# Melting Plastic



## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

I just came back from a ride at crosby and I noticed my gas tank is partially melted, about the size 2 quarters. It's where the big gun header curves down and upward, kinda close to the plastic gas tank. Will post pics tomorrow cause it's too dirty to see now. What can I do so it won't melt anything anymore. It is dyno tuned and runs right, but does get pretty hot on the left side where the headers close to your leg.
Any comments appreciated.


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## Impact Fab (Jul 1, 2011)

Brutes are like Can AMs and put out a lot of heat..we run heat shield tape in thick manner


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Dang, it wasn't even like that with my stock headers. Was going to put heat tape today, but decided to just roll like that. Heres a picture i took of the melted gas tank.


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## Impact Fab (Jul 1, 2011)

you sure your not running rich?


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

I doubt it because I just got it dyno'ed at Rage Atv in splendora a few months back. Had ridden it several times and there appeared to be no plastic melted. Unless the MSD somehow changed the fuel/air settings. It does run hot, though where your left leg is at(the "brute force 750 sticker" side plastic) I was told by the dyno tuner that all these brute force are all like that. Said he had tuned a bunch of 750's and all the owners complained about the heat their legs. Until now, it actually started melting the gas tank.


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## fstang24 (Jan 9, 2010)

usually when it gets that hot its a indicater your running lean, but like you stated you had it dyno tuned on the dyno, and brutes do typically run hot, my burns my leg as well, and this hot temp outside aint helping either, but i have yet too melt any plastic in mine running the full muzzy, all i did too mine was pick up some heat tape from advance auto and installed some on the inside plastic where the headpipe runs along the motor and some on the tank skid, runs good.


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Oh, alright. Had bought heat tape from auto zone just yesterday, but was too lazy to even put it because of this heat. Went in the garage... and came right back into the house. Other then that it ran flawless and the power is :rockn: Will put on heat tape tomorrow, after the sun goes down.


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## fstang24 (Jan 9, 2010)

here is a pic of the heat tape i installed on mine...


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Thanks for the picture Frank. Was planning on putting header wrap on it, but decided against it because every now and then i go through saltwater and some mud. How does the tape hold, do you pressure wash your brute?


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## filthyredneck (Feb 10, 2010)

Heat tape works good and has a factory appearance, but I had trouble keeping it on with all the mud and water mine sees so I made some aluminum shields for mine. Way better now.


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## fstang24 (Jan 9, 2010)

yeah i pressure wash mine regulary, tape has been on for two years now, no signs of it fallen off


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## Astaelan (Jul 24, 2011)

With a full muzzy, I found heat tape wasn't enough, it'll keep the plastic from melting, but as it heats up, the glue gets tacky, and a little water will quickly start to peel it off. There are some other solutions you might want to look into, look in the Exhaust howto section, there is a discussion on how to prevent your muzzy from melting the tank shroud. However, the outside plastics are not covered by that, as it's a sheet metal barrier an inch from the shroud.
My exhaust seemed to be closer than the tutorial, so I found some very high temperature (1400C+ operating temp) ceramic/fiberglass fabric banding. It's meant for industrial uses in sealing high temperature furnaces and the like. I used a high temperature tolerant epoxy, glued it to the tank shroud and all the plastic that is anywhere near the exhaust and tail pipes. I've had a few nice long runs, my leg no longer gets anything more than warm, and there is absolutely no warping to any of the plastic. Add some mud/water into the fabric while riding, and it does even better at withstanding the heat. The fabric itself never melts, distorts, or burns, and the epoxy seems to be holding up even to numerous pressure washings.


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## backwoodsboy70 (Oct 26, 2010)

Header wrap and heat tape been good for half a yr already


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Astaelan said:


> With a full muzzy, I found heat tape wasn't enough, it'll keep the plastic from melting, but as it heats up, the glue gets tacky, and a little water will quickly start to peel it off. There are some other solutions you might want to look into, look in the Exhaust howto section, there is a discussion on how to prevent your muzzy from melting the tank shroud. However, the outside plastics are not covered by that, as it's a sheet metal barrier an inch from the shroud.
> My exhaust seemed to be closer than the tutorial, so I found some very high temperature (1400C+ operating temp) ceramic/fiberglass fabric banding. It's meant for industrial uses in sealing high temperature furnaces and the like. I used a high temperature tolerant epoxy, glued it to the tank shroud and all the plastic that is anywhere near the exhaust and tail pipes. I've had a few nice long runs, my leg no longer gets anything more than warm, and there is absolutely no warping to any of the plastic. Add some mud/water into the fabric while riding, and it does even better at withstanding the heat. The fabric itself never melts, distorts, or burns, and the epoxy seems to be holding up even to numerous pressure washings.


Hey, where did you find this material? Don't want to wrap the exhaust because i ride in brackish water and mud.


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## Astaelan (Jul 24, 2011)

Check the howto exhaust section, about the saving your gas tank. I think I put a link to the type of fabric I used in there near the end. I just happened to have 10 feet or so kicking around on the shelf, so I tried it out. Still gotta get some pictures, maybe tomorrow after I wash it. Note that it doesn't have a beautiful factory look, but it's very functional to save your plastics.

Edit: sorry it's in the howto section itself, but here is a link to the same looking stuff I used.
http://www.firesleeveandtape.com/ce...me-resistant-plain-tape-ladder-bolt-hole.html


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Okay, thanks for the help man. If you can post pictures I would appreciate it.


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

Just went outside in this heat and put heat tape. Turned the brute on and guess what... there was some gas escaping from the exhaust (where the slip-on connects to the header). Took it off and readjusted it and now theres hardly any gas escaping. Think that might have been the problem, now to put some kind of barrier on the gas tank just in case.


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## Astaelan (Jul 24, 2011)

Good idea, even with no directed air flow like that, there is still a lot coming off the exhaust pipes, and I know the muzzy gets within an inch or so, plenty hot enough to melt cases. I'm going out to wash my bike from my ride last night shortly, I'll try to get some pictures of my plastic savers.


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## tx_brute_rider (Feb 18, 2011)

I'm surprised the headers didn't melt the gas tank in the first ride. It was about my thrid or fourth ride with the big gun when it melted the gas tank. Came back from a ride looked at the gas tank and was like :cussing:


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## Astaelan (Jul 24, 2011)

I recommend you order a new tank shroud, that's what saved your bike, and possibly your life. Always bothers me when things are designed with such poor safety considerations like that.
It just started to thunder/lightning as I was about to go out and wash my bike, looks like it'll have to wait.
Anyway, I don't think the tank shrouds are all that expensive (you're not the first to melt one, people seem to buy them in bulk). The only downside is you gotta rip the whole tank out to replace the shroud I think, so when you get the new shroud, best to just do whatever modification you are going to use before putting it back in, it would have been a little easier for me if I had taken the shroud off, and I could have cleaned it out properly too.
I also need to get my hands on another few feet of that fabric, I didn't quite have enough to run it all the way up the side plastic, leg still gets a little bit warm near the front, so if you do go with the fabric route like me, make sure you get enough to cover the tank shroud, the rear plastic around the wheel/tail pipe, and then the side plastic all the way to the front.
The more expensive part of the project, was the epoxy I used. Locally, the only thing acceptable I could find was this stuff call Mr Sticky WetBond, fairly high operating temp, and completely water tolerant (could be applied under water). Problem is, it was like $30 for a small container, and it took 2 containers to get the shroud, rear plastic, and half of the side plastic done. Finding a cheaper, larger container of a bond-all epoxy would go a long way in making this solution more attractive.


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