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.

arteacher wrote on 12/07/11 at 06:37:45:


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

   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

ALfromN.H.  FSO wrote on 12/07/11 at 12:51:10:

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!!!

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.

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,

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.

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?