Member Contributer Charlies Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 This is my first winter with my VF1000R assembled, and I don't want to gum up my carbs. How long is too long not to drain the bowls in the carbs? I try and ride every 30 to 45 days through the winter for sanity and don't want to have to drain them every time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 My 4th gen has carbs and in the past 16 years never drained them. Some years she "stood" for 2-3 months.... Ymmv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer YoshiHNS Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 You can always go the 30-45 days and see if it gums up. It used to gum up on the ST1100 after a week or two until I cleaned the carbs beyond what's normal (not one fuel line left untouched), and now it doesn't seem to gum up anymore. The ST doesn't have easy to reach drain bolts, but the VFR does. If you do decide to drain them all the time, might be worthwhile to make some tubing connected to the drain nipples so you don't drain the fuel all over the engine every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wera803 Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Can you find a place and fill up with 100% gasoline instead of the 10% ethanol stuff? I think the gum up time is determined by the quality of gas mostly and the amount of ethanol in it. I've heard anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months before gumming up with ethanol mixed stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tbzep Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 Fill up the tank, treat the fuel with the appropriate amount of Stabil, Seafoam, Lucas etc. fuel stabilizer and ride the bike long enough to get the treated fuel through the system. You're done. It works for me with mowers, tractors, etc. using cheap gas and having them sit all winter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Charlies Posted January 9, 2014 Author Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 Thanks everyone, I feel better about not draining them now! I am going to put the stabil in this weekend to be safe, I always forget about that option Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 Good way to stick the floats. Fuel stabilizers better then draining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schwarzc Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Can you find a place and fill up with 100% gasoline instead of the 10% ethanol stuff? I think the gum up time is determined by the quality of gas mostly and the amount of ethanol in it. I've heard anywhere from 3 weeks to 2 months before gumming up with ethanol mixed stuff. if you are looking for 100 octane fuel without any ethanol, but with lead in it, go to your local airfield, and buy airplane gasoline (its called AVGAS 100 LL here in europe) a friend of mine uses that in his VF750F, and he says, he even gets more power with that stuff (tough i doubt that, .... ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer thtanner Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 I let my carbs bike stand like 3 months max, but I leave SeaFoam in the gas when I do that. It's been about a month for my VN750; I'll start her up Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer HiDesertMLB Posted January 9, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 9, 2014 All pump gas sold in our parts is an ethanol blend. As of the past two years, I've been adding Marvel Mystery oil to the fuel at each fillup on my 4th gen. No, it's not really a fuel stabilizer, and perhaps more of a placebo effect in my mind. I figure it can't hurt. It has a neat smell to it, too, kind of like gun cleaning solvent. I feel that it aids in reducing the buildup of varnish/gumming. In any event, in more humid areas and with long term non-op, I'd be very concerned about pump fuel sitting in the bike (tank, bowls). I guess that fuel drain threshold for me is about 4-5 months sitting (dry climate), probably less than that if you're in a more humid spot. If in doubt, drain tank and bowls. Even though it's inconvenient, its better than firing up in the spring with carbs that are gummed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 If the bike is going to sit for a while, I add 2-3 oz. of two stroke oil to a full tank, run the engine long enough to ensure that the mix finds its' way into the float bowls, works for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beck Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Tried the Marvel Mystery Oil my brother had left over from his Ural sidecar rig he sold last year..... My 4th Gen seems to have hated the stuff. It smoked like heck during idle and the engine actually ran rough and spitty.... Took about three tankfuls to get it completely out of the system.... Never again with that horrible "snake oil"!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer zoomzoom Posted January 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 10, 2014 So if you run across a VF1000F that has had supreme in the tank, float bowls and elsewhere for about 2 years without using any fuel stabilizer......................... That would be considered BAD, right?? Just a guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer apexandy Posted January 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 10, 2014 So if you run across a GS500 that has had supreme in the tank, float bowls and elsewhere for about 2 years without using any fuel stabilizer......................... That would be considered BAD, right?? Just a guess. Fixed that for ya ZoomZoom :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer zoomzoom Posted January 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 10, 2014 While that is true Apex, I was actually referring to my buddy Doug in Calgary who put away his bike for the winter 2 years ago (bike in question happens to be my old 1985 VF1000F) and now is having some difficulty getting it started. He forgot the stabilizer and did not drain the floats before storing it. I think, though I am not sure, that he may have the same problem with his other bike as well, a Cb750 Nighthawk. The GS500 Apex mentioned is a bike that my wife and I are still on the fence about purchasing. The owner of the bike put the bike away in his shed 2 years ago and has not run it since. Not really sure whether it will require carb work, engine work, etc, etc. my mechanical skills in that department are somewhat lacking, so the concern is how much damage could be done to the carbs and the rest of the fuel system for that matter. We purchased a 1996 VFR750 for my wife last year in October and she has expressed some concern for re-learning how to ride on a slightly smaller bike that will not cause her to cry should she accidentally drop it while learning to ride again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted January 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 10, 2014 ZZ I don't know about you but for me once the carbs has clog up then there much more likely to happen again. I think some kinda of residue matter is left over from the cleaning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Dutchy Posted January 10, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 10, 2014 Would a little bit of urea protect against gumming up? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer tomk1960 Posted January 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted January 14, 2014 FWIW, I fill the tanks on my bikes all the way up on my last ride of the season and add the appropriate amount of StaBil, then ride for 5 miles before draining the bowls when I get home. So far the bikes have started up every spring, but every year I always wonder what surprises await me after the bikes have been sitting from Late Nov until late March. I sincerely hope that they're never able to increase the ethanol percent even higher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 vp makes a fuel for storage-- just start it every 2 weeks let it warm up 10 minutes and gas it a few times-- i never had any trouble .... leave about a half gallon in the tank-- add fresh half gallon every month -- stabil seafoam amsoil etc wouldn't hurt---- the main thing if you let it sit for 3 months or more drain tank run it dry-- shop manuels really are wonderful tools to have-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted February 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2014 Constant problem with the 93 and of course we did not have this wealth of knowledge(VFRD) available but after reading here i am convince it was the fuel evaporating from the bowls and leaving residue in the bowls so drain the bowls ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer gll429 Posted February 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2014 Constant problem with the 93 and of course we did not have this wealth of knowledge(VFRD) available but after reading here i am convince it was the fuel evaporating from the bowls and leaving residue in the bowls so drain the bowls ... it is. the gas breaks down and turns to varnish. plugging the jets. i have no idea why people make a big deal about draining the bowls. i mean sheesh. step 1). add sta-bil to gas. jiggle bike to slosh gas around to help mix it in. step 2) TURN OFF the gas. step 3 ) run the bike till it dies. step4 ) turn on, gas run bike step 5) turn off gas. keep it runnng till it dies. step 6) use a long allen key or screwdriver to open and dribble out those last few drops from the bowls. wow! isnt that EZ?? did this witha bike that had 15%enth..and it sat for 6 years. i drained the tank ,added new gas and she fired right up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer Switchblade Posted February 14, 2014 Member Contributer Share Posted February 14, 2014 Back in 98 I had no idea gas was that bad. I can remember using gas from my lawn mowers gas refill tanks after sitting for 6 months and not having the same problem. But anyway I have wished 100 times that i had kept it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.