I fitted a used carbon fibre tank on my 999S earlier this year,and whilst giving the bike a good clean I noticed a small blistered area on the lower left side near the fuel pump I touched it and it was wet with petrol ,it is not dripping or anything like that it just seems a bit porous ,is there any thing I can do without removing the tank and getting it re-sealed from the inside ...any advice welcome chaps.
Theres a product called petseal that could cure it but the tank would have to come off remove the pump blank the hole . The liquid has to be rolled around inside the tank and left to set . Works on rusty tanks too.
I'm Not sure whether it works with carbon fibre though?...has anyone used it with a carbon or fibreglass tank?
PetSeal - Don't buy this evidently... petseal ultra internal coating carbon fibre formula for repairing leaks on rusty fuel tanks: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike because... Other Petrol Tank sealing.. I would check if POR 50 can be used on Carbon as it seems to be the best available.
POR15 instructions state that is not suitable for plastic and fibreglass although I am not sure why. The paint element of the kit is non toxic so no solvents (?). Perhaps it is the chemical bonding process that needs a metal surface. Andy
On closer inspection it looks like its weeping past the fuel pump seal ,its only a small patch on the left hand underside ,probably due to it leaning to the left on the stand,the fuel pump fasteners are not the same as on an OE tank where you screw 3 special nuts onto studs in the tank body,the carbon tank is threaded so I had to use 3 set screws with washers...looks like its a weak point!
Yeah petseal has run its course . Seemingly modern fuel with ethanol attacks it . All the classic bike boys are removing it to use a different product whitch will stand up to ethanol.
This is the stuff you want to seal the tank: Dragons Blood Red Motorcycle Gas Tank Sealer - Gas Tank Sealer - Caswell Inc
When my fibreglass tank leaked and Radical Ducati failed to fix it....I got some Caswell sealer from Hitchcock motorcycles and it sorted it myself. Easy to use, and comes in clear as well as other colours. But you need to strip the tank and sit rolling the mixture around for a while! It's been fuel tight since, well worth it.
Thanks for all the replies guys,but i'm not sure that the tank is actually leaking, i'm more inclined to think its a problem with the pump sealing 'O'ring fitment,has anyone else had experience of fitting the fuel pump assembly to a non standard Carbon tank, the fasteners are different to the OE jobbie.
Has the higher ethanol content swollen the tank? I know the plastic tanks suffer badly, not sure about carbon? This causes o ring sealing issues as well.
It had'nt crossed my mind that the ethanol shit in regular unleaded juice might have affected things ,I will start using super unleaded all the time from now on ,I gather its ethanol content is significantly lower than normal unleaded ...any suggestions if it is affecting the 'O'ring, apart from fitting a new one and hoping for the best?
Just been exploring options for a new,more ethanol resistant 'O'ring to try ...can anyone tell me the differences regarding ethanol resistance between Nitrile and Viton ,is there any?...hopefully a certain forum member might be able to help.....
Have a look on Polymax Web site, there's plenty of information there. Viton is the one to use with petrol. Rubber Matting | O Rings | Rubber Sheet | Rubber Flooring | Anti-Vibration Mount | Gym Flooring | Steve
I hope not, the tank aperture has a bonded in alloy insert which the O ring seats into, I cant see the ethanol distorting the metal?..i will try a new O ring first, if it doesn't work then i'm fooked!.:Nailbiting:
Do you know the manufactuer of the tank? I'm thinking of getting a carbon one. I had one on my old TLR and had no probs, just making sure it was all sealed and I only ever use super unleaded on any bike I have had. Ethanol is a killer though as it turns into a gunge and it's the gunk that eats anything and everything.
I was told The tank is a 23L Kamna tank, Austrian made I think,with a nice alloy quick filler cap...I'm pretty sure the tank itself is sealed and liquid tight,mine seems to be weeping at the point where the fuel pump fits ,the only thing I can think of is a dodgy O ring ,like I said earlier the opening where the pump fits has an alloy insert where the O ring seats,i've just ordered a new Viton O ring... i'll get it all uncoupled and taken off the bike and have a good look next weekend .
Sounds like it is the O ring. I remember testing mine on the TLR after leaving it a week and had a little weep in that area. But sorted with new O ring and sealant. The tank looks lovely, keep us updated
