick in most places.  Thicker in tbe corners.

[NAKID]

Well, it seems I have lost a pretty decent amount of available volume. I filled up as much as I could today after the fuel light being on for 10 miles. Normally I would put in just over 3 gallons with that distance. This time, 2.85 :-(
Not happy about the loss of capacity. I was already pushing close to my daily commute limit. I dont want to have to get gas twice a day...

[Desert Dust]

Well, it seems I have lost a pretty decent amount of available volume. I filled up as much as I could today after the fuel light being on for 10 miles. Normally I would put in just over 3 gallons with that distance. This time, 2.85 :-(
Not happy about the loss of capacity. I was already pushing close to my daily commute limit. I dont want to have to get gas twice a day...

I noticed the same phenomenon with my recently coated tank; I ran completely out of fuel last Saturday, and I was only able to squeeze in about 3.2 gallons. My fuel light quit working so I go by mileage. Dam!  I was sure I had enough fuel to go 10 more miles. Luckily I was only a mile from home and my wife was able to deliver some fuel to me.

[ducatiz]

The volume of a complete kit is 1.5 quarts...

do the math.

It's about a quart, really.  The large can is just over 2/3 full and the small can is full.  After mixing, you lose some unless it is reduced very thin.  I usually add about an oz of xylene which gets most of it, but I still have about a 4x4x0.5 inch left over. 

[ducpainter]

It's about a quart, really.  The large can is just over 2/3 full and the small can is full.  After mixing, you lose some unless it is reduced very thin.  I usually add about an oz of xylene which gets most of it, but I still have about a 4x4x0.5 inch left over. 

My point was the material will reduce the volume of the tank.

To be conservative figure .8 qts for a complete kit.

That translates to .2 gallons. If you estimate 45 mpg that would account for a reduction of about 10 miles/tank, which is what Chris experienced.

Simple multiplication.

[ducatiz]

Yeah, I know.  It's unfortunate that the coating is necessary but that's what we're left with if one has a plastic tank.

[NAKID]

Yeah, I understand that completely, but this now makes my daily commute an exercise in restraint so I can have enough fule to make it to work and back without filling up more than once.
FYI, I'm averaging between 49-51mpg...

[Jim H]

Morning everybody,

I updated my post last night (page 185 of this thread). The post was originally intended to be universal, meaning it applies to all other bikes affected as well as the Superduke so please feel free to take a look. I have duplicated correspondence with NHTSA & VOSA for your information. Not as many links to click this time, some of the areas covered refer to epoxy coating & preparation but it also delves a little deeper. I couldn't sympathise with you guys more now that Ducati seem to be pulling a complete U-turn on choice of tank material but once everything in the post is taken into account I hope you'll see where I'm coming from.


Thank you Ducatiz for the positive response. I'm on your side and I haven't held back this time. From what I've been reading I'm sure the Ducati fraternity have received a pretty poor deal. Who know's, maybe things can still be improved.

Fingers crossed,

Thanks

Jim