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Pictures of fitting OTR fueltank
Hey gang.
You are welcome to read this as a manual if you wish. But let me say this; if I am able to fit the tank, with nothing but common tools (not to mention common sense), then you are too. The manual that comes with the tankkit from OTR is in german. So for those who don't speak german, this post may be a bit of help. But again, it realy isn't all that difficult. The tank: http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/tankpic1.jpg The tankkit. Fuelpump, with attached hoses. The clear one with the screw nozzle goes into the hole you are going to drill in the bike (more on this further down), the one that branches out in a T-section goes into each of the fueling nozzles at the lower front of the tank, and the last one goes onto the nozzle under the bottom of the tank. Also pictured a coolant tank that fits in your "toolbox" under the seat. And no...there isn't missing a hose nor a cap. More later. The dark rubber hose on the left with the two petrol filters and the silicone is not needed. I bought it under the assumption that it was missing. It isn't cause you don't need it. The filters and the sillicone does not come with the tankkit from OTR. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/tankkitcomplete1.jpg Removing the covers and panels is a doddle. Just punch out the clips and rip it apart :). Use the #10 wrench to remove the plate holding the tank in place. Dislodge the tank by pulling it backwards. But gently does it lads, the tank is connected with wires and hoses under the bottom. Don't have a decent pic of removing the coolant tank. It's fitted with two screws and it should be apparent how to remove it. There's a snorkle there that doesn't lead anywhere. Don't worry, it's not something the mechanic forgot to fit. It's just there to allow the tank to "breathe". Remove the snorkel also, you'll need it for the new tank. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/stripped1.jpg You can slap in the coolant tank in the toolbox now if you want. It's as good a time as any, I guess. As you can see, the long tube is fitted in the wrong place (sorry, don't have a picture of how it's realy supposed to look). Place the short snorkle from the old coolant tank, on the nozzle instead. Then take the rubber cap from the old coolant tank, and place it on the metal fitting right next to the snorkle. On this cap, you should connect the long hose. Eventually you will connect it to the radiatior, but wait a bit, untill the tank is ready to install. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/coolanttank1.jpg Gently lift up the tank and look under it. There are three connections. One is the fuelhose, the other two are electrical plugs. I don't have a picture of them fitted but it should be apparent how to remove them. They are fitted with locking clasps that you will need to manipulate before you can pull them out. Again, it's apparent when you look at them. The oldschool mechanic will now start marking which plug goes into what socket so he will know when refitting the whole thing again. No need. It is simply not possible to put the wrong plug in. The sides have some plastic tracks that makes it impossible to put the plug in the wrong hole. Oh by the way, don't worry about petrol leaking out. When the pump is not powered, the fuel doesn't run out. I actually had to pour the petrol out the same way it came in :). Note that when you set the tank down on its front with the bottom plate up, the fuel nozzle is in the 4 o'clock position. Remember that for later. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/bottom.jpg Now here comes the part where you realy need to take care. I am sorry, but I don't have a picture of the delicate manouvre. I don't think anything but a video would properly portray the operation. Anyway, remove the six screws. Don't worry, it doesn't bottom out. It will stick on there untill you pull on it. After removing the metal fitting, geeeeently pull out the pump. There is a little plastic "knob" in there that kind of sticks out, and I had a heck of a time getting the whole pump out because of it. In the end, I had to manipulate the small "knob" with a thin screwdriver before I could pull out the entire pump. But whatever you do, don't force it. The next picture will give you an idea of why you need to be carefull. It looks like it could break by just looking at it. Take a look : http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/fuelpumpout1.jpg Before you insert the pump into the OTR tank, here's a little hint. The screws that came with the tank are only halfway screwed in there. Take them out, give them a little oil and then screw them all the way in. Then remove them again and insert the pump. I was halfway done when I gave up because the screws are extremely hard to get in there when going in for the first time. Had to take it all out again, oil the screws and drill them all the way in before fitting the pump again. When you do place the pump, use caution again so you don't break anything. Oh, and remember the 4 