varnished gasoline and our carbs

[jarheadoo7]

i read an article online that said its a good idea to install an inline fuel filter on our bikes due to gasoline "varnishing" if you let the bike sit for a period of time. The gas will devlop a varnish that gets into the carb and jets and gunks it up..

I just commented on a thread where my bike will fall on its face once in a while. I wonder if its due to varnishing?

What does the forum think? I will check out the local parts store for a fuel filter and post a pictorial if it seems like a good idea.

 

[hatfield44]

Filter won't help (it is a good thing to do though). Varnish is formed as gasoline goes bad, and will still form in the carb after the fuel has passed through the filter. Turn your petcock too off and drain the carb bowl when you get done riding. If the bike has set for a while, drain, rinse, and refill your tank before turning the petcock back on.

 

[jarheadoo7]

good point..

what about dumpin some SeaFoam in the carb and lighting it up!?

 

[hatfield44]

I have no experience with SeaFoam, so I don't know. I have always took carbs apart and cleaned with solvent and a toothbrush, but if you keep your carb drained while not in use, and don't run bad gas you should never have to worry about varnish & gum problems.

 

[ratchracing]

Keep your fuel in a metal container (an approved one of course) and it will last alot longer if you don't ride often. I always drain the bike out if its going to sit for more than 3 weeks. With my KTM its much sooner because the premix oil will actually make the gas go bad faster as well.

 

[bomber315]

3 weeks?! jeeze i dont know if i would get that excited... maybe different canadian gas?

 

[haulinbass]

Gas comes from canada in raw form, is shipped to the states, refined and shipped back(canada is the US #1 oil supplier), unless its petro-canada fuel or shell both have refineries in Alberta.
90% of what american fill their tanks with is candian gas fyi. I work in the oil industry.

Any fuel(diesel, gas ethonal, nitro methane) that is just sitting can go bad very quickly, light is the #1 thing that usually kills fuel though.

 

[jasonp]

Gas comes from canada in raw form, is shipped to the states, refined and shipped back(canada is the US #1 oil supplier), unless its petro-canada fuel or shell both have refineries in Alberta.
90% of what american fill their tanks with is candian gas fyi. I work in the oil industry.

Any fuel(diesel, gas ethonal, nitro methane) that is just sitting can go bad very quickly, light is the #1 thing that usually kills fuel though.

good info, thanks for posting.

 

[hatfield44]

I did not know fuel was that light sensitive. Looks like it's time to get rid of the translucent race jugs.

 

[tyler]

You said to "rinse" the tank out what should i use to rinse the tank out?

 

[hatfield44]

Fresh, clean fuel.

 

[baddawg]

Gas comes from canada in raw form, is shipped to the states, refined and shipped back(canada is the US #1 oil supplier), unless its petro-canada fuel or shell both have refineries in Alberta.
90% of what american fill their tanks with is candian gas fyi. I work in the oil industry.

Any fuel(diesel, gas ethonal, nitro methane) that is just sitting can go bad very quickly, light is the #1 thing that usually kills fuel though.

Irving Oil in Saint John NB is Canada's largest refinery,over 300,000 barrels of finished product per day.I just came back from a 2 month shutdown there.They ship to all Atlantic Canada,Quebec,New England and as far as California.Other companies have refineries in Ontario,Quebec and Nova Scotia

 

[haulinbass]

forgot about you east coasters and your offshore drilling.

were pretty much all own'd up by the americans, dutch and chinese in alberta right now.

good to hear you guys are going back out to work, drilling is starting to pick up out west but the major player in my area suncor/petro can is selling their field and trying to get out of non conventional. And no way am I moving to fortmac to work in the sands.

good to see theres at least one other oilman here

 

[baddawg]

I was up Fort Mac once,dropped a trailer and got the hell out.I'm in heat treating,we've got an office in Edmonton.
Sorry about jackin the thread

 

[yamarider]

Easiest solution seems to be buying fuel without ethanol in it. The fuel in my snowblower has been in it for almost 3 years now with no kind of stabilizer or other treatments, fires right up with the first pull (been in there for almost 3 years because we haven't had enough snow to justify using anything except a shovel). I won't put this ethanol stuff in anything I own, it only goes in the company van because it's not coming out of my pocket when it eats up the rubber in the fuel system. I don't see a reason to buy the 10% ethanol gasoline when locally the non-ethanol is priced the same and gives better mileage without any worries of letting it sit for a month.

 

[bomber315]

Easiest solution seems to be buying fuel without ethanol in it. The fuel in my snowblower has been in it for almost 3 years now with no kind of stabilizer or other treatments, fires right up with the first pull (been in there for almost 3 years because we haven't had enough snow to justify using anything except a shovel). I won't put this ethanol stuff in anything I own, it only goes in the company van because it's not coming out of my pocket when it eats up the rubber in the fuel system. I don't see a reason to buy the 10% ethanol gasoline when locally the non-ethanol is priced the same and gives better mileage without any worries of letting it sit for a month.

i too am not a fan of ethanol... i havent done the research yet but do you know where you can buy non ethanol vs. 10%? i just sorta realized it existed around these parts (NW PA) and i really dont wanna run it in my sled this winter

 

[dswwarrior350]

It seems like most gas stations are switching to this 10% ethanol stuff. My vehicle can run on E-85 and i was alll excited to use it and save some cash. What they dont tell you is it decreases your gas mileage by 30%, and shortens the life of pretty much everything including oil. If you really figure it out flex fuel costs more than regular gas..

But anyway ive always been a fan of shell gasoline. But i dont know a damn thing about it.... it just seemed to run a little better in the stang

 

[hatfield44]

I wish I could get not ethanol fuel locally :'(
Yamarider: what kind of motor does your snowblower have; B&S, Honda, etcc....?