Looking for some help with my tank.

Yea, sometimes ya gotta give it a real push forward to slide on those little rubber grommets. Maybe it's slightly out of alignment or one of those pins could be slightly bent. Try installing the tank without the fittings first, make sure you've got the procedure down, then try it with everything to the tank connected.

shouldbeworking said:

......
Am I missing something obvious? Is it supposed to take herculean strength to push it back in? Not quite sure what to do, but I don't want to force it anymore than it already is. Hopefully someone can provide some assistance. Thanks in advance.

:blind:

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Shit Tye. I don't even own one of these, same as you. But I actually read the content on this forum and take it in (as much as I can).

Shouldbe..... to me this sounds like a case of the swollen tank. You can thank the ethanol in your fuel for this (assuming you are in the US).

Do a search here and you'll find copious posts on the matter.

Look at the front end if the tank is in all the way. If it is, then I'd say you're screwed and the tank is swollen. If it's not, and it looks like it can still go forward, you can grab a rubber mallet and smack it a few times until it goes in.

If the tank is swollen, check with your dealer if they will honour the recall and give you a new tank. If you are stuck with your swollen tank, then try emptying the tank and leaving it with cap off, somewhere safe, for a week or so. It will contract slightly as the VOCs evaporate off.

When/if you get a new tank, first coat the inside with Caswell coating before you install it, do a search. Will keep it from swelling again. Greg

greg328 said:

When/if you get a new tank, first coat the inside with Caswell coating before you install it, do a search. Will keep it from swelling again. Greg

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I thought there was someone on the forum who had the shop do the caswell coating and still ended up with the expansion. Anyone know who that was?

I have an unused caswell kit for sale if anyone is interested. I was going to use it on a used unexpanded tank i picked up, but ended up buying an eti fuel cel so no need to have it coated.

Yeah I was aware of the swelling issues, but since it doesn't sit in the sun a whole lot, and I couldn't see anything, I was hoping that wasn't going to be an issue. Process of elimination kind of points to it though, thanks for the replies everyone.

Sun doesn't do it. Ethanol does.
as for the caswell it's hit or miss. if you apply how it says on the can,
it can and will last but and I say but.

I have done harley tanks back in the day and 5-10 years down the line the caswell will turn into a mushy paste and cum up the carb.

I just installed a tank and took my old tank off a couple of times and I never had a hard time with either tanks. Just slipped right on. So I would think in your case that your tank has swollen.

I have read that if you drain the tank and let it sit for a couple of weeks it should shrink back down to size.

cul8er said:

mushy paste and cum up the carb.

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Am I the only immature bastard who found this really funny? :laughing:

What were you thinking of when you typed that?

rubbish said:

Am I the only immature bastard who found this really funny? :laughing:

What were you thinking of when you typed that?

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Maybe? I hope I am not getting too old.
Because I don't see it....just sayin......


Edit ok I am a little slow today,,, cause I see I typed cum and I meant gum.. damn I am slow.

cul8er said:

Maybe? I hope I am not getting too old.
Because I don't see it....just sayin......


Edit ok I am a little slow today,,, cause I see I typed cum and I meant gum.. damn I am slow.

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LOL...there you go!

7 Summits said:

I thought there was someone on the forum who had the shop do the caswell coating and still ended up with the expansion. Anyone know who that was?

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I had the Caswell lining professionally installed in my new tank by GTL in California and it has not expanded at all in over a year now.

cul8er said:

Sun doesn't do it. Ethanol does.
as for the caswell it's hit or miss. if you apply how it says on the can,
it can and will last but and I say but.

I have done harley tanks back in the day and 5-10 years down the line the caswell will turn into a mushy paste and cum up the carb.

I just installed a tank and took my old tank off a couple of times and I never had a hard time with either tanks. Just slipped right on. So I would think in your case that your tank has swollen.

I have read that if you drain the tank and let it sit for a couple of weeks it should shrink back down to size.

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I tried draining it and leaving it out for 3 weeks. It shrank about 25%. Just enough to get it back on. I knew i was getting a new tank, so i didn't coat it. After another month, it expanded again and mangled the weak rear tank bracket.

Ok I will try this again.. With out the mistype this time. I am more of a bad speller then slow ok.. maybe both.

I am not trying to be that guy... I have heard good things from GTL(gymtanlunch?..j/k)
And caswell does do what it advertises but over time like 5-10 years the ethanol turns caswell into puddy. and a PITA to remove

My experience has been with metal HD gas tanks. Might adhere different because of the plastic tank but over time, ethanol eats all.

If you don't want to sit and wait few weeks,hoping that your emptied fuel tank will shrink back to it original size,you can get an adjustable mounting bracket from Motowheels ( I'm not sure if anyone else sells these)
That's what I did when it wasn't possible to put fuel tank back on my bike,because of the swelling issue. Since my tank was only swollen a little,there was no bubbles or cracks in the paint,so that bracket solved the problem for me.
It's fairly inexpensive ( compared to new tank,if you can't get a free replacement tank from Ducati), and much better made than OEM bracket,so if you will get an aluminum tank or new plastic one at some point,you still have a nice mounting bracket to keep on your bike.

So this happened to me.. I used a rag on the painted end of the tank to prevent the following from scratching it.. I then hooked up a ratchet strap and kept tightening it to get the bolt to line up.. It was off by about .5" and no it didn't bend anything.. Just hook it onto one of your frame pillars and it'll go right on.. I then rode the bike to the dealer and got a new tank 2 weeks later.. Luckily I was still in the warranty period which is 6 years from original purchase date.. Good luck!

My 848 racebike's original tank swelled pretty badly...bubbles in the paint, visual distortion and 2 to 3 inch splits in the paint as well as the bubbles. It has been replaced and the only fuel I use now I'm required to purchase from the track and this fuel does not have ethanol in it, so I'm good to go. My street Ducati has a factory aluminum tank, so good to go there as well. After a month or so of the original tank being off the bike and Clean and dry, it did shrink back to normal shape and size....I have a free spare!

jwm2k3 said:

My 848 racebike's original tank swelled pretty badly...bubbles in the paint, visual distortion and 2 to 3 inch splits in the paint as well as the bubbles. It has been replaced and the only fuel I use now I'm required to purchase from the track and this fuel does not have ethanol in it, so I'm good to go. My street Ducati has a factory aluminum tank, so good to go there as well. After a month or so of the original tank being off the bike and Clean and dry, it did shrink back to normal shape and size....I have a free spare!

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Any suggestion how to stop the bubbling of the tank? I had mine in storage with some fuel stabilizer over the winter. Now I noticed that there is a quarter sized raise in the tank. Not enough for it to be replaced but it does irritate me (either be fully raised or don't raise at all)