Tank Insulation

STL FJR · May 16, 2006

I searched and did not find a good answer on this, so I am going to throw it out there and risk getting flamed and/or tossed into "Never ending pointless recurring threads"

I could not find any good heat insulation around town to put under the tank. I'm doing the 8,000 mile service and thought I would give it a try, but all I could find was water heater thermal insulation blanket material.

Question is, is this stuff strong enough and heat resistant enough to work? It's from ThermoKing and is rated at R 3.5, foil backed on both sides, 3/8 " thick with fiberglass between the layers.

Thanks for your informed opinions.

Bike Effects · May 16, 2006

STL FJR said:
I searched and did not find a good answer on this, so I am going to throw it out there and risk getting flamed and/or tossed into "Never ending pointless recurring threads"
I could not find any good heat insulation around town to put under the tank. I'm doing the 8,000 mile service and thought I would give it a try, but all I could find was water heater thermal insulation blanket material.

Question is, is this stuff strong enough and heat resistant enough to work? It's from ThermoKing and is rated at R 3.5, foil backed on both sides, 3/8 " thick with fiberglass between the layers.

Thanks for your informed opinions.

I used Thermo-tec heat shielding. When finished, it looked like this:

I bought it from a NAPA auto parts store. The part numbers are:

7357081 - $17.39

735-3962 - $36.19

This is two packages of the same stuff sized enough to do the job.

ionbeam · May 16, 2006

Items from Heat Shield Products are up to the task if you are up to the cost.

STL FJR · May 16, 2006

I used Thermo-tec heat shielding. When finished, it looked like this:

I bought it from a NAPA auto parts store. The part numbers are:

7357081 - $17.39

735-3962 - $36.19

This is two packages of the same stuff sized enough to do the job.

Thanks! I'm trying to get this done today while I've got the bike apart, so running down to the NAPA store is easy.

Off I go ...

nusman68 · May 16, 2006

Here you go: This is a link that I put in Ignacio's 'bin of facts' from the 'historical issues' section at the front of the forum:

https://www.thermotec.com/products/full/13500/13500.html

I also used:

https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/appages/insulator.php

-First, I put the Thermotec self adhesive stuff over the original OEM 'thin foil'; it helped a marginal amount; later, I cut out a blanket of "The Insulator" as it's called, from Aircraft Spruce & Supply, as recommended by another member (FJRocket, as I recall) I used the single ply, which is 3/8" thick, (cut out a form-fitting blanket that the tank 'sandwiches'; also cut tight-fitting slots for the necessary lines to come through) it is not secured, thus can be easily removed for maintenance. It has reduced the heat a significant amount.

-And of course, you will hear from many owners that have no heat issues. It appears to come down to height/climate. I'm short, and have to hug the tank; when the temps hit the upper 90s, I was literally getting burns on my legs. If you're tall enough & can sit back from the tank, not contacting it, it (of course)makes a huge difference.

STL FJR · May 16, 2006

OK, so I called around to the NAPA and AutoZones around me and no one has this stuff.

So, back to my original question, am I foolish to try water heater insulation?

timk · May 16, 2006

STL FJR said:
OK, so I called around to the NAPA and AutoZones around me and no one has this stuff.
So, back to my original question, am I foolish to try water heater insulation?

Lowes sells something similar in a roll. It's what I used.

STL FJR · May 16, 2006

timk said:
STL FJR said:

OK, so I called around to the NAPA and AutoZones around me and no one has this stuff.

So, back to my original question, am I foolish to try water heater insulation?

Click to expand...

Lowes sells something similar in a roll. It's what I used.

Timk, so the stuff you used from Lowe's was essentially water heater insulation roll? How did it hold up under extreme heat conditions? Did it have fiberglass in it as well?

Thx!

Bike Effects · May 16, 2006

STL FJR said:
OK, so I called around to the NAPA and AutoZones around me and no one has this stuff.
So, back to my original question, am I foolish to try water heater insulation?

It is in the NAPA Performance Catalogue. It is there.

DocDanDC · May 16, 2006

Did it work? Was there a big improvement?

Bounce · May 16, 2006

from april, 2003: https://www.bikes-n-spikes.org/mods/insul/insul.html

jwit6 · May 18, 2006

Insulating your tank is not going to do it. All you'll have then is a hot tank and hot insulation. Raising the tank an inch or two, providing airflow, and isolating the airspaces between the tank and the engine is the answer. Learn from the 06.

FJRocket · May 18, 2006

jwit6 said:
Insulating your tank is not going to do it. All you'll have then is a hot tank and hot insulation. Raising the tank an inch or two, providing airflow, and isolating the airspaces between the tank and the engine is the answer. Learn from the 06.

I disagree. I put a thermal blanket under my '04 tank and it helped tremendously. I also blocked out around the fairing with some heat resistant foam insulation. All in all, it made a heck of a lot of difference. Without raising the tank.

radman · May 18, 2006

I removed the tank altogether, and now have a Jerry can bungeed to the rack. Nice and cool, and I can tune on the go. A plus plus!

HaulinAshe · May 18, 2006

This worked great for me!

My Heat Shield Mod

Fencer · May 18, 2006

radman said:
I removed the tank altogether, and now have a Jerry can bungeed to the rack. Nice and cool, and I can tune on the go. A plus plus!

I don't know who's telling their age more, you for saying Jerry can, or me for knowing what you're talking about

I'll just blame it on knowledge I inhereted from my father

Bounce · May 19, 2006

FJRFencer said:
I don't know who's telling their age more, you for saying Jerry can, or me for knowing what you're talking about I'll just blame it on knowledge I inhereted from my father

Your Father, Jerry?

sleddoc · May 24, 2006

STL FJR said:
I searched and did not find a good answer on this, so I am going to throw it out there and risk getting flamed and/or tossed into "Never ending pointless recurring threads"
I could not find any good heat insulation around town to put under the tank. I'm doing the 8,000 mile service and thought I would give it a try, but all I could find was water heater thermal insulation blanket material.

Question is, is this stuff strong enough and heat resistant enough to work? It's from ThermoKing and is rated at R 3.5, foil backed on both sides, 3/8 " thick with fiberglass between the layers.

Thanks for your informed opinions.

Why add more insulation under the tank ??

Tank Insulation

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