it's going to cause big problems with Ducati's. The multistrada I have are well known for issues in the USA. The ethanol stretches the tank by upto 20mm. So it doesnt fit, or rather you can't get the bolts in!
Some multistrada.net posters are getting a new tank every 12 months under warranty in the USA. the tanks are made by Acerbis. Vehicle left sitting, is advised to put a stabilser in so stop the fuel sludging up carbs etc. I think our problems will increase

Consider replacing fuel lines, carb seals, o-rings, and anything else made from Nitrile (synthetic rubber) that comes into contact with fuel, with Viton. Which is why I used it for the Carb kits that I am producing. (shameless plug for my own product there). Here in Thailand the use of ethanol blend fuel is so widespread that it is the norm, and the fuel lines on the 400 Yamaha that I bought were dissolving. It appears that this problem is going to stay with us so we must adapt to it.

philfingers wrote:it's going to cause big problems with Ducati's. The multistrada I have are well known for issues in the USA. The ethanol stretches the tank by upto 20mm. So it doesnt fit, or rather you can't get the bolts in!
Some multistrada.net posters are getting a new tank every 12 months under warranty in the USA.

Wow, a class action was filed (and won) against Ducati for damage to tanks caused by ethanol, affecting bikes made from 2005-10.

http://deformedfueltanks.com/

So they win the class action suit and then what happens? Do they get a new fuel tank made of ????? There are a whole bunch of headaches associated with these alcohol blend fuels.

I dodged this one on my Ducati. I was dumb enough to tag the ass end of a car with my 1098 and ended up dropping it on the left side. My insurance covered the damages and I talked the dealer into upgrading the tank to the DP aluminum one.

Cammo wrote:

philfingers wrote:it's going to cause big problems with Ducati's. The multistrada I have are well known for issues in the USA. The ethanol stretches the tank by upto 20mm. So it doesnt fit, or rather you can't get the bolts in!
Some multistrada.net posters are getting a new tank every 12 months under warranty in the USA.

Wow, a class action was filed (and won) against Ducati for damage to tanks caused by ethanol, affecting bikes made from 2005-10.

http://deformedfueltanks.com/

Interesting, they make a perfectly servicable item, some clever dick changes the fuel specification to one that damages the fuel tanks, and it's the manufacturer's fault? If I were Ducati, I'd now be persuing the fuel companies, assuming that they didn't actually bother to consult motor manufacturers about the fuel changes before they were implemented?

My thoughts exactly speedy.

Not many companies could challenge the fuel co lawyers might.

speedy231278 wrote:

Cammo wrote:

philfingers wrote:it's going to cause big problems with Ducati's. The multistrada I have are well known for issues in the USA. The ethanol stretches the tank by upto 20mm. So it doesnt fit, or rather you can't get the bolts in!
Some multistrada.net posters are getting a new tank every 12 months under warranty in the USA.

Wow, a class action was filed (and won) against Ducati for damage to tanks caused by ethanol, affecting bikes made from 2005-10.

http://deformedfueltanks.com/

Interesting, they make a perfectly servicable item, some clever dick changes the fuel specification to one that damages the fuel tanks, and it's the manufacturer's fault? If I were Ducati, I'd now be persuing the fuel companies, assuming that they didn't actually bother to consult motor manufacturers about the fuel changes before they were implemented?

Cammo wrote:My thoughts exactly speedy.

Not many companies could challenge the fuel co lawyers might.

I dont think it is as simple as somebody magically changing the fuel mix, Ethanol fuel isnt new, some place in the states have used E10 for a long time.

Im sure Ducatti knew this when they sold the bikes there and therefor approved them for use with this fuel, otherwise there is no justifiable reason that you can sue them for if they said it wasnt approved to run on E fuel. But then again it is america so it wouldnt surpsie me if they sued them even if it did state do not use ethanol fuel.

Like in Sweeden they have E85 but the cars have yellow fuel fillers to say that they can run on it to remove confusion.

All I could find was the ruling to say they have to offer extended warranty

Well, in America you can sue McDonalds when you spill coffee in your lap while driving and scald yourself, and never mind the bloke who crashed his motorhome and sued because he thought cruise control steered it too!

Assuming the fuel mix was changed in a sensible manner, you would think the manufacturers of vehicles would be given the new specifications a long time in advane so they could check the effects of it on their current designs. It would seem a bit silly for people like Ducati to export to markets using Exx fuels and just hope for the best, which is how in a sensible country you would intepret their loss of the court case. Something doesn't add up....

I think its more if the factories can be bothered with the expense to take on the new fuels, a bit like the DAB radio and analogue radio turn off, you'd a thought by now all uk cars would be fitted with DAB or dual tunners to use both but there not cos they dont have to, which is crap for us when they do turn analogue off the national stations and were left with local radio or the expense of buying a new one.
Cheers
Ian