1200 GS Adventure fuel tank imploded !

[bumble beemer]

Been touring in the Spanish and French Perynees . Lots of fantastic roads up and down mountains and some recently used in the Tour de France.

Filled up tank after 250 miles on Saturday ( can go 360 to 380 sometimes but did not want to chance it as I needed to catch the ferry on time the following day).

Petrol cap was extremely difficult to open and when I finally managed to lift the cap up there was a sudden rush of air. I only got 16 litres in the tank and thought wow it must be doing 70+ miles to the gallon !

Any way caught the ferry and today, now back home set upon cleaning the bike.

Astonished to find that the sides of the 33 litre plastic tank had caved in.

Bike is running ok but what has caused this ?

Anyone had a similar experience ?

Was it caused by the high and low altitude riding ?

What is the cure ?

 

[Steve]

What is the cure ?

Making sure the breather in the filler cap isn't blocked.

 

[MikeP]

Sounds as though the breather is blocked in some way (that's if 1200's have something as basic as a breather. Probably the fuel-cell pressure sensor, or the fuel-cell pressure equalising pump has stopped working and needs to be plugged into the Bavarian Main-frame computer for a diagnosis).

 

[Pukmeister]

Just goes to prove that shiny new GSA's really suck.

 

[SJPB1982]

Someone told me that their panniers on their R1200RT had all the air sucked out of them whilst going through the alps (due to the difference in air pressure at higher altitude) and that it took two people to open them when they got down. Maybe the same thing happened to the petrol tank?

 

[ukaloon]

Someone told me that their panniers on their R1200RT had all the air sucked out of them whilst going through the alps (due to the difference in air pressure at higher altitude) and that it took two people to open them when they got down. Maybe the same thing happened to the petrol tank?

This happened to my mate's 1200GSA too. BMW have modded their alloy panniers with a little drill hole and rubber bung to prevent a vacuum.

 

[Big Derek]

Just goes to prove that shiny new GSA's really suck.

I think he may be looking for more helpful remarks

 

[nedflanders]

Definately the breather blocked somehow, we had the sides of a 20'000ltr steel water tank collapse in on itself when the breather froze and the pump was on, so a plastic tank has no chance.

 

[BD]

bugs in pipe

the breather on the gsa is another of the fatherlands` brill idea,it`s a tube from the hole in the filler capthat then goes thru the tank to the right hand side then vents out behind the engine on the left oh and in the processs of getting there it makes a nice catchment for its self somewhere.only had mine a few weeks when i noticed water not draining down,was told to blow down 1 of the tubes to freeit off.did so and found flys and bugs in it. keep an yey onit now, may have been your prob but who knows.....