Tank Blisters

Discussion in 'Technical Help' started by Arnie williams, Sep 2, 2020.

  1. Arnie williams

    Arnie williams Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2018
    26
    68
    Airdrie
    Can anybody give advice on tank blisters on my 2004 955i speed triple how to prevent getting worse not to bad at moment.
     
  2. Gladtobebackontwowheels

    Nov 23, 2019
    398
    393
    Dover. UK
    #2 Gladtobebackontwowheels, Sep 2, 2020
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2020
    You will need to empty the tank, let it dry out and then seal the inside with an ethanol proofing product. In all honesty, if it's badly blistered you'd be better off finding a decent replacement and sealing that before you fit it.

    I think it was Flowliner that I used on mine.
     
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  3. Arnie williams

    Arnie williams Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2018
    26
    68
    Airdrie
    Cheers for your help.
     
  4. freck

    freck Elite Member

    May 4, 2017
    1,718
    750
    Preston, Lancs, UK
    As @Gladtobebackontwowheels says, you might be better to find a replacement tank.
    I’ve heard of people who’ve sealed and repainted plastic tanks that have blistered and they’ve later blistered again. :confused:
    I bought another tank for my Daytona and have been leaving it for a while to thoroughly dry out before sealing and repainting (mainly cos I’ve not got round to it yet :p)
     
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  5. stevethegoolie

    stevethegoolie Elite Member

    Oct 16, 2014
    2,454
    800
    East Riding of Yorkshire
    Ethanol free petrol is the way to go. But ...... that means using super unleaded which can be very expensive and even that is not guaranteed to always be ethanol free, particularly as future supplies will have to contain the evil shite!
     
  6. Arnie williams

    Arnie williams Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2018
    26
    68
    Airdrie
    Thanks that's very interesting.It only started when I put additive in while bike stood over winter.
     
  7. D'Ecosse

    D'Ecosse Senior Member

    Jun 23, 2019
    271
    113
    CA, USA
    It' caused by Ethanol in the fuel which draws water - it's a combination of the water/ethanol that causes the issue
    The blisters are not actually in the Acerbis plactic itself - it is coated with a thin 'filler' type material and this is what gets the bubble, between the plastic and that outer 'skin' - you can actually sand through this and re-level it, but of course would require a re-paint.
     
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  8. Arnie williams

    Arnie williams Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2018
    26
    68
    Airdrie
    Thank you worth thinking about.
     
  9. D'Ecosse

    D'Ecosse Senior Member

    Jun 23, 2019
    271
    113
    CA, USA
    Also consider doing Epoxy Liner - company called Caswell Plating makes a 2-part Epoxy kit specifically for this application - I did that on mine prior to painting
    Another failure prone issue of these tanks is the tubes that go from the filler neck down to the drains on the left side - it's not uncommon for these to develop holes with a resultant leak of fuel into the tubes and a constant drip from them. Mine would leak when tank was over half-full and then stop below that level. The Epoxy will also coat those tubes in the process to prevent that.
    Certainly if your tank is not too bad yet and not bad enough for a re-paint then absolutely do the Caswell Liner
     
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  10. Arnie williams

    Arnie williams Well-Known Member

    Sep 1, 2018
    26
    68
    Airdrie
    Cheers I WIIL look into that
     
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  11. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
    493
    113
    Uk
    I just bought a baglux cover for my last one.
    My current Tiger 955i has no blisters at all.....last of the production run.
    If it develops them( 30k so far and no blisters) I'll buy another baglux.
     
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  12. D'Ecosse

    D'Ecosse Senior Member

    Jun 23, 2019
    271
    113
    CA, USA
    The baglux is not preventing anything - problem is coming from the inside, not the outside.
    Do you perhaps use non-Ethanol gas? (or were at least for it's majority life)
    Unless you just mean to hide them with the cover ........
     
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  13. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
    493
    113
    Uk
    I just mean to hide them with the cover.
    Exactly that.
     
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  14. Gladtobebackontwowheels

    Nov 23, 2019
    398
    393
    Dover. UK
    I bloody hate tank covers!
     
  15. Alatamoc

    Alatamoc Senior Member

    Mar 29, 2019
    493
    113
    Uk
    I hate the blisters even more.
     
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