Howdy all...been off the board for awhile.
I need to start tearing the bike down and fixing it to ride again next year. Would it be better to drain the gas and carbs completely, leave some gas +stabilizer in it, or skip the stabilizer and just start it up for a few minutes once a week?
I'm watching a few ebay auctions for a headlight and gauge cluster. The woman doesn't want me to spend any more money right now, but she doesn't understand that when a certain part comes along that you need, you have to jump on it.
I already have a front fairing, so other than the headlight and gauge cluster, I need turn signals and mounting brackets....the speedo+tac cable, mirrors, and windscreen I can source online later on.
Unless you want to run it a bit now and then (and will keep after it), a full gas tank = a rust-free gas tank. But I'd shut off the petcock and drain the carbs to minimize varnish buildup.
I wouldn't drain the carbs, the residue will still varnish up some. Fill the tank, and some Stabil, run it for 5 minutes or so. Start the thing every now and then. You should be fine.
Quote from: FJ Flyer on August 25, 2009, 12:36:27 PM
I wouldn't drain the carbs, the residue will still varnish up some. Fill the tank, and some Stabil, run it for 5 minutes or so. Start the thing every now and then. You should be fine.
That's what I do.
Dan
Nate, full tank with stabil and full carbs.
kick it over once a month you will be ok.
If it gets cold where you are and you're just starting it up every once in a while, make sure you let it fully warm and then run awhile longer otherwise you could have condensation issues inside the engine.
-mick
Welcome back, Nate... :bye:
You feeling better?
Randy T
Indy
Welcome back, Nate... :bye:
You feeling better?
Randy T
Indy
if you're going to start it up every once in a while, let the engine and oil get to operating temperature before you turn it off, otherwise moisture condenses and will cause your oil to break down. keep gas in the tank and the carbs and treat with stabil.
Quote from: rktmanfj on August 25, 2009, 05:44:55 PM
Welcome back, Nate... :bye:
You feeling better?
Randy T
Indy
Much better, thanks. My ankle is still pretty stiff in the morning, and sore by night, but I'm getting around much much better. Still not running any marathons anytime soon though. The rod in my shoulder doesn't feel too good when I lay on my side at night. 6 more months and I can have it removed.
There's an 85 1100 for sale in Stafford, a bit north of me in VA. Still trying to acquire everything to get mine roadworthy again. I might pick up an 82 XJ650 (midnight maxim...my 1st bike) if the woman allows it. I kind of want to get a cruiser to start off on again, since I'm sure I'll be a bit timid of the FJ when I get back on.....but I'll be back on next year, for sure. I hopped up my jeep this month...3" lift. Figured it'd give me something to do this fall.
Trying to make sure I do the FJ right, and not let all of the maintenance I did to it go to waste while I rebuild it. I think I'm going to repaint it black. I love the factory job, but I'm not that good of a painter to get it all matching. Decided to leave the dent in the gas tank as a reminder. Even the woman is talking about getting back on again. :) If you've ever been unfortunate to not be able to ride for a season, you'll understand the pain of feeling a perfect day, and have to drive a car around. sucks!
Nate..great to hear you're feeling better.
Living here in Ontario, and having to store/winterize my bike every year here is what I do.
Fill tank to the top.
Add appropriate amount of Stabil.
Run bike til warm.Shut off.
Change oil.
Spray/mist down any/all metal bits with WD40 or similar.
Through onto stands.
Remove battery and keep on tender.
Re-top up fuel to the very top.
Toss the cover on it.
3-4 months later, I put the battery back in, hit the starter, and she usually fires right up...and good to go.
I do the same with the snowmobile in the opposite season....what a messed up climate...always seem to be winterizing or summerizing the bike, boat or sled.... :biggrin:
Cheers...Jake
If you're sure you won't be able to run it, you might want to pull the plugs and put in bit of oil, or use the Stabil fogging spray, then turn click the starter to turn it over a bit to coat the cylinder walls.
Yeah, the cool weather is right around the corner and we have to deal with this issue soon.
It is my belief that in the past few years since they have been putting beaucoup ethanol in our fuel everything has gone to hell in a handbasket. I have had literally 100's of various engines that I have stored for over 25+ years now. I have NEVER had so many problems with carbs gumming up in the past couple of years than I have had in the whole rest of my life!.....what changed !!?? I can only attribute this to the new gas formulations. Stabil even has a new green colored formula out there for ethanol based fuels. These are my findings:
1) The old Red colored stabil is barf. Tried it and had 2 carbs gum up on me.
