| Author | Message | ||
     Vr1203 |
I have a VR1000 bodied S1. It has bubbles under the decals on the fuel tank(custom paint which has to be redone).What can I do to keep that from happening again? Are the replacement tanks coated with something so I can paint them and apply decals? | ||
| Davegess |
Buell solved this problem by going to the fat labels not decals. There is no way to use decals and be sure they won't bubble. Probably could use paint to create the decal but not much else ou can do. | ||
| Vr1203 |
Hi, Davegess What is going on with these fuel tanks? Is the fuel vapors leaching out causing the paint problems? This is crazy, how can a manufacturer make a gas tank that lets the gas out? | ||
| Smadd |
Who made the VR1000 bodywork? Might want to contact them. The tank on my '98 S3T started bubbling just recently... I thought I was home free. Buell is replacing it with no questions asked. Customer Service says they'll always stand behind the "blistering tank" problem. I'm sure some paint savvy person will be able to tell you how to avoid blistering though. We've all seen hundreds of custom paint jobs done to plastic tanks without problems. Good luck... Steve | ||
| Court |
I'm sure some paint savvy person will be able to tell you how to avoid blistering though. We've all seen hundreds of custom paint jobs done to plastic tanks without problems. If they can, Buell would love to know about it. This one perplexed some of the sharper minds I've ever known. One thing to know is that the Buell tank is NOT plastic. The testing that went into ciphering this thing out was incredible. Theories were advanced about varying fuel formulas in different parts of the world.....the propensity of different color bikes to exhibit bubbling first. At long last the "cost / benefit" truism dictated abandoning research and revisiting design...the raised tank stickers were the result. Court | ||
| Mikej |
I'm wondering if the tank sealer/liner used inside metal gas tanks would work on the inside of Buell non-metal tanks. Or would the stuff just release from the plastic and become a big bubble/cover sealing the outlet tube at a most inopportune time like riding up a winding mountain pass in the rain while being tailgated by a logging truck (not that I've been in that situation more than a few times). | ||
| Vr1203 |
Mikej, I called "Kreem" The outfit that makes a tank sealer. I've used their product often with good results. I was told that the sealer might melt the plastic and it is not recommended.Also ,I spoke with Buell customer service and it seemed the person could'nt/would'nt give me a straight answer. He said the problem exists, kind of!and it is caused by the decals not expanding at the same rate! | ||
| Vr1203 |
Court, I'm real new to this Buell family. Are you a insider? You don't have to answer that obviously. It seemed by your post that there is a potential for the fuel to leach out through the walls of the tank itself. Is that true ,it seems incredible! | ||
| Court |
I'll say this again....there is NOTHING you can think of that was not tried in an effort to cure, or at least determine the cause of, the bubbling tank decals. The fuel is NOT leaking out of the tank. There is no fuel leaching (that's an old skeptic tank term, right?) out of the tank and the only danger you are in is UGLY DECALS. Vr...call it a lucky guess on my part. Court | ||
| Rocketman |
Don't know who makes VR1000 bodywork but the frame is BRITISH Rocket in England | ||
| Mikej |
I'm thinking "outgassing" | ||
| Davegess |
Court, as is usual has got it right. Don't knowhow he does that some sort of Karnac trick I think. But just 'cause he has it right never stopped me fromadding my two cents. BTW for the new comers Court and I got paid for hanging around Buell while this stuff went on. Then I realised people would actually pay me more to work less elsewhere. Court never did figure that out they had to cut the legs off his desk before he got the message. Buell fuel tnask are made out of anylon that is really quite remarkable stuff, yoiu can heat it up or freeze it and then beat it up with whatever you want and it won't crack or break. You can mold it into all sorts of shapes and th etooling is inexpensive. Inexpensive tooling was very important in 1997 before H-D really stepped up its investment. You can also put gas in it ns you can paint it. Actaully works great for gas tanks EXCEPT that some types of gas under some types of enviromental conditions will allow a gas vapor, propably one of the many VOC in modern gasoline, to escape out of the tank. It goes right through the nylon and the paint but the decal material traps it and you get bubbles. Now it gets weird and this is the reason that you have the thick decals, some tanks would bubble with the first tank of gas. son\me woudl not bubble for a year. Guys would tell you that they bought gas from the same gas station for a year and then one day the decals would bubble. In th elab a tank using brand x a tank would not bubble today but would bubble tomorrow. Brand y would bubble on 5 tanks and then never bubble again. Very simply time and money ran out to keep teting. somewher there is an expalnation and if any chemistry studnets need a PhD project here is a good one. Dave | ||
