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Message started by nooner on 12/07/11 at 06:33:00

Title: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by nooner on 12/07/11 at 06:33:00

I live in Ontario, Canada and this is my first winter with my 2001 savage. Two weeks ago, I put fuel stabilizer in the tank, filled it with gas and ran it for 10 minutes. I have removed the battery. I plan to fire her up in mid April. Should I also drain the carb? Thanks.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by arteacher on 12/07/11 at 06:37:45

You shouldn't need to with stabilizer.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by nooner on 12/07/11 at 06:50:48

7873737A7679786263170 wrote:

You shouldn't need to with stabilizer.

Thanks arteacher. I've read conflicting info. If it works for you in London, it should work for me in Madoc.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by verslagen1 on 12/07/11 at 07:16:58

If you put a cup of gas (w/stab) in a bottle with hole in the cap out, will it evap away before you took it out of storage?

If yes then I would. It's not a problem with it going bad but with varnish build up.

You need to fill your tank to prevent rust, not so with the carb.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by Birdmove on 12/07/11 at 12:24:16

With the ethanol/gasoline we are using just about everywhere in the US now, I don't trust fuel stabilizers anymore. I used "Stabil" in a Craftsman riding lawn mower and a Kymco People 150 scooter and had to remove both carbs later and clean them out to get both to run (scooter) and to repair the needle and seat when it massively overfueled (the mower). I never used to have these problems when the gas had no ethanol in it. Since ethanol I have noticed a big increase in threads like: "I stored my motorcycle through the winter using stabilizer, now it won't stay running", etc, etc, etc. I live in Hawaii now and can ride year round so I won't have to use it anymore. When I still lived in Wa. State I rode year round. Knowing what I know now, I would run the gas tank low, drain it, and drain the carb for storing.

jjn

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by ALfromN.H. on 12/07/11 at 12:51:10

we have fairly cold and long winters here in N.H. What I usually do is fill the tank, plug in th battery tender, start the bike once a month or so. Thats all. Never had any problems with gas or carb. Just my $.02.

AL

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by thumperclone on 12/07/11 at 14:25:49

424F414115230 wrote:

was 7 deg F here nite b4 last..this is the 5th winter for my 06..
never used stabil, low current charger some times..
couple o brews and out to the carriage house every three weeks or so
to fire er up and get the oil up to temp..helps fight cabin fever!!!

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by marine5317 on 12/07/11 at 18:01:49

I live in Florida and I talked with a tanker yanker off-loading at a Pilot truck-stop and he told me they can't keep the rubber gaskets in their hoses as the ethanol eats them up. I pulled tankers for a lot of years and I think I've hauled just about every chemical that Ashland Chemical made and we never had a problem with any chemical eating the rubber gaskets. We did have to change to neoprene gaskets with certain acids.
These gas jockies off-load by gravity in probably 1/2 hour or less and the ethanol is eating their gaskets in that short of time. What's it doing to our bikes, cars and trucks?
Ride Safe
Marine5317

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by BobR on 12/08/11 at 08:30:05

I put Stabil in a full tank and run it a bit. Take out battery and put on cover. The bike is in an unheated shed. Haven't had a problem. We get all kinds of weather in NL.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by BobR on 12/08/11 at 18:25:36

P.S. You should change the oil before you put it away.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/08/11 at 19:35:28

I got a Kawasaki W 650, an 02 model. The accelerator pump diaphragm was eaten thru on about 30% of it. Its about the size of a quarter & costs $25.00.. That carb sits drained,

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by ziggy on 12/09/11 at 19:37:22

i fill both bikes and put battery tender on but i start both bikes every 3 weeks all winter and let them run so they get hot enough to dry exhaust out and never had a problem and tank cant rust full of fuel. Shell V Power has the least amount of ethanol in it so i fill both bikes and change oil in both bikes

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by Routy on 12/11/11 at 04:57:12

Anyone,...I mean anyone,....drop the bowl off your carb and show me one iota of evidence of todays 10% fuel causing any problem whatsoever !!
I have showed you all pics of mine,....that sets every winter from Nov to April,...no stabil, no aditives of any kind. All these stories and hearsay is just plain BS. It has been proven time and again that the 10% eth fuel today does not varnish or gum or gell or anything else, like the leaded fuel of yesteryears use to do.
And all the brainwashing that has many using aviation fuel in their 2 strokes is the biggest joke that ever hit this country too,....and yes I have years of proof for that too.
I bought a new Honda generator, and the sales guy said, "we recomment you run aviation fuel only, but no, it is not required"
Now what does that tell me ? Oh, BTW, that was 5 yrs ago, and it sets for at least 6 month a year,.....no stabil either.
But believing what you want to believe is what keeps this country going,......or is it ? ::)

I just wish I had bought stock in stabil,.....and aviation fuel.

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by built2last66 on 12/15/11 at 21:22:34

We have a gas station with non-ethanol gas up the street and it seems like my sickle was running better when I was out of town and had to get ethanol gas... might just be the elevations though...

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by Starlifter on 12/16/11 at 17:50:39

I put fuel stabilizer in afull tank and run it for five minutes or so. Put the battery in a heated basenent and run a trickle charge on it. No problems ever. You did just fine.

Where are you in Ontario Canada? We have another member in London, (Ontario Canada for those of you not familliar with this area.)

And there used to be a member in Sarnia, but I have not heard from him for quite a while now.

I live in Michigan about 20 miles north of the Blue Water international Bridge which is about 63 miles west of London, and 20 miles north. I do a lot of riding in Ontario.

So where are you? anywhere close? :)

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by SuperSavage on 12/16/11 at 22:55:44

687B75756B120 wrote:

I also fill and add Seafoam to the tank. Battery tender and try to start every 2-3 weeks for about 10 minutes, to keep things going. I don't want my carbs developing the dreaded "corn belly"

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 12/16/11 at 23:27:05

Your experiences with ethanol are different from many, Routy. The boaters have trouble with it soaking up water & separating into layers, & Moto Guzzi's have a history of the fuel line blowing off the in tank fuel pump, Cant speak to other types,

Title: Re: To Drain or Not to Drain?
Post by arteacher on 12/17/11 at 06:53:28

547366756B6E61736275070 wrote:

Madoc is about 5 hrs east of me.