deadpen69 Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 The parts to keep these bikes running are available, the parts to keep them beautiful, not so much. Especially limited-edition graphics. You could try having custom decals made or find a good painter. All depends on how bad it bothers you and what kind of a check you want to write. If you redo the tank and it doesn't match the fairing perfectly it's a whole new problem. Nice bike! Welcome 2
al_roethlisberger Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 5 hours ago, deadpen69 said: The parts to keep these bikes running are available, the parts to keep them beautiful, not so much. Especially limited-edition graphics. You could try having custom decals made or find a good painter. All depends on how bad it bothers you and what kind of a check you want to write. If you redo the tank and it doesn't match the fairing perfectly it's a whole new problem. Nice bike! Welcome One can always look at it as an opportunity to customize as well if so inclined. That's what I did when I switched from the 2002 to 2003 tank. Plus if one keeps an eye out on eBay, things like NOS decals, etc do show up occasionally.
footgoose Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 Years back on this forum, didn't someone mention a remedy for the decal blister/bubble using a needle or pointy razor to penetrate and release the gas?
audiomick Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 I've seen that done with stickers of various types, or stick-on plastic coating. One needs to be very careful not to curl up the edges of the hole, i.e. a clean as possible cut, or it wont stick back down flat. And don't make any wrinkles when pushing the air out. If you do it carefully, and there is still enough sticky left on the back side, that can work.
al_roethlisberger Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 28 minutes ago, footgoose said: Years back on this forum, didn't someone mention a remedy for the decal blister/bubble using a needle or pointy razor to penetrate and release the gas? Is the decal applied on top of the paint, or under clear-coat?
dgpmerc Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 The decal is under the clear coat. The problem I'm seeing is that pretty much the entire decal has bubbles underneath it, so it really isn't stuck down at all. And it's a BIG decal. So far there are no perforations thru the clear coat and decal but if you aren't careful around the area, it seems like it would be easy to damage that loose paint and sticker. I don't think there is any adhesive left on the backside of the decal at all. Since I plan to keep this bike for the long term I just was hoping there might be a way to fix the tank. Thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye out for NOS decals, or might have to get a new one made.
footgoose Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 It's an old subject, and pardon my lack of detailed knowledge but, the bubbling is caused by alcohol in gasoline and somehow permeates the nylon gas tank. There have been instances noted of it bubbling painted surfaces as well. The very best fix is sourcing a nos or near new/unaffected tank and seal it internally. There are threads on the forum with much discussion. As has been said, a quality print shop can make the transfers , they just need an accurate representation for the setup.
audiomick Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 16 minutes ago, footgoose said: they just need an accurate representation for the setup. That has come up a number of times in the German forum. I believe a vector graphic is the format of choice, but ask the service provider to be sure. 1
al_roethlisberger Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 1 hour ago, footgoose said: It's an old subject, and pardon my lack of detailed knowledge but, the bubbling is caused by alcohol in gasoline and somehow permeates the nylon gas tank. There have been instances noted of it bubbling painted surfaces as well. The very best fix is sourcing a nos or near new/unaffected tank and seal it internally. There are threads on the forum with much discussion. As has been said, a quality print shop can make the transfers , they just need an accurate representation for the setup. I'm curious what kind of coating would be recommended and possibly "stick" to the inside of the tank reliably. 1
droydx Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 (edited) I used Caswell's Dragon blood tank sealer on my RC tank when I first noticed some blistering under the decal. Lots of info on it on the Ducati forums where they used plastic tanks like our V11's did. Its a two part epoxy, red in color and has held up well, prevented further blistering for about 10+ years now. You have to follow the how to do it very closely, and if you spill any of the prep fluid (zylene?) it will eat the crap out of your surface clear...I slopped some despite carefully wrapping the tank in plastic and had to do touch up on one of my lower panels where it ate up the clear coat, but not the color underneath. You toss a bunch of metal screws in your tank to rough up the plastic so the epoxy has more grab. I was able to use a small sewing needle to puncture the blister at the bottom, drain it and have it lay flat afterward, so it looks very good now. Edited February 17, 2023 by droydx additional info 3 1
footgoose Posted February 17, 2023 Posted February 17, 2023 2 hours ago, al_roethlisberger said: I'm curious what kind of coating would be recommended and possibly "stick" to the inside of the tank reliably. you'll want to do a search. There is at least one thread on the topic. And the Duc forums mentioned.
gstallons Posted February 18, 2023 Posted February 18, 2023 Amen to footgoose . The ethanol causing the fuel tank problems . Use straight gasoline only for the best results . The tank sealer is a good help. Removing the air bubbles , read all posts and use your judgement.
Speedfrog Posted February 18, 2023 Posted February 18, 2023 Lots of info on the subject over the years, tank swelling and paint bubbling caused by the propensity of ethanol hygroscopic nature to absorb moisture which in turn is being absorbed by the plastic. This affected the tanks made of PA6 Nylon by Acerbis for Ducati, Aprilia, KTM and Moto Guzzi(V11, Norge, Griso, etc.). It affected Ducati’s owners so badly that a class-action lawsuit was filed against Ducati North America, which they lost, having to replace the tanks of thousands of bikes albeit with the same ones, only with a longer warranty time, thus kicking the can down the road... One of the solution to the problem for people unable to avoid filling their tanks with ethanol laced gasoline has been to coat the tanks with Caswell epoxy. Reports of successfully eliminating the swelling abound but also failure for some as the coating would not adhere properly to the inside of the tank. Most likely due to inadequate application process?! As gstallons said, use your best judgment... https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/topic/22148-fuel-tank-expansion-due-to-ethanol/ https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/topic/16928-caswell-tank-sealer-failer/#comment-181275 https://www.v11lemans.com/forums/topic/20071-install-deformed-fuel-tank/ https://caswellplating.com/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer.html 1 4
Tom in Virginia Posted February 18, 2023 Posted February 18, 2023 On 2/16/2023 at 9:30 PM, docc said: And, for V11 purposes: GHoSoV11LM "Get Hold of Someone on V11 LeMans(.com)" docc, I always love your "out of the box" thought train, good on a routine basis for much levity . Part of the reason why I lurk in the V11LM shadows so much 1
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