Anyone ever have this problem with an oil tank ?

[pearljam724]

I've had my 550 oil tank off since early winter and I think I made the mistake of using the tank to feed gas to another bike I was working on. Well, I went to reassemble it and some additional parts this week and the damn eye sight glass won't screw into the tank. It's entirely too loose. The black flat gasket is under the glass to seal it. But, it seems the hole is too big now. I didn't leave any gas in it much longer than a day or two. I would have never guessed gas would cause this. Gas is stored in thick grade plastic containers all the time. Any suggestions?

[pearljam724]

Are 380 tanks the same if I end up having to buy another ? I was thinking about trying to plug the hole behind the eye sight glass and perhaps using some silicone to keep the glass in place. Is there anything designed to seal holes like the one behind the eye glass ?

[Coyote]

According to Alpha Sports the part numbers are the same. I just checked the75 model, but probably from 74 on are the same - 380-550. Let your tank dry out in the sun for a couple of days. It just might come back to size, once the vapors evaporate out of the plastic. The oil tank I used did not grow. I put a new lens assembly in it before I sold it. No issues.

[pearljam724]

I ll try the sun. Then perhaps plugging it with a bolt. If that doesn't work I ll have to go with another. Must have been the ethanol gas.

[Coyote]

Must have been the ethanol gas

.
Don't you just love it? I don't remember Americans having the right to vote on using this crap. Suddenly it was just there and you can either use it or walk. . Mark my words, The price of gas will jump through the roof someday, due to a phoney corn shortage. That's it! Lets drill for corn! Let's all drink it and see if we can make the cars run on piss. We're almost there.

[pearljam724]

Not too long ago I witnessed something shocking about ethanol fuel for the first time. Fill a clear pop bottle. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Pick it up and look underneath. Tell us what you see.

[parksie]

Water I suppose as Ethanol is partially Hygrscopic

[pearljam724]

Yep. A large bubble of water or alcohol. I believe it's water due to the fuel supposedly absorbs a lot of it. Separates like oil and vinegar. Kind of wild seeing it the first time. Not very encouraging though, lol !

[bill in okc]

If the oil tank is nylon and it was ethanol gas, yes - depends on how long you left it in the tank. Ducati and other gas tanks have been expanding for a few years now because of ethanol fuel - the nylon absorbs water out of the ethanol and expands. It takes longer for the tank to shrink back than to expand. Warm dry air will speed up the process. Ducati tanks take months to shrink back.