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

[ducatiz]

Actually the Caswell coating peeling inside the tank is not BS.
I had my 2nd tank replaced recently and while it was at the shop I had them coat it too.
When I went to pick it up I opened the gas cap and the coating was soft and peeling.
The service manager said that the coating had dried completly solid and surmised that the fuel has somewho interacted with the coating to soften it.
You can actually reach inside the tank and pull out small sections of the coating.
He said he would contact Caswell to see if they had experienced this problem before.
I'm still waiting to hear back from them as to what we should or can do next...

Jimi

Those photos are the tank filler.  Can you tell me where you saw the peeling? 

Argh!...Please keep us posted...Do you know if the dealer washed the inside of the tank pre-coating with Caswell?  The OEM tanks supposedly use some kind of mold release oil.

Would suck to have wasted $$ on Caswell.

Mold release agent would be where the PAINT is now.

[thought]

Argh!...Please keep us posted...Do you know if the dealer washed the inside of the tank pre-coating with Caswell?  The OEM tanks supposedly use some kind of mold release oil.

Would suck to have wasted $$ on Caswell.

maybe it's an issue with how it was mixed?  caswell is pretty definite on exactly how much of each solution to mix together:

from their site:

"Mix up the required amount of Gas Tank Sealer (one unit should treat two small motorcycle tanks or one large one) If you are only treating ONE small tank, then divide parts A & B in half. You could use a dipstick to gauge this.

In a separate plastic container (margarine tub etc.) mix the two parts together thoroughly for at least 2 minutes. Scrape around the sides to ensure all resin is blended together. BAD MIXING AND BAD MEASURING IS THE #1 CAUSE OF FAILURE!!"

i'm sure that the dealer will say that he mixed it perfectly... but maybe this is a situation where he put in too much resin and not enough hardener?

[wantingaduc]

The tank is actually full now but once I get a chance I will take pictures of it and post them.
The peeling is very clearly visable inside the tank as soon as you open the filler cap.
I'm even considering pelling off the coating that's not adhering just to prevent problems later down the road.

As far as mixing it right, this deealer has done a few tanks before with no previous problems.

I'm besitant to speculate why it happened, I'm just bummed/ annoyed that now I have a brand new tank that I paid to hav coated and I'm not sure that the problem won't happen again.

[ducatiz]

The tank is actually full now but once I get a chance I will take pictures of it and post them.
The peeling is very clearly visable inside the tank as soon as you open the filler cap.
I'm even considering pelling off the coating that's not adhering just to prevent problems later down the road.

As far as mixing it right, this deealer has done a few tanks before with no previous problems.

I'm besitant to speculate why it happened, I'm just bummed/ annoyed that now I have a brand new tank that I paid to hav coated and I'm not sure that the problem won't happen again.

Using the photos I posted, where is the peeling?

You're the first person I've heard of that has had problems and I've been tracking this issue for a long time now -- 2+ years?  My first guess is that someone screwed up the mix, perhaps did not let it set long enough or keep the tank moving during cure.

[extra330]

I can say with certainty that when properly mixed, the Caswells coating is HARD and sticks to just about anything. I still have drips of of the stuff stuck to my garage floor. My guess is that either the dealer failed to properly mix the coating or perhaps filled the tank with gasoline without allowing enough time for curing.   

If you can peel off the coating then it simply wasn't mixed or installed correctly.

what a bummer...

[Uncle Mofo]

My second tank claim has been denied. The reason that I crashed. I did highside at the track but that happened after I had already made the claim. DNA now according to my dealer will not replace the tank.   I'm going to call customer service and let them have it.

[iRam]

Let em have it!

[Desert Dust]

My second tank claim has been denied. The reason that I crashed. I did highside at the track but that happened after I had already made the claim. DNA now according to my dealer will not replace the tank.   I'm going to call customer service and let them have it.

Better yet, file a claim in small claims court. The limit in CA is $5,000.00, and I think it costs less than $30.00 to file.

[wantingaduc]

Ok here are the pictures of the Caswell coating in my tank.
The coating has turned a yellowish color and is peeling off the inner surface.
Is this happening to anyone else and is there anything that can be done at this point to repair or remove and recoat it?

[NorDog]

Better yet, file a claim in small claims court. The limit in CA is $5,000.00, and I think it costs less than $30.00 to file.

If he's gonna file an insurance claim for the crash, why bother?

Is he gonna file an insurance claim?

[Desert Dust]

^^^^^ Good point! I don't have collision coverage on my bike. 

[ducatiz]

Ok here are the pictures of the Caswell coating in my tank.
The coating has turned a yellowish color and is peeling off the inner surface.
Is this happening to anyone else and is there anything that can be done at this point to repair or remove and recoat it?

It either was applied to a dirty tank or it was not cured correctly.  I thought you meant around the filler neck.  That spot is as flat as that tank gets. 

My gut feeling tells me they thinned it too much to make it easier to apply and it simply did not cure enough with all the MEK or whatever htey used.

Not easy to pick it out.  Call Caswell and ask them.  I imagine you can recoat over the peeling stuff and it will seal that in too.  I also have a few drops of caswell on my garage floor and it is like dental enamel.

[ConnorD]

So I went into Ducati Seattle a few days ago to get the pictures of my tank taken for a claim. The tech I talked to told me some interesting things that may or may not be new information. According to him, the swelling reverses if the ethanol and gas are drained and the tank left to air. Apparently Ducati was initially confused as the the tanks sent to them for inspection weren't deformed at all, as they had been left to air for a few weeks prior to shipping and shrunk back down. He also said he had seen this happen himself to the tanks in the shop that had been removed due to swelling. I'm not sure what significance this has to the problem at large, but maybe folks who've been denied a new tank have some hope...

As an aside, the poor finish on hillbillypolack's tank has me worried. Can you guys who have received new tanks chime in on how they compared to the original tank's finish?

[NorDog]

My bike is on its third tank.  The fit and finish has been fine on all three except the first tank (the one on the bike when I bought it at the dealer) didn't have any clear coat.  When I was taking the sticker off the tank I used my fingernail to scrap some of the sticker glue off.  My fingernail dug up a small chunk of the white racing stripe decal.  The stripe on the tank I have now is definitely clear coated. 

[ducatiz]

So I went into Ducati Seattle a few days ago to get the pictures of my tank taken for a claim. The tech I talked to told me some interesting things that may or may not be new information. According to him, the swelling reverses if the ethanol and gas are drained and the tank left to air. Apparently Ducati was initially confused as the the tanks sent to them for inspection weren't deformed at all, as they had been left to air for a few weeks prior to shipping and shrunk back down. He also said he had seen this happen himself to the tanks in the shop that had been removed due to swelling. I'm not sure what significance this has to the problem at large, but maybe folks who've been denied a new tank have some hope...

this has been known for a while.  the problem is that the water penetrates the wall of the tank and can leave deposits of water trapped.   i had a tank cut open to examine the wall and we found small cavities of water -- it's not clear if the cavities were present previously or if the water expanded the material.

to complicate things, you have no idea if your tank is compromised once it shrinks.  if you have an expanded tank and it later shrinks and you coat it -- and there is water trapped in the wall, more than likely, the coating will release.

also, some folks have had actual moisture under the paint forming "mushy" pockets near the surface.