Carbonfibre fuel tank ?

Rohan · Jun 25, 2011

Just out of curiousity, has anyone priced up a new fuel tank made in Carbonfibre ?
Does it make a good fuel tank ?
This would remove any problems with ethanol fuels ?

Carbonfibre bits are avilable for sportsbikes and sportscars at not a vast cost - was eyeing a bonnet (hood) somewhere recently, lotsa material and area there, not hugely expensive.
(or are they really just in fibreglass, as carbonfibre-lookalikes ?).

Tanks.

Hobot · Jun 25, 2011

Some shops make catch tanks for alcohol dragsters out of CF and use epoxies as binder because most all the resins tend to dissolve.

Carbonfibre · Jun 25, 2011

Many of the "carbon" cosmetic parts are glass fibre, or simply have one layer of carbon, which is backed by glass. Proper pre-preg carbon tanks are certainly possible, and have high chemical resistance, but quite small tanks for MX bikes cost around £1300, so may not be of much interest to end users happy to fit shoddy Indian or Pakistani steel tanks?

Hobot · Jun 25, 2011

Carbon fiber is common for the common man to fabricate at least in essentially non structural applications. Usually they make a bottom and a top then join them with... epoxy, like me.

willh · Jun 25, 2011

So far the carbon tanks have been having all the same problems as glass. The resin is the problem...

Hobot · Jun 25, 2011

Duh, that's why the alcohol only tanks use epoxy not resin. Keep in mind its bad ju ju to store spiked gasoline even if in SS as it goes bad with the little bit of alcohol saturates with water and it ability to stay dissolved and collects at bottom.

Found one interesting lead on powered metal-ceramic like injection molded containers. Tooling would need ~10,000 units a year to break about even though.
Might have to look around a liquid store to see what plastic can store it.

Tintin · Jun 26, 2011

hobot said:
Duh, that's why the alcohol only tanks use epoxy not resin.

Epoxy is a type of resin and used with all of the std fibres - and no it isn't automatically Ethanol-proof just because it is epoxy.

Tim

Hobot · Jun 26, 2011

Ugh between ethanol and acetone there ain't much that can take those in high concentration or temps, JBWeld and be thinned with ethanol before its set up and here's one that can resist over 50% ethanol.
http://www.epoxysystems.com/2.htm

Looking into home distillers to see phatates should not be much of the formula.

Plastic is fine, as long as it's ONLY polycarbonate AND THERE IS 40% OR LESS ALCOHOL. Don't use it to build a still, don't put high proof alcohol in it (even polycarbonate).

Anhydrous Isopropyl alcohol 99% comes in plastic 1 gallon jugs that are made from HDPE (high density polyethylene I believe). I also read something about this type of plastic being safe on Tony's site.

I just went to check on a plastic milk jug that's full of 85% moonshine, it's been there for 5 plus months, still smells and taste the same.

Here in Canada atleast the bottles I mentioned are PolyEthylene Terephthlate (PETE Resin Code 1).. I don't know what kind of obtainable vessel might be made from PolyCarbonate but I wish I did..

willh · Jun 26, 2011

We keep our 'shine in glass bottles :lol:

Hobot · Jun 26, 2011

Duh, ask INOA riders I got super numb and happy with Ozarks real McCoy in both clear mason jar to test the tiny low surface tension bubbles and a ceramic jug like Lil Abner here abouts used, but we ain't chug a lugging out of our gas tanks. Yes Martha there really is a Dog Patch Arkansas USA and once way way bigger than the village I work in now. Pure ethanol is magic inside people and engines, just not all are up for it. So what will hold your liquor'd fuel next decade.?

willh · Jun 26, 2011

Silicon dioxide as tank sealer for the tank of your choice?

Someone stole my old XXX Jug :evil:

Carbonfibre · Jun 27, 2011

Some interesting tech data on CF.............you learn something new every day!

Hobot · Jun 27, 2011

Wonder is a simple press molding of CF mat plus melted liquor bottle plastic as binder would work and not cost most of $1000?

willh · Jun 27, 2011

hobot said:
Wonder is a simple press molding of CF mat plus melted liquor bottle plastic as binder would work and not cost most of $1000?

:lol: :lol: Maybe, ask Carbonfibre :mrgreen:

There are a few very angry carbonfiber tank owners out there now. 1500$ tanks are coming apart at the seams.... now go back to your plastic OEM tank and watch it shed it`s skin and/or get the mumps...thank dog for snake oil, that`s what appears to be going into OEM replacement tanks to keep the inevitable at bay.

Carbonfibre · Jun 27, 2011

Its possible for poorly made carbon tanks to fail in exactly the same way, and for the same reasons as GRP ones fail. But it seems strange that people are prepared to pay high prices for tanks without any sort of guarantee against damage by Efuels?

I would suggest avoiding any composite fuel tanks which do not come with a 2 year written guarantee specifically covering corrosion damage. In common with the cowboys selling "tank sealers", anyone not able to provide products which are guaranteed should be avoided.

willh · Jun 27, 2011

Sadly this is happening with factory authorized "Power Parts" , they've been pulled from the market. From what I've heard, your SOL if you paid for one and it's springing leaks.

Carbonfibre · Jun 28, 2011

Seems worrying that customers for composite tanks are happy to buy them without any sort of guarantee being provided? If customers required a guarantee, then manufacturers would either need to take shoddy poorly made products off the market, or get them made fit for purpose and put up with slightly lower profits. In terms of fuel tanks which leak though, even if these are not guaranteed they are obviously not fit for purpose, and I cant see how sellers would be able to refuse to refund purchase price in full?

Unclviny · Jun 28, 2011

I have a buddy who special-ordered a "boutique-Harley-clone" sportbike (I'm pretty sure it was a Confederate) with CF bodywork (it was a beautiful machine!!), the tank delaminated while the bike was sitting in the dealers lot running (he was taking delivery of the bike) and it burst into flames burning completely!
Larry ended up buying a BMW GS.

Vince

Carbonfibre · Jun 28, 2011

What on earth is a Harley sport bike? The mind boggles....................lol. But cant be as bad as the chopper with a frame built out of welded up anchor chain, which killed its builder during the filming of one of the "Biker Build Off" shows!

Hobot · Jun 28, 2011

Yeah motorcycler's have a dangerous to deadly hobby and even Norton factory issued a widow maker frame ya know.
Gov't mandates usually work out better for cartels than us end users too.
Much as I like to dish HD's and their costumed poser crowd I know there's a a bunch of them that can wipe up on mere factory Cdo's and ride as good and any sport biker...

Carbonfibre fuel tank ?

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