Jump to content

Fuel recommendations?


bigd

Recommended Posts

I'd love to know if anyone has any recommendations on a good replacement fuel to use in my Ducati. I hate using the ethanol laden pump crap (already had 1 gas tank replaced under warranty) and just wonder if anyone has had any good luck with any of the VP lines, or what have you.

Thanks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are you talking about the ones that swell due to the fuel? Think it was 03 to 11. There was a class action on that. The replacement should solve the problem I thought. Guy I know has had no issues since.

Edited by Tonik
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My bike is carbureted, so if I don't ride the bike for a while I have had issues with the ethanol causing the pilot jets to clog. I run Yamalube fuel stabalizer in my last fill up before I park it. Haven't had a problem since. There are Ethanol free gas stations located across the state. Look them up on the Internet. I have one about 30 min. from the house. I fill all my fuel jugs for the mowers and trimmers with Ethanol free gas.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That sucks. How long will they continue to replace it?

 

Just the std 2 yr warranty. In Columbus there is nowhere convenient to get ethanol free gas. I have made a small change to how I get gas.  I used to keep the tank full all the time, stop on the way home and fill up. Now I leave the tank empty more often.  I will fill it up on my way out for a ride, so it is hardly ever completely full.  Seems to be working so far.  Tank is still in good shape.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why do Ducati tanks have this swelling issue but a $10 plastic gas can hold the same fuel for years without issue? 

 

The gas tank itself swelling is not a problem, it is the surrounding pieces that suffer.

 

The $10 gas can may be swelling also, it just doesn't have multiple plastic body panels screwed together on it that crack when what they are attached to gets bigger.

 

From what I have read, cars with plastic gas tanks swell also. They are mounted under the car where there are no adverse effects from the change in size.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The manufacturing process was the failure. The ethanol is cut with water at the refinery. The water separates from the fuel and gets absorbed by the plastic, which causes it to expand. It's called "phase separation", and has nothing to do with any other parts. The process is even reversible, with proper additives and care. It's a big issue in the marine industry, too. Way bigger than automotive.

 

Ethanol is not cut with water, but rather it is Hydroscopic and absorbs water just as brake fluid absorbs water.  After some time, the ethanol becomes so bonded with water, that it separates from the fuel.

 

Ethanol blend gas is a bad thing, but the only manufacturing process that is a failure is Ducati using a plastic that absorbs water and expands past the engineered tolerances of the fasteners and housing.

 

Startron is a good product as it decreased the ethanols ability to absorb water.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Aftermarket adventure bike tanks been doing this a long time They just weren't designed so there were parts mating up to the tank, or have the tank mounted from each extreme end. The expansion gave greater capacity which was called a feature.

Edited by motocat12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

The ethanol/fuel issue was bad enough with my Ducati (sportclassic) that between when I purchased the bike new in 2008 and when I bought $3600 worth of hand make aluminum fuel tank in 2013 I had to have my OEM plastic tank replaced 5 times under warranty.  Never once did they supply a tank with a fix for the issue.  Mine wasn't with the pump mounting flange but with the attachment to the frame of the bike.  The swelling of the tank caused it to fall out of the forward mounts and the tank would only then be held to the bike by gravity and the single bolt under the seat.  If you were running at highway speeds with a nearly empty gas tank it would lift off the frame of the bike and more than once I had it fly up and hit me in the chest.  Here is a great picture of one of my tanks were the top surface was so distorted and twisted it looked like a funhouse mirror.  You can also see that the tank shifted about an inch to the right as on a new tank the key is centered on the stripe.

 

PICT4659_zps07a5e016.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd cover my tank with a layer carbon fiber if it wasn't already stretched, Or even just a loop/belt to limit expansion in the mounting point plane.

 

But isn't it worth it to say you have a gas tank MADE out of Dinosaurs while blowing up dinosaur remains!

plastic-dinosaur-meme.jpg

Edited by motocat12
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...