2) How the new green colored stabil will perform is still an unknown to me. Its supposed to be 'for ethanol'....whatever that means.
3) Draining seemed to work in the past but has also seemed to cause problems (could be tied in with #1 above).
I guess if you are going to store inside where it is warm vs outside where it is cold & damp is a factor. Outside you run the risk of rust inside the tank if you drain it.
Also, on 2 occasions I have drained the tank and re-priming the carbs has been an absolute Mo-Fo, another vote for leaving tank filled.
didn't david ratfart once speak of the problem with draining the carbs was that the o-rings could possibly dry out? i could'a swore i remember a thread about that long ago...
I've also used Marvel Mystery Oil with good results. Always put a cup or so of it in the 5 gallon gas can for the mowers, etc.
I've been filling the tank full of fuel and adding the recommended amount of Stabil to winterize my bikes for years. I try and start them every 1-2 months and let it run for about 10 minutes. I have never had any starting problems or carb problems using this method. The key to keep moisture out and prevent any rusting is a FULL tank of gasoline.
Ozz
(Glen)
About 5 - 10 years ago, stabil did not exist. In addition, fuel was fuel and not the BS they are selling us now.
For all those reasons, I think draining the tank worked.
Nowadays I think my mode of operation will be Stabil and a full tank.
Does anyone still advocate draining the tank? If so, why?
I've had more trouble with gummed up carbs in the last 2 years than I have in the last 35. I've used both Stabil and MMO and still had to rebuild the carbs on all 3 streetbikes. If I only let it sit for about 2 weeks, then a generous application of Techron will eventually clear out the problem. It appears that the idle circuit is easily plugged by whatever crap they are now adding to our fuel (here in Tx, we get ethanoled and oxygenated fuel, seems like there's no room for an real fuel in that mix.)
Never had these problems in the past and it used to sit for about 6 weeks at a time. I just need to figure out a way to ride all 3 bikes at the same time. :-)
DavidR.
Funny, Slow 'ol Guy, If you look at my earlier post I used your exact words.
I have had more carbs gum up on me in the past 2 or 3 years than I have ever seen in the past 30 or so !!
Are you using the RED stabil or the new GREEN stabil?
The Green is supposed to work with ethanol fuels much better. At least thats what they say.....Thats my last ditch effort on this whole mess.
Otherwise I'm not sure what to do.
Quote from: SlowOldGuy on August 31, 2009, 09:34:12 PM
I've had more trouble with gummed up carbs in the last 2 years than I have in the last 35. I've used both Stabil and MMO and still had to rebuild the carbs on all 3 streetbikes. <...>
DavidR.
Soooo... David, you "had to rebuild the carbs". Secretly, I think you were happy about that. :smile:
FWIW: after all the carb troubles and rebuilds I've done, the past few years have been problem free. Full tank with Seafoam, stored for six months (we have a painfully short riding season).
Quote from: Bob on September 02, 2009, 07:22:09 AM
FWIW: after all the carb troubles and rebuilds I've done, the past few years have been problem free. Full tank with Seafoam, stored for six months (we have a painfully short riding season).
Bob-
You live in Ontario, the farm/corn lobby has, I'm guessing, not yet found a way to get every single Canadian politician to kiss their a$$es like they do here in the US. Ethanol makes very little sense to anyone who seriously looks at it from an economics perspective yet every single presidential candidate is a "vigorous supporter", for fear of cheesing off these people.
As a result of not being subject to this type of extortion, you do not have, I rather suspect, this crap in your fuel, or at least in the quantities that we do. Perhaps this explains why you have not had gumming issues?
Not sure though.
Dan
Bob had enough carb troubles at a single rally to earn a "free carb pass" for the rest of his life.
The FJ carbs are a total piece of cake compared to getting them off of the FZ1. What a royal PITA!
DavidR.
So does anyone have any real-world, empirical data on the old 'red' vs the new 'green' stabil?
Tho old red formula was complete bukake. It did absolutely nothing.
I put it into the fuel of every engine I owned and had the treat of degumming about 7 out of the 10 engines I have around the house.
BTW: Since carb gumming is here at least for the forseeable future, there is this stuff made by Gunk called carbureator Boil out. It comes in a paint can with a dipping basket inside. Your hands tingle when exposed to this stuff, but it works great. Beda than anything else I have used.