o'clock position for the nozzle. Ok, now for some drilling. The OTR manual says you will need to drill a 4mm hole in the middle of the rubber rim between the injection pump and the cylinder. I drilled a 3,5mm hole and found it a very tight fit. Perhaps a bit too tight but I figured "better too small, than too big". But 3,5mm seems to be fine. I have to admit that I was a bit worried about the excess rubber that you may push in there. But all I can say is that I have driven on the bike after doing this, and have had no problems. You may find it hard to manouvre in the very tight space with a normal powerdrill. The waterpump is in the way. Relocating the tightening band on the waterpump hose helps a bit, but may still prove difficult. I was fortunate enough to have access to a very small powerdrill. Screw in the nozzle at the end of the clear hose on the vaccum pump (sorry, no picture of that). No tools needed for this. Just use your fingers. Don't forget to seal it good with some sillicone. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/ho...ubber-rim1.jpg And here everthing is fitted. Remember, you cannot place the electrical plugs wrong. Note the nozzle fitted under the tank. You see, the fuel from the external vacuum pump does not supply the internal pump directly. It just pumps the fuel up from the "wings" of the tank, up to a level where the internal pump can catch it and fuel the bike as normal. So basically, fitting the bottom of the tank is exactly as on the stock tank. Only difference is the extra nozzle. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/fi...-new-tank1.jpg Ok, we're pretty much done. I will add to this post with a more explanatory picture of the connection of the vacuum pump. Right now, it's just taped to the side of the bike. I just wanted to see if things were working properly before I start trimming hoses. I have a good idea where to place the vacuum pump, but I will describe that in more detail as an addendum to this post. There is an annoying gap between the front of the seat and the base of the tank. I can't realy see a way to trim this to fit. The seat is immovable and so is the tank. I'll propably fit some black foam to make the finish a little nicer. Then there is the matter of the side panels. They will definately need some trimming. I plan to do this with a sharp knife and/or a file. Oh, the end result? Here you go : Before: http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/Before1.jpg After: http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/after-finish1.jpg |
By the way, Captn, if you think this thread might be of interest in other categories, please feel free to move it at your leasure.
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Why, it's fine where it is. :sbike:
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Good write-up :icon_thumright:
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yes great right up thanks!
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Nice job. Very confidence inspiring :thumbsup[1]:
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Addendum, vacuum fuelpump
Addendum: Added next day regarding the vacuum pump
I left out a picture of the nozzle fitted in the rubber rim. Here it is: http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/nozzlepic.jpg Ok, think I've found a good place for the pump. This is where I've decided to put it. But you can put it wherever you like. It does not matter where or how the pump is placed. Vertical, horizontal, whatever. I've decided to fit the pump on the airfilter cover. Takes a wee bit of drilling, but nothing fancy. You'll need 2 times 6mmX50mm bolts 6 nuts with washers That's it :). Position the pump on the cover to the desired place. The picture shows where I have put it, but you should put it as close to the bottom right as you possibly can. If you place it like shown on the picture, you will need to trim the edge of your sidepanels to make room for the pump. Mark the holes with a pencil or the point of a drill. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/pumplacement.jpg Drill the two 6mm holes and put in the screws and tighten them with a nut and a washer. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/cover-with-screws.jpg Mount the pump using the nuts and washers, placed like this http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/sideimage.jpg http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/mounted-on-cover.jpg And finally, put the cover on and trim the hoses to your needs. You will notice now why I suggest you place the pump as close to the bottom right corner of the airfilter cover as possible. In my case, I had to trim the sidepanel because I put the pump too high. But I think it came out allright afterall. But I do dislike making ireversable mods to the bike, so I suggest you learn from my mistake. Or simply place the pump an entirely different place. Up to you. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/finalmount.jpg And full view. I don't think the pump stands out too much. I guess you could substitute the grey/silver hoses with some black ones if you are a real stickler for appearence. Personally, I don't think this looks too bad. