[Hellraiser456]

Well the bad has finally happened...someone knocked over my bike at the mall =( IT was simply parked and i suppose someone knocked it over while looking at it or something.

Good news is the damage isn't catastrophic and is easily fixed. The extent of the damage is a bent gear shifter lever, broken clutch handle, and a bent passenger foot peg support. Now this morning i went over to check around and noticed gas. It is coming from the back of the tank, from what i can see the hinge or rear support. If it is a leak, its minor. Now there wasn't any pools of gas on the ground. It ran down the frame to the gear side rear set and pretty much ended there. Thing is though i didn't check it last night to see if it was leaking (i was to choked to look at the bike). now the gas tank doesn't look like it was hit(no scratches).

My questions are, is the a common place for it to leak? i did a search on google and on here and found very little except an issue about the bike sitting( which it hasn't been) it also mentioned something about a possible recall for a leak similar to this.

Second question, is this something, if the tank is leaking, that i can take in and get fixed? this would be a professional doing so. If this is at all possible this would be a good option for since parts for this machine aren't common in Canada and expensive. A new clutch lever and gear lever was 160.00 bucks.

Oh, i would like to thank everyone on this forum. i know i have asked a lot of questions and i have gotten a lot of good answers. So thanks for all the help.

EDIT: I just found some gas tank sealer stuff on the net, which means i could probably find it at a autostore. Any thoughts on this stuff?

 

[SubSailor]

I believe there was a recall on earlier models (SP1's) for fuel tanks that would develop cracks near the tank pivot due to vibration. I'm not sure if it was only the '00 or '01's or both.
This was corrected in later models.

The crack can be fixed if you can find a shop that works on fuel tanks.
Many do not due to various safety/liability laws.

You'll have to have the tank repainted of course after the welding and possibly re-coated inside due to the alcohol content in fuel these days.
Alcohol is corrosive (hard to believe, but true).

 

[Hellraiser456]

hmm there isn't any corrosion yet, well nothing major. i think i have caught the leak early simply because it was caused by the bike falling.

I have some really good friends at a dealer ship but its for ducati. they use this aircraft putty stuff. they use it all the time they said and it works very well. i don't think they will actually weld the tank, but i could be wrong on that.

Thanks for the help.

 

[kdece]

hello so this is my first time on the forum , i have a 2003 rc51 and love it , i have also had a leaking tank on the back bracket seeping gas ! honda does not care about this problem so dont bother trying , this eally pissed me off ! so the fix that i did was JB WATER WELD you can get this at a auto parts store for around $8.00 bucks this stuff is awesome it can be used and cure under waterand it will cure in less than an hour !
so i took off the tank drained it and sanded the whole area around the bracket real good applied the jb water weld as directed and i used all of it ,and waited a few hours just to be sure i put gas in it before i put it back on the bike just to be sure let it sit over night sitting staight ,went out in the am and no leaks!!! what a great fealing that was !!!!
thats my fix hope it helps someone out

 

[madbuyer]

Indy OEM has a new tank for under 700 bucks.


Sent from my Motorcycle iPhone app

 

[jondog9]

I've always heard the leaky tanks was both years of the SP1's, but certainly the 2000's had an issue. A few on this forum have posted about it over the last year, and my bike had the leaky tank.
You'll need to inspect the welds at the rear underside of your tank. That's where the notorious factory welds leaked-right where the bracket attaches to the tank.
Don't waste your time with those tank liners. More people have that stuff fail than those rare few that don't. I had mine welded/repaired and he pressure tested his work with about 5-7 pounds air pressure to make sure. A good radiator shop is the best bet.
Unless you can get honda to replace it. Which some here have been able to do. If it's the factory welds that failed, that is.

 

[Hellraiser456]

JB weld won't work. the gas will break it down into this mushy goo stuff.

I tried a gas tank repair patch thing, and a fuel tank leak goo but each time the tank would start leaking again. worst part was getting the old stuff completely gone so i could apply the new stuff.

rewelding is the way to go...but i had trouble finding someone that would weld the tank for me.

Also i hear that sp2 tanks are less prone.