Expanding fuel tanks in Australia!

[Hayze]

Hi everyone,

The fuel tank on my 2006 S4RS (15,000km) has expanded to the point where I can not even get a steel rule between the hold down clip & the ignition barrel. Is anyone else in Australia experiencing this issue?

Hayze

[koko64]

Sorry to hear.
There are huge threads on this affecting US and Canadian bikes. Will be watching to see how widespread it is here.

[cicii]

Damn, I'm looking at buying an 05 model monster with a plastic tank. This issue has been worrying me.

When did you notice it?
Was it after a long ride? Do you usually park it in the sun?

[Two dogs]

I was under the impression this was 99% related to the use of fuel containing ethanol ?
Have you been using E10 ?

[duke8]

I have the same bike and an 05 620 and  do not have an issue with either of them... Like two dogs said, I was under the impression the issue was due to ethanol use. Possibly the po of your bike was using e10 if you haven't been...


If I remember correctly , I think you have 6 years from original date of purchase to have the tank replaced by ducati under that tank settlement thing??? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on that...

[Betty]

I was under the impression this was 99% related to the use of fuel containing ethanol ?
Have you been using E10 ?

That was my first thought too Dez. But then I thought ... why would you put e10 in an S4RS (actually why would you put it in anything). - so I would also be interested to know what circumstances the bike has been operating under.

I have seen any evidence in our two plastic tanks (but I wouldn't pick up on subtle signs ... cos I'm a bit thick). I think Suzy's tank has expanded a little - supposedly based on the previous owner's poor choice of fuel. Since I assume it has been resting off the bike for a while I would be interested to know how it is holding up too.

[Betty]

If I remember correctly , I think you have 6 years from original date of purchase to have the tank replaced by ducati under that tank settlement thing??? Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on that...

I was not aware of any tank settlement thing that would apply to bikes in Australia.

Also I think one of the members here (or perhaps on TOB) actually contacted Ducati Australia and was told they would not recommend ethanol content fuels (it may have been Super TIB but my memory is pretty hazy nowadays). I can't imagine Ducati Australia offering anything ... but considering the limitations on fuel nowadays we are fast running out of 'preferred' options.

[duke8]

I was not aware of any tank settlement thing that would apply to bikes in Australia.

Also I think one of the members here (or perhaps on TOB) actually contacted Ducati Australia and was told they would not recommend ethanol content fuels (it may have been Super TIB but my memory is pretty hazy nowadays). I can't imagine Ducati Australia offering anything ... but considering the limitations on fuel nowadays we are fast running out of 'preferred' options.

Yeah Betty you're probably right,  I was just reciting what I've read in a thread somewhere, it was probably just for Ducati in America ....

 I was just thinking, I have my tank off ATM for painting, perhaps I should do the caswell sealer on it.... Anyone here have any experience doing that?

[Mr.S2R]

wow I have never heard this before! Should I be worried about my 06 S2R?  I have always used Premium unleaded in my tank.  Never noticed any signs of the tank expanding.  I have mine off the bike at the moment as I am replacing the fuel filter.

[suzyj]

That was my first thought too Dez. But then I thought ... why would you put e10 in an S4RS (actually why would you put it in anything). - so I would also be interested to know what circumstances the bike has been operating under.

I have seen any evidence in our two plastic tanks (but I wouldn't pick up on subtle signs ... cos I'm a bit thick). I think Suzy's tank has expanded a little - supposedly based on the previous owner's poor choice of fuel. Since I assume it has been resting off the bike for a while I would be interested to know how it is holding up too.

Yah mine was quite swollen - I was having heaps of trouble latching it and the rubber pads no longer sat on the frame.

I emptied it out and hung it up to dry for a couple of weeks and it's improved, but still a little hard to latch.

[Two dogs]

Suzy any idea why yours is swollen ? ........................Brian and Rob don't go there 

[Hayze]

Hi everyone,

The bike always ran on BP unleaded 95 unless there wasn't a BP servo around. The bike just seemed to run better on BP fuel for some reason. BP unleaded 91 with 10% ethanol only went into the bike once by accident & the bike ran like crap! That never happened again!

I have owned the bike since new & it has spent most of it's life under a saturn sheet in the garage as I was living overseas until recently. It was ridden for a couple of days every 6 months or so depending when I could get back to Australia. The bike is kept out of the sun & parked undercover where possible.

Upon my return this time I noticed the lack of clearance between the tank & the ignition barrel. I phoned my local Ducati Dealer ASAP & took it in for them to have a look at. They had never heard of the problem affecting any Australian bikes. So I thought that I would enquire here & see if anyone else had or is experiencing the same issue. If so we could possibly partition Ducati Australia as a group to resolve the issue.

Hayze

[Dannog]

My tank has always been hard to latch but I never thought about the tank expanding. Just put it down to a tight fit.

[ducpainter]

The problem with the PA-6 nylon tanks is actually caused by the absorption of water which the ethanol makes far worse because of it's propensity to absorb water from the atmosphere. A bike that burns through it's fuel on a regular basis is less likely to have the issue than one that sits with fuel in the tank for long periods of time. Since all fuel will absorb water to some degree, and has some water from underground storage, no nylon tank is completely immune.

The best solution so far has been to coat the tanks interior, prior to swelling, with an epoxy coating.

There's a very long thread about it...  http://www.ducatimonsterforum.org/index.php?topic=25074.0

[Mr.S2R]

thanks for that Ducpainter!

My bike hardly sits around with fuel in it for any great period, and normally if it does (during winter) I would drain all fuel.  The fuel turns to crap very easily sitting in the tank, but didn't realize about the water factor! Very interesting to know!