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/fullview-final.jpg and just to be clear: The topmost nozzle in about the 4 o'clock position, is connected to the extra nozzle moulded under the bottom of the tank. The nozzle at the 6 o'clock position goes out into the T-section, where each end goes onto the nozzle on each side of the tank. The middle one is for the clear hose that goes into the hole you drilled in the rubber rim. If you look at the back of the pump, you will notice arrows that point away or into the pump. So when in doubt, refer to these arrows if the nozzle pumps out of the pump, or into it. And don't forget to fit some fuelfilters on each nozzle. Never hurts to be safe. This picture is taken on the left side of the tank. http://www.intoafrica.dk/pictures/fu...r-leftside.jpg On a final note a word of caution: When starting the engine for the first time with the new tank, I recommend you fill it well up over the internal pump. The vacuum pump operates per stroke the cylinder performs. If you are low on fuel, the fuel will need to be pumped aaaaall the way through the empty hoses, through the empty vacuum pump, and then aaaaall the way up into the main tank. You may need to ignite the starte for a very long time before enough fuel is pumped up. It's quite logical realy. Each time the cylinder moves, a vacuum is created. With the starter, I'm guessing your engine is running at about 4-500 RPM, as opposed to 4-5000 RPM under normal operating conditions. Basically, your pump works about 10 times faster/better when the engine is running. This is only a problem when you are starting on an empty system. Once it's pumped through, the starter should have no problem supplying the fuel you need at startup. Well, as the man said "When all is said and done, there's nothing left to say or do". Enjoy. |
Bigger tank
Can you tell us - how much did the tank kit cost? Where did you get it? And really important - how much extra capacity does it give? Thanks.
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http://www.off-the-road.de/index.php?id=7&L=1
�899 and a very long wait if their previous performance is anything to go by. |
Hey Eagle747.
The link Marcnicol posted is correct. The exact volume is 26l. But due to the design of the valves at the bottom, you may not be able to get the full benefit of it. Meaning there may be some petrol left that the valves cannot access. So it's somewhere in between 25l and 26l. You can save about 60Euros if you forego the high polish finish and just take the raw paint. But negotiate that with Thorsten at OTR. It was something he offered me, but I don't know if it's a standard deal or if I was treated as a special case. I have not heard of an alternative being made (like Acerbis, for example). But if you in your research come across simillar products, this forum will be VERY interested to hear from you. Because as Maxwell said, it IS rather pricy. I bought my tank because I needed it for a long distance trip. You can make various solutions with custom made jerrycans that you strap on your bike. But in my humble oppinion it is a poor (albeit clever) substitution. But that's just my personal preference. Oh and just to comment on the slow delivery mentioned by Marcnicol, I can attest to that. The tanks are only made in each individual case whenever someone orders one. So it's not like they just pull one down from the shelf and ship it to you. This ofcourse increases the delivery time. At the time it was frustrating for me, because I was on a pretty tight schedule and had only a small window of opportunity to test run it before the real trip started. But, if you are aware of the delivery time in advance, it's not as much a problem, as just another thing to plan for. Ask Thorsten at OTR(he speaks good english) what timeframe he's talking about when/if you place an order. Questions? Just ask. Best regards Torsten |
larger tank
Thanks guys. I do not yet own an XT - I have a 700 Transalp with a pitiful tank range and I'm planning a trip across N Africa. So will probably have to chop the Transalp for an XT although I haven't had it long. Probably better off going for the new Tenere if the tank is that expensive! And wearing platform shoes cos I'm only 5'9"......
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Nice tank.:occasion1:
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Nice tank there, it does seem to stick out more on the fins, do you find this to be exposed when off roading? Just it might be easy to puncture if you fall over.
Cheers for the piccies:notworthy: |
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I don't know if it'll crash if you fall, there are too many guys using in the Rally dos Sert�es here. I believe it can survive... :unibrow: |
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I tried to many times with the company who sell the tanks here without sucess, I don't know what to do to they can make this. Do you send a e-mail direct from them? |
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