Help - Crack in Triumph Speed Triple Fuel Tank

Help & Advice
1

Hi,

I took my Speed Triple to OnYerTriumph yesterday - they seem like nice people (and recommended on here).

One of the concerns I asked them to look into was a small oil leak on the left hand side of the bike. Turns out they say its not oil, but fuel coming from a crack in the tank! By the time it gets to the bottom of the bike it gets dirty, thicker and looks like oil. It only seems to be a very small drip, but guess could get worse.

I’m an hour away, so can’t pop over to investigate myself. OnYerTriumph say it needs a new fuel tank (£500+!). The crack seems to be caused by someone using the “wrong screw / bolt” on the tank, causing the crack.

I welcome any thoughts on whether the tank is repairable. Matt at the Oval thinks something may be possible. My Dad did some servicing on the bike (including tank and seals), but is extremely careful about such things, so its possible a previous dealer/workshop did the initial “damage” if it really is cracked.

The tank is non-metallic and looks something like this - http://www.baxtercycle.com/eshopprod_cat_5228-61068_product_742756.Fuel_Tank_T509_Speed_Triple_Gr.htm

Edited to add - when I first got the bike off a friend, it was in a bad way. Somehow water had got into the tank, and needed flushing out by a local workshop. Possibly this crack was there already and caused that problem too … or the water came in through the filler cap area.

2

Must be your p!ss poor parking at bm that caused this;)

Bite the bullet and buy a new one.

3

Have we met? Thanks for the constructive reply :wink:

4

Quick & easy way, http://www.amazon.co.uk/Petro-patch-Plastic-Metal-repair/dp/B002YTLTDM

Proper way is plastic welding.

5

Bright green bike that blocked the road for half an hour.

That is constructive I said buy a new one.

6

I am a big advocate of JB Weld. Esp if you can access and spot the crack. I have used this to fill a hole in a sump and it works a treat.
Plyable, heatproof, acid oil and fuel proof, non toxic etc etc.

Ronseal also make a similar product.

Failing that, some kind of plastic weld perhaps? I think you said its not metal?

Even if you buy a new tank, its worth a shot at repairing the old one. I am currently working on restoring a rusty second tank for a 749 using a kit from Frost. But this is more about rust proofing the inside rather than bridging a crack.

7

Thanks very much for the comments chaps - I’ll get a new tank, but sounds like its worth trying to repair the old too.

@Shiver - Sounds like you met my bike, though sorry I didn’t meet you properly - so apologies if I blocked you. That was possibly the busiest of BMs to “park” in! :slight_smile:

8

Best thing to do is fix it up and flog it.

Truimphs these days piss fluids out all over the place. :stuck_out_tongue:

9

No no no you actually blocked the road a van and cop car could not get past your version of triple parked until someone not you had to move it

10

I remember a van, cop car and moving the bike a few inches myself in that packed street. Possibly a friend helped. I’ll have to buy you a coffee by way of apology :slight_smile:

11

dependant on what age your bike is i got one for my 955i on ebay for £24.:slight_smile:

12

Just picked up the bike. Ouch, that was a bill! :pinch:

Thanks Westie - I think that was the best idea. Checked Ebay, but no green tanks at the mo. Very good prices tho. Just a shame OnYerTriumph were quite so far away to check the “damage” myself before committing.

Turns out there’s two screws that go into the tank … a long and a short one. Somehow the long one had been put into the short hole (not me) … puncturing the tank. Does seem a little daft for that to be possible. OnYerTriumph claim they’ve tried to botch-repair such things before, but never satisfactorily.

The other problems I was concerned about … engine management light etc, were mostly just a stone blocking the fan and a temp gauge replacement. Looking back the sorts of things it would have been a pleasure to do down Oval Motorcycle! I was expecting something more “serious” with engine management faults and “oil leaks” showing up after a track day.

On the bright side, the bikes going better than it has for a long time and they stiffened the suspension ready for Brands Hatch next week :slight_smile: