Winterizing ?

[Jon]

Some helpful replies, thanks folks. I have never come across either oxygenated or non-oxygenated gas - at the pumps it just says unleaded or superunleaded or diesel, in my experience.Is this an American thing?

On the subject of petrol (sorry, gas), I've seen a lot of stuff on bike forums claiming that ethanol-added gas (E5 or E10) goes bad really quickly when stored, and also attracts water out of the atmosphere, like meths will. The people who say this claim that leaving the tank filled right up is the worst thing you can do. Partly because all that ethanol-added gas will attract water, which sinks to the bottom and causes rust, and also because at the end of winter, the gas will have gone off and need chucking away (or at least draining and keeping for your lawnmower). What to believe is the big question"

On my old Triumph its no big deal - one carb which takes half an hour to remove, strip, clean out thoroughly and re-fit. The GS is a very different kettle of fish, hence wanting to avoid any carb-cleaning needs in spring.

If non-oxygenated gas goes under some other name here in UK, and I can get some, maybe that would help?

[hannibal]

Ethanol is the oxygenate used in the US. The purpose is to add a compound that contains oxygen ("pure" hydrocarbons have no oxygen molecule) so the gasoline burns cleaner. I say "pure" because ethanol is technically a hydrocarbon but seldom found in petroleum. E10 refers to the percentage of ethanol content. Methanol behaves similarly.

The down side is that alcohols (like methanol and ethanol) love water and trap it between molecules where gasoline will form a layer on top of water and not absorb it.

I work in the energy industry and was not aware that non oxy gasoline was still available.

[mikerophone]

We've only had ethanol infused gas here for a while now and as long as you add a fuel stabilizer you should be fine. I've used Stabil for years with great results in all my bikes/mowers/trimmers/saws.

I do pretty much the same thing as Ray does above and get the tires off the ground or overinflate slightly and I remove the batteries and bring them inside to rotate on a -quality- battery tender monthly for any that are not AGM type. I fill to the brim with Stabil already in the tank and run it for ~5 minutes to get it all through the carbs, wash it, wait for it to cool, clean and coat the chain (if applicable) then cover it and wait until the snow melts to get it out again.

Oil life depending, I sometimes wait until spring to do the oil change, and on my favorites, I'll pull the plug wires and crank over a few times before I fire it up for the first time, check the tire pressures and ride off!

[Ray916MN]

....
If non-oxygenated gas goes under some other name here in UK, and I can get some, maybe that would help?

Race gas is non-oxygenated, and if you speak with anyone who has a motorcycle with a plastic/nylon tank (late 00s Ducatis and some Aprilias) they'll let you know where non-oxy is available in the U.K. Alcohol causes plastic/nylon gas tanks to expand which at the best makes fitting them hard and at worst causes rupturing.

[bonanzadave]

Non-oxygenated gas is typically available at small airports, marinas and gas stations near marinas.

They got it a Fleet Farm. I always see the Pirate crowd filling up at the non-oxy pump.

[tkent02]

Winterized.

[tom203]

.......The people who say this claim that leaving the tank filled right up is the worst thing you can do. Partly because all that ethanol-added gas will attract water, which sinks to the bottom and causes rust, and also because at the end of winter, the gas will have gone off and need chucking away (or at least draining and keeping for your lawnmower). What to believe is the big question"

I put stabilizer in tank before last ride to work it in. Remove gas tank, drain 80% of fuel that's still there (add to my generator). I store tank in a location that doesn't have much temp swings if possible. In spring, I add fresh gas and hit the road.

[Brendan W]

Could you explain why? Does that just introduce more water and other junk to the carbs?

Just to add to Sandy's comments. Exhaust gas has a dewpoint of about 70 C ( 160 F). Starting from cold the blowby condenses on everything in sight including the cold oil. By the time you get to 70 C the condensation will have stopped but it's going to take a lot longer to boil off the water already collected in the sump. Repeated cold starts without a good run at operating temperature is asking for trouble.

[hampshirehog]

BP Ultimate Super Unleaded has no ethanol in it in the non western parts of the UK (I check every autumn with BP just to make sure they haven't changed things). I use it for my last two fill ups every autumn and it stays fine over winter plus it probably costs less than a couple of quid extra to fill the tank twice. The bikes all run fine on it.

[Jedz123]

Winterized.

Ha! Yup, my thoughts exactly.

[John Park]

.......The people who say this claim that leaving the tank filled right up is the worst thing you can do. Partly because all that ethanol-added gas will attract water, which sinks to the bottom and causes rust, and also because at the end of winter, the gas will have gone off and need chucking away (or at least draining and keeping for your lawnmower). What to believe is the big question"

I put stabilizer in tank before last ride to work it in. Remove gas tank, drain 80% of fuel that's still there (add to my generator). I store tank in a location that doesn't have much temp swings if possible. In spring, I add fresh gas and hit the road.

On the other hand, the water has to come from somewhere, and if the tank is full there isn't much air to donate moisture to the gas[ohol]. Besides, there won't be much condensing out from cold onto the tank surfaces to rust them if there isn't any air. As I see it, you're best bets are full or empty, and you can't beat empty, with the tank off and in your basement.

Ethanol in gasoline was a bad idea from the start. If you have a carburetor, it's a disaster. Even my lawnmower hates it. The only worse place to put it is in the operator…...

[JJ]

I don't think you can find non oxygenated gasoline at the pump in the US

There are at least five places within 20 miles of me that sell pure (non-ethanol) gasoline.

[tkent02]

You guys do know how to test gasoline with alcohol for water content don't you?

[storm 64]

You guys do know how to test gasoline with alcohol for water content don't you?

I'm not quite sure. I use to watch my mom take fuel samples from her Piper Cherokee before flight. She had a glass beaker, there must have been some kind of fuel cock under the wing (bottom of fuel tank.) She would fill the beaker up, look at it then throw it on the ground. I'm guessing the water would separate from the fuel.

[hannibal]

Found a listing of stations that sell pure gasoline.

http://pure-gas.org