Odd Stuff in Petrol Tank

[HiFi]

Hello RapFans wonder if you can give me some advice please! Just picked up a low mileage X-rap 1000, went to fuel it for the first time and noticed something odd in the fuel filler neck and tank. There seems to be some kind of plastic liner peeling off and rippling up inside the tank. Was a bit worried in case it made the tank leak or otherwise blocked the fuel line or something. Anyway, photos below in case someone can help identify this mystery substance. Many thanks, HiFi

[Crap Tartan]

that looks like that plastic liquid sealant you put in a dry tank and swill it all around to seal it so its probably been leaking in the past.

If its breaking up then it is no use and will almost certainly block fuel delivery to the pump. Any warranty given with the bike?

[HiFi]

Blast, thanks CT it's what I feared. Better get onto the seller then.
Have also sent off an enquiry to a tank refurbisher, second opinion as it were.

[shebee]

That's what it looks like to me too

[nickst4]

Nasty business! It's got to be a cheapo tank sealer, but the question is why was it necessary? Nylon tanks are unlikely to split and they don't have crimped/welded seams that might leak.

Modern fuel makes nylon tanks swell but it also degrades the inner surface, causing big problems with carburated bikes. Possibly, a previous owner wanted to protect the tank and chose the wrong sealer. Another possibility with otherwise-strong nylon tanks is that one of the fixing mounts has chafed through. I had that with a Cagiva Canyon.

Good luck with resolving this problem. Caswell say their epoxy sealer works over the top of failed flexible liners. It certainly does the business on clean tanks.

Nick

[HiFi]

Thanks for the replies, grrr, what a pain.
I was all enthusiastic about the Caswell stuff until it said not to use the remover on nylon tanks.
It's going to be nigh on impossible to remove it manually isn't it?
Maybe I'd be better off buying this and re-painting it?
http://r.ebay.com/P8oOdp

[nickst4]

The Raptors being fuel-injected with pump etc in the tank, you'd have to remove that for any repairs. Once that installation is out, might you not have sufficient access to get most all of the gunge out? Caswell suggest that the internal surface be prepp'd and cleaned by shaking dry-wall screws (which have very sharp points!) in detergent in the tank. I did this with the Cagiva River nylon tank I did recently and was surprised that I got all but one of the screws back out with a magnet: the last screw is embedded in the epoxy for perpetuity. Admittedly, that tank just had Sick Tank Syndrome rather than a failed lining that needed removal.

I think I'd have a go at a repair/re-line rather than buy another tank and spray and replace decals. Who knows what the replacement tank would be like?

Nick

[susibee]

If you go down the route of removing the gunge then re lining the tank, using a length of old fashioned plug chain is easier than the dry wall screws as it comes out in one go. Tried and tested on a previous bike!

[nickst4]

After writing my prev., it occurred to me that if you can get to most all of the inside of the tank via the spout and the FI pump opening, you might be able to remove enough of the gunge to make it worth seeing if the tank will hold fuel in it without lining. Maybe I'm being too optimistic, but I can see that stuff striping off in sheets!

Nick

[snapdragon]

What a nasty surprise I've had plenty of external tank damage without ever compromising the inside.

Seems to me this might be a job for the modern version of the chimney sweep's apprentice, instead of launching children up chimneys get one whose arm fits inside the filler cap

[HiFi]

Ha, thanks snappy, maybe the zoo will loan me a trained octopus

I think I'm going to have a proper look at it this weekend or maybe next, I'm a bit curious about how it all fits together so I'd like to have a go myself rather than referring it back to the seller. Thanks so much for the tips hopefully the majority of it will come off in sheets like nickst4 said, for the rest I'll try susibee's chain trick

Any ideas about the fuel pump gasket? oemmotorparts are all out, is the original going to be up to being reused do you think?

[Crap Tartan]

I used my fuel pump gasket again as it was in good condition and just coated either side with blue hylomar and it's never leaked in a good few years now