Under tank fuel line.

[marcwilson1972]

Just wondering if any one has removed there fuel tank on the SP1?
Did mine a while back to do the valves etc, and had a night mare with the fuel line from the fuel pump on the tank to the injector bodies.
The workshop manual say’s remove banjo and catch fuel. Then to refit just reverse (accept no fuel left to catch..lol).
Well with my big pie hands that was not easy. In fact it too two people my dad holding the tank and me with my arm bending back wards trying not to cross thread the banjo bolt.

Well my question is does any one have a quick release auto seal type coupling fitted to make this easer? If so what type etc?

I know its not that often I take of the tank but boy it would make it easer to do the air filters etc.

So any ideas?

Marc

[SubSailor]

That's what I've been working on for a while now.
Since the fuel line pressure is only 3.4 Bar, I've decided the Jiffy-Tite dry-break coupler is the best for the money.
Staubli dry-breaks are super nice with a max pressure of 200 Bar, but over $300 for a male/female pair vs about $50 for a Jiffy-Tite.
The Jiffy-Tite is good for 13 Bar which is more than enough for the fuel line pressure.
My biggest problem is finding a 12mm I.D. banjo fitting with a long neck and AN male thread to fit in the 'U' bracket on the fuel pump.
Once found, I can the have custom braided fuel lines made with AN swivel fittings to attach to the dry-break couplers and banjo fittings.
I was also contemplating using a dry-break coupler on the fuel return hose as well, since Jiffy-Tite also makes dry-break couplers with barbed hose ends.

[wild01]

You shouldn't need to remove the fuel line when replacing the air filters. Just undo the two front bolts and tie the tank up to the shed rafter or similar point. Works for me. Did the whole tank off thing a while back and it is a ball ache but you shouldn't need to take it off very often so not worth altering.

Each to their own though.

[SubSailor]

The reason I'm fitting dry-break couplers with braided fuel line is because I have a carbon-kevlar fuel tank, and it doesn't lift as high as the OEM fuel tank.
It's just more convenient to disconnect and remove in my situation.
Otherwise, I agree with your comment. Lift and prop the tank for service.

[wild01]

Oooooou, hark at you ya posh git

Fark mate, that sounds like some nice stuff there. God dammit, why am I so poor! Grrrr


Got any pic's to rub it in dude?

[SubSailor]

Actually I don't.
I picked it up a while back from from a fellow parting out his race gear. Got it at quite a bargain I'm proud to say.
It's currently painted black, but I plan on shipping it to the manufacturer to have it inspected and primed for painting.
Then I'll have local painter mask and paint it in OEM colors to match the original.

It is incredibly light. I thought I had been ripped off since the box weighed practically nothing.
I weighed my OEM steel fuel tank and it weighs 5.67 Kg (12.5 lbs) while the carbon-kevlar tank only weighs 2.27 Kg (5 lbs).
That's a big weight saving (3.4 Kg/7.5 lbs) in polar mass up top.

Combined with the weight savings from the Shorai lithium battery (1.0 Kg Kg/2.2 lb) over the OEM Yuasa battery (4.3 Kg/9.5 lb), I've lost a total of 6.7 Kg / 16 lbs of polar mass.
While there's still the weight of the fuel, it's still much less weight the bike has to throw about when transitioning from one lean angle to another.

Here's the manufacturer site.
http://www.eti-fuelcel.com/RC51.HTML

[wild01]

Nice one, they ain't the lightest of bikes so any weight saving is a bonus. I've removed the air intake flap, solenoid & air tank, saved about as much as a good shit which is my usual weight reduction technique!

[marcwilson1972]

You shouldn't need to remove the fuel line when replacing the air filters. Just undo the two front bolts and tie the tank up to the shed rafter or similar point. Works for me. Did the whole tank off thing a while back and it is a ball ache but you shouldn't need to take it off very often so not worth altering.

Yep that’s true, unless you got paws like mine. Apart from if I am in there changing filters I am checking everything else as well, I am rather pedantic about servicing etc.
Next thing is you’ve always got to get the tank empty to take it off, more the run back from the return but would like the option.

I think I have an idea where to get the banjo fittings local so going to look into the dry breaks mentioned earlier.

Cheers for all your help though.

Marc