August 5th, 2016, 05:46 PM | #1 |
ninjette.org member
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Welp, it happened: Put a hole in my tank
I've heard the stories before, but yet it happened to me today. The right-side top fairing bolt put a hole in my gas tank on my '07 Ninja 250.
I've heard JB weld deteriorates over time and isn't a great fix. Professional welding is an option, but I'm told you have to completely clean the inside of the tank so that there's no gas left. Plus, you have to end up repainting it? Lastly, just replacing the gas tank is probably the best option? I'm sure I can find one on eBay or Craigslist. Any thoughts? |
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August 5th, 2016, 05:49 PM | #2 | |
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Depends on what you can get a new tank for.
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August 5th, 2016, 05:56 PM | #3 | |
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August 5th, 2016, 06:03 PM | #4 | |
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August 5th, 2016, 06:04 PM | #5 | |
Vintage Screwball
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This is a smaller container and much cheaper. I've used it before and it works well! I'd trust it. https://www.amazon.com/Marine-Tex-Ep.../dp/B0014419V0
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August 5th, 2016, 06:04 PM | #6 |
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Oh, and by the way, if you put a hole in the gas tank, you used the wrong fairing bolt in that hole. They are different lengths....check before you insert!!
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August 5th, 2016, 06:11 PM | #7 | |
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What's the sandpaper and alcohol for? Prepping the area I'm guessing? Anything special I need to do? Any tips to seal it the best I can? Sorry for all the questions!! All the bolts are the same length.. |
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August 5th, 2016, 06:13 PM | #9 | |
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Anyway, sand the paint away around the hole down to bare metal. Alcohol to clean up sanding residue. Apply epoxy EXACTLY per instructions. Yes, it's gasoline safe and resistant. Will work just fine. Manu's FAQ; http://www.marinetex.com/Marine-Texf...r-Marine-44867 Is Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty resistant to gasoline and diesel? Yes, Marine-Tex Epoxy Putty is resistant to gasoline and diesel.
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August 5th, 2016, 06:21 PM | #10 |
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August 5th, 2016, 06:44 PM | #11 |
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Would it be easier to cut off the bolt mounting tab thing? It would give me much better access to the hole and I wouldn't really need to use a screw there anyway--the fairing would hold just fine without it.
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August 5th, 2016, 10:05 PM | #12 |
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here's how I fixed it, not easy but it's permanent and won't mess up the paint job.
https://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=176379
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August 6th, 2016, 06:13 AM | #13 |
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They shouldn't be. That's why it punctured the tank.
http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/How_do_...l_tank,_etc%3F "Warnings first, AND PAY ATTENTION 1. The bolts that go from the upper fairing into the gas tank are very size-sensitive. We recommend using only OEM Kawasaki bolts in that application. On older bikes, if you used one of the bolts from the bottom in the top fairing hole, you would puncture the tank, making it leak gas and making you replace it. Late-model bikes SHOULD have bolts that are all equal length, but earlier ones had some that were longer than others. Be careful and organized. Certainly don't use anything longer than the OEM length of 6x18. If you have some fairing bolts that are longer than others, replace them". |
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August 6th, 2016, 06:44 AM | #14 |
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August 6th, 2016, 07:10 AM | #15 |
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Isn't that what the alcohol is for?
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August 6th, 2016, 07:23 AM | #16 |
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August 6th, 2016, 07:57 AM | #17 |
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http://i.imgur.com/boKlrGS.jpg
Sanded it down mostly. Still going to attack it some to make sure I absolutely got it all, but it honestly didn't take that long using 150-grit sandpaper--maybe 10 minutes or so. |
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August 6th, 2016, 08:24 AM | #18 | |
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Quote:
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August 6th, 2016, 07:22 PM | #19 |
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Alright, completely sanded down and cleaned. Ready for the epoxy stuff to get here on Monday..
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August 6th, 2016, 08:54 PM | #20 |
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Replace the tank, repair the current one in your spare time for a back up.
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August 6th, 2016, 09:50 PM | #21 |
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Kawasaki issued a recall for this exact issue. It is likely you can get it replaced by your local dealer. At the very least, it is worth calling your dealer and talking to them about the issue. Have your VIN number handy and they should be able to look up the recall.
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August 7th, 2016, 05:41 AM | #22 | |
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August 7th, 2016, 06:28 PM | #23 |
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You can check your VIN at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls...l_ID=07V003000
Even if yours is not subject to the recall, it is showing the same problem as covered by the recall and I would be VERY surprised if Kawasaki USA would not cover this. Personally, I would be making phone calls and writing letters until they sent me a new tank. Of course it is your bike, you may choose to handle this any way you like. The NHTSA shows the following models covered by this recall. Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) KAWASAKI EX250F18 2004 KAWASAKI EX250F18L 2004 KAWASAKI EX250F19 2005 KAWASAKI EX250F19L 2005 KAWASAKI EX250F6F 2006 KAWASAKI EX250F6FL 2006 KAWASAKI EX250F7F 2007 KAWASAKI EX250F7FL 2007 |
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August 8th, 2016, 10:55 AM | #24 | |
ninjette.org member
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Honestly, I'm not too determined about getting a whole new tank. I think the method that RacinNinja mentioned (and what I'm in the middle of doing) will do just fine. |
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August 9th, 2016, 05:08 AM | #25 |
ninjette.org member
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Applied the Marine Tex this morning and was fairly simple and straightforward. Now waiting 24 hours for it to cure! The anticipation is killing me..
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August 9th, 2016, 11:34 AM | #26 |
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I'm trying to work on my patience... I want it now :rotfl:
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August 10th, 2016, 02:33 PM | #27 |
ninjette.org member
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Epoxy stuff is cured and ready to go, so I filled the tank back up and will await to see if it leaks or not. Got a towel ready just in case..
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August 11th, 2016, 07:44 AM | #28 |
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Looks great!
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August 11th, 2016, 08:01 AM | #29 |
ninjette.org member
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I let it sit overnight and there were no leaks! So I'll start the process of putting everything back together.
I also found out that the four bolts that hold the radiator in place were all missing, which means it was probably just hanging by the hoses. Had to go to the hardware store to get new bolts. Not sure if the shop I took it to a while ago forgot to put them back on or what... |
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August 11th, 2016, 08:08 AM | #30 |
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Least it all sorted out!
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August 11th, 2016, 09:38 AM | #31 | |
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August 11th, 2016, 10:01 AM | #32 |
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August 11th, 2016, 10:46 AM | #33 |
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August 15th, 2016, 01:33 PM | #34 |
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So i have been down this path..
My permanent cure was to eliminate the chance of leaks by using the JB weld marine grade gas tank repair epoxy and filling the entire bolt hole and then before it cured screwing a stud into the hole. I then put a thin flange nut onto the stud with a bit more epoxy and tightened it down. Now my fairing is held on by another flange nut on the stud.. on removal only the nut comes off.. the stud stays put. I can remove and install with no worries of punching a hole in the tank again...
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