| Vr1203 |
Hi, Court Well, I did think of something. There is a person by the name of Wilcox. And I think he can help with permanant solution. Aluminium! If I wanted to spend the money I could get him to reproduce the tank in Alloy-end of problem! | ||
| Court |
Being done as we speak.....er, type. | ||
| Rocketman |
I want to have one in clear plastic. That would be cool !!! Rocket in England | ||
| Court |
Ahhhhhh.....shades of Smart at Imola. Ducati struggled over how to tell how much fuel was in the tank and the solution was right before their eyes. Did you know Smart, an American, was out of the country and his wife agreed for him to make that fabled ride at Imola without him even knowing about it? Court | ||
| Vr1203 |
Court, I really would like one of those alloy tanks, sign me up! | ||
| Rocketman |
Court kneee : are you saying Ducati used a clear perspex tank ? Or are you speaking in tongues again ? Rocket in England | ||
| Mark_In_Ireland |
The Ducati tank was a glass fibre tank and they left a clear vertical section in the tank so they could see the petrol level. Cheap and easy, if my memory serves me well...... | ||
| Nataraj |
It seems I came to the right place looking for info on why my '99 M2 tank just bubbled! Random gasoline. Anyway, Sauk-Prairie Buell in Sauk City, WI is taking good care of me to get my tank taken care of. And while I was there (having them inspect the paint for "Goodwill Warranty" coverage), they noticed my shock was leaking and my belt was too tight (from rear tire change at another shop). They adjusted the belt on the spot and ordered a shock at no charge. And they were giving out free BBQs! They really treat a customer right. Since they did so much for no charge, I bought an overpriced T-shirt, and my wife bought some discounted saddlebags for her Blast!. What the heck. Readin' and learnin', Nataraj | ||
| Mr_smith |
The Japs never solved this problem either. As a young bloke I was always replacing the decals on the tanks of my motocross bikes. Once liquid cooling became the norm they moved the decals to the radiator shrouds. Problem solved. As polymers are porous the best solution would be to leave the decals off. | ||
| Loki |
While on the subject of painting.....what is the layer under the paint? a gel-coat or just a primer or a very special primer? Kinda in the need to know mode at this time. Would like to start work on a fat tank for my S1. | ||
| Lornce |
Who knows paint? Got a 98 S3 with PO commissioned custom paint that's bubbled all to hell.... Spoke with the custom painter (well known in Southern Ontario) He can redo the paint but can't guaranty it won't bubble again.... WTF?!? Can these tanks be sealed with anything to prevent this? How does Buell paint remain intact without fuel vapour damage? Any info appreciated. thanks Lawrence | ||
| V2win |
As long as there are no decals under the topcoat you should not have any "bubbles" in the paint on the tank. No exceptions. Your "painter" should repaint and stand behind his work. My bike is on its third paint job and soon to be four, but only because I like to change it every couple of years because of rock chips, etc and I get tired of the same old color. | ||
| Lake_bueller |
I'm about to have a tank repainted an possible some custom work. Almost every person I've spoken with has had a problem with bubbling paint (only on the custom paint). Is there a specific paint that should be used? Anyone...Dana, V2win, Court, Davegess??? | ||
| Dax |
I am having the same problem with me tank and it has taken me a year to get the manufacturer to admit they have even herd of this before. I work with vinyl and most of the time it is applied by spraying soapy water on the decal and then put on the surface.The soapy water is squegged out from under the decal but not all the water is removed. You have to let it dry so the rest of the water can escape on it own if you don't and just clear coat over the it the water will eventual evaporate and leave air pockets and cause lifting. | ||
| Al_lighton |
I spoke with Buell about this, and they provided me with a bunch of info about the materials and processes that they use to paint the tuber tanks. Lots of good info. Buell had problems with decals bubbling, but didn't to the best of my knowledge have problems with paint bubbling. So If I was painting a tuber tank, I'd sure as heck be following what is written in these docs. Blake has it and said he'll post it here. But if you need it before then, ping me with a mail at American Sport Bike (don't do it to my account here, it will likely get routed into my junk box as my spam filter is being a bit aggressive these days) and I'll forward you the info. The only caveat is that Buell won't warranty your paint job if you follow the info I'll send you (DUH!!). Al | ||
| Mikej |
Email on the way Al as I'm about to dive into some fun painting projects this winter/fall/lifetime. Thank you. Mike. | ||
| Bomber |
Thanks, Aaron! | ||
| Signguyxb12 |
i know this is an old tread, but there are vinyls out there that seem to handle outgasing better than others. anyone want to do a test? |
