Plastic gas tank repair | GTAMotorcycle.com

Plastic gas tank repair

C

Coolbane

Member
I have a 6" long crack which has appeared on the side of my gas tank over the winter. I would really appreciate any suggestions for a shop/person who can do a decent repair on the crack.

Also, this gas tank is on an older dirtbike, from the 80's. Any suggestions of used part businesses who may have a gas tank would also be appreciated.
 
Plastic welding used to be (and maybe still is) a popular way to repair OEM plastic fairing repairs back in the day, not sure if it's applicable to gas tanks. Maybe ask these guys:

www.theplasticsurgeon.ca

Plastic Surgeon, Plastic Welding Repair

PLASTIC WELDING, REPAIR & CUSTOM FABRICATION, SERVICING SOUTHERN ONTARIO AND SOURROUNDING AREAS FOR HOME, AUTO, MOTORCYCLE, ATV, TRAILER, RV\'S, BOATS, SNOWMOBILES & INDUSTRIAL REQUIREMENTS
www.theplasticsurgeon.ca
 
Coolbane said:
I have a 6" long crack which has appeared on the side of my gas tank over the winter. I would really appreciate any suggestions for a shop/person who can do a decent repair on the crack.

Also, this gas tank is on an older dirtbike, from the 80's. Any suggestions of used part businesses who may have a gas tank would also be appreciated.
Click to expand...
By the time a crack appears, the tank is likely finished, I doubt anyone will plasticweld a gas tank for you. Time send ethanol gas are unfriendly to gas tanks.

Even if you did close the crack, plastic expands and contracts quite a bit, the repair would likely succumb yo the stretch/shrink. I dont think POR sticks to plastic, so it will be hard to fortify the repair.

Acerbis has replacments for a lot of plastic dirtbike tanks, whst bike are you fixing?
 
www.gtamotorcycle.com

Plastic gas tanks

In researching a new bike I have discovered that there have been problems with Ducati gas tanks in the U.S. In Europe the problem doesn't seem to be as bad so the thinking is that the 10% ethanol in the States is softening the plastic and making it stretch out of shape. Has anyone heard of this...
www.gtamotorcycle.com www.gtamotorcycle.com
 
Coolbane said:
I have a 6" long crack which has appeared on the side of my gas tank over the winter. I would really appreciate any suggestions for a shop/person who can do a decent repair on the crack.

Also, this gas tank is on an older dirtbike, from the 80's. Any suggestions of used part businesses who may have a gas tank would also be appreciated.
Click to expand...
Woody's Cycle up in Perth would be the first place I'd check as they have been specializing in off road salvage since your bike was new. I's also call Peterborough Cycle Salvage. I believe they also have some off road inventory.
 
I'm with mike. If it cracked randomly in one location, even if it could be repaired, I expect it to crack somewhere else shortly. I'd rather put my money towards a different tank.
 
There are lots of theoretical repairs but I distrust repaired plastics in general. There are to many stresses at too many different times. If the bike had to look stock a bladder might work but the economics would likely suck.
 
Thanks for the suggestions/comments, guys. The bike is a 1986 Yami YZ250. I had a look at the Acerbis website just now and they do not appear to have a replacement gas tank
 
I've heard excellent reviews from people who have used that plastic repair place in Oshawa that was linked but I agree with others that the tank is likely done. Aftermarket it is. There's an Oldshool Motocross facebook group that may also be a good resource for you to find parts.
 
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