Ducati Sporting Club UK > Model Specific - Discussion, Technical Problems and Help > Supersports: SS / SuperSport / Supersport 950 > Water in Petrol / Petrol tank restoration

[edwyun]

Good reminder!

Another tip that most riders use is to fill your tank fully with gas (petrol?) immediately before garaging/parking/storing the bike so that moisture can't condense inside the tank over time.

Either that or get a carbon/kevlar tank asthey don't rust - you do know they exist for the carb 900ss (as well as the 900ssie), right?

[Iconic944ss]

Cheers Edward - not sure I agree about filling a tank with gas?

If the water is either in the tank already or in the petrol you buy - it will remain in the tank - I can see the logic though.

And I'm sure I remember a thread about petrol starting to degrade after a possible 6 weeks or so as well of storage.

Thanks anyway...

ps - Can u please teach me how to get MYyy knee down on my SS (or are you just 7 feet tall ).

Frank

[edwyun]

Frank:

Gas = petrol over here =)

What I meant was to keep your tank full whenever the bike is going to be garaged/parked/stored. That's assuming your tank has no water/rust.

You guys have water added to your petrol???

True, if stored for over a month, petrol tends to break down - good enough reason to ride year round (or use fuel stabilizer or one of those tablet things I've seen recently for the petrol).

Funny thing about getting the knee down. I rarely used to get the knee down because I was always afraid of hitting the OEM headers, levering the rear wheel off the ground, and then highsiding. Ouch! But once I put the custom spaghetti's on and knew I had enough clearance, I was draggin my knees everywhere. The mind has a funny way of getting in the way. Oh, and I'm 8' tall

But there's a friend who rides a 93 900/966SS and he never gets his knee down (except lowsiding!). But he rides like a rocket. No need to get a knee down if you can still ride (and from the looks if it, it looks like you can).

[Iconic944ss]

Good point Edward - might be time to look up the fuel stabliser products again as many people will be laying bikes up and not wanting to drain the fuel system down.

I am certain that we do get water in our fuel over here from time to time as I've seen it in sealed fuel containers immediately after filling them up for a trackday

Thanks for the kind words about my riding but a good photo makes even me look great on a race track
I think the only way I'll get my knee down is on a mini-moto !!!

Have a JD on me - Frank

[Derek]

Originally posted by Iconic944ss
Good point Edward - might be time to look up the fuel stabliser products again as many people will be laying bikes up and not wanting to drain the fuel system down.

I'm quite happy to drain the fuel system and get round the condensation problem by emptying the tank completely and storing it in the attic.

I am certain that we do get water in our fuel over here from time to time as I've seen it in sealed fuel containers immediately after filling them up for a trackday

I once filled the tank of the bevel 900ss I used to have and it ran like a pig all the way home. I drained the tank and carbs and collected a jam jar of water. But I think the biggest cause of water in the petrol tank is condensation. Especially if you have a damp garage.

[edwyun]

I'm quite happy to drain the fuel system and get round the condensation problem by emptying the tank completely and storing it in the attic.

You can still get some rust by doing so. As you prolly know, use some fogging oil or WD40 to coat the inside of the tank prior to storage. Only problem is getting that film off when you put the tank back on the bike.

[Derek]

Originally posted by edwyun

You can still get some rust by doing so. As you prolly know, use some fogging oil or WD40 to coat the inside of the tank prior to storage. Only problem is getting that film off when you put the tank back on the bike.

I wrap it in a plastic bag with a handful of "Do not eat" packets - silica gel.

[Iconic944ss]

POR15 seem to have a nice website as well:

http://www.por15.com/

[edwyun]

I wonder if those food vacuum sealers work???

[philfingers]

Also water can get in via the fuel filler, if the drains are kinked (easily done on an ss with it's hinged tank) then the water collects in the recess immediately below the filler cap. When you open the filler cap the rubber seal breaks it's seal and lets the water into the tank!