"Pure gas". How long does it stay good?

[Sandy]

With your situation why not plug the vacuum line to the carb and just run it on prime when you ride it. Sounds weird but gives you an easier way to run the carbs dry after a ride by just switching to the on position. You're not riding it much so making the petcock manual with no reserve shouldn't be a big inconvenience. Then every few months drain the tank into your car and refresh the fuel.

 

[chuck hahn]

5 months IS long enough and I would indeed follow it as a "long term" based on how gas can quickly gump jet holes up...

 

[Spyder]

I've been using stabil religiously every year in my bikes. I have only rebuilt my GS carbs once, and that was the year after I bought it... I don't drain it out in the spring, I just run some Sea Foam through it with the old gas before a tank of fresh fuel.

If I were you, I would fill it, Stabil it, and not worry too much about it. I have to add, I don't know what Stabil will do in "Pure Gas", as it is advertised as a stabilizer for modern fuels. May want to read the labeling. But if you just use the crappy ethanol fuels and a bit more than recommended stabil dose, you should be just fine...

 

[Sandy]

5 months IS long enough and I would indeed follow it as a "long term" based on how gas can quickly gump jet holes up...

Bit of a pain putting your bike into long term storage after every ride. I think that's sort of the point of Keith's question. Otherwise yes, put it into long term storage if it's going to just sit.

 

[chuck hahn]

I just got my nighthawk out of storage last week after well over 2 years. I used the method I outlined when putting it away. New battery and a gallon of gas and rode away like i had ridden it the day before. Im a believer in my process and follow it religiously...5 months worth or 5 years.

 

[chuck hahn]

Duration isnt the issue. Preperation is the issue here.

 

[Dogma]

I just got my nighthawk out of storage last week after well over 2 years. I used the method I outlined when putting it away. New battery and a gallon of gas and rode away like i had ridden it the day before. Im a believer in my process and follow it religiously...5 months worth or 5 years.

Well, at least we know your process doesn't hurt.

 

[chuck hahn]

when you switch back and forth between 14 bikes you dont need to spend days rebuuilding crap thats 100% preventable.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Sandy, I have a Pingel fuel valve. At the end of each ride I would turn it off a minute or two before parking. I wait until the fuel level in the bowls is too low to allow the bike to keep running and I turn it off.
Part of the problem is I don't ride the bike enough, but it's when hot weather comes that the carbs begin gumming up. I'm guessing the garage gets at least 100-105 inside. My garage at my California home gets in the upper 90's (never had a gumming carb problem) but I think the extra 5-10 degrees really matters. There's no simple or inexpensive fix to the problem other than keeping the garage door partially open and I don't like doing that.
I don't know why the Stabil doesn't work in my case other than the heat problem may be too much. It's funny how my 25 year old lawn mower has never had a fuel problem and it stays in a metal shed all year. That shed gets so hot it would kill anyone if they were inside. No Stabil. Sometimes the mower isn't used for up to 3 months. No problems. It's kind of ridiculous how easily the pilot circuit gets gummed up in the VM carbs.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

So what do you guys think? With pure gas, if I make sure to add fresh gas every 6 weeks, do you think that would stop the carbs from gumming up? From what I've read, it seems like over-kill but I want to be sure.
Thanks for any thoughts.

 

[Sandy]

Don't know Keith. Lawnmower works fine. I wonder if it's the stabil that doesn't like the heat. Maybe put some seafoam in? Should be able to go 5 months without gas going bad. WTF???

 

[habsdoc]

I personally use Sea Foam in all my engines and never have an issue with them. Motorcycles, lawnmowers, chainsaws, weed whackers, snow blowers and outboard motors. double dose and the are good to go.

 

[Jethro]

So what do you guys think? With pure gas, if I make sure to add fresh gas every 6 weeks, do you think that would stop the carbs from gumming up? From what I've read, it seems like over-kill but I want to be sure.
Thanks for any thoughts.

Keith, I have a completely different opinion of how to store carbs. I would never shut the Pingel off and run the carbs dry since I have had numerous problems with warm carbs varnishing almost immediately when run out of fuel. Also oxidation is a problem with dry carbs. If you keep them wet with treated gas they will be just like you left them the day before. If you run them dry the jets can varnish over. The way I have learned this is with the family snowmobiles. The kids would ride laps around the house all day long until the thing ran out of gas, as which point the warm engine and carbs would varnish almost immediately. I can't tell you how many times I've been rebuilding a carb with a teary eyed 6 year old looking up at me.

Just like the gas tank, keeping it full of gas during storage keeps oxygen out of the tank and prevents condensation and corrosion. Just my opinion but it's really worked for me and I am in a constant state of storing vehicles and bringing others back to life. Right now it's boats getting stored and sleds coming out.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Chuck, the Z1 fittings came. You're absolutely right about their o-rings. The fittings came with their o-rings already installed. Way too big. I used some silicone spray on the o-rings as I always do with o-rings. Starting with the "T" fitting, I twisted the first side in and could tell it was very snug. I couldn't twist the other side in so I had to push it straight in and I was careful to make it go in straight. No luck. The outer o-ring split. Because I had the un-used o-rings from Robert Barr's kit, I tried them and they fit well.
I'm sending a message to Z1 in hopes they'll improve their product.

 

[chuck hahn]

I think Z1 has an outside supplier for tees and crossovers. They may well want to forward any correspondence to their suppliers.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

I finally received a reply from Z1. They included a short video showing someone pushing the "T" fitting into a VM 28 carb without difficulty. It was pushed straight in, no lubricant I assume. They said they've put a lot of effort into having the correct size O-rings.
I replied there's no way the "T" they sent me would pop in like that. My "T" had to be lubed with silicone and twisted in. Trying to push the other side straight in tore an o-ring. I told them carbs 2 and 3 can be twisted in but carbs 1 and 4 must be attached by pushing the fittings straight in. I'm sure they think I don't know how to assemble carbs so that's that.
Their part description says their "T" fitting fits both VM 26 and VM 28. Maybe the 28, but not the 26. If I really thought the problem was just me then I wouldn't bother with contacting them. But other people have had the same problem so I know Z1 isn't using the same O-rings all the time or these O-rings only fit into the 28's??
So just be aware that any VM fuel fittings you get from Z1 may not fit. Have some O-rings from Robert Barr handy.

 

[Nessism]

I like Z1 overall but they don't listen to customer feedback when the suggestion is the part received is bad.

I bought a K&L master cylinder kit for my 850 and after installing it the master would make a squeak noise and the plunger would hang up in the bore. Contacted Z1 and they told me that they had sold a number of those same kits without issues, thus implying the problem is mine. Pure BS. I wound up removing the seal and chucking up the plunger in a lathe in order to true it up. The part was drastically out of round. Apparently they think everyone is an idiot and that they know better.

 

[Gumpster]

Hi Keith, I had the same problem with the Z1 fittings but had some o-rings from Robert's kit and all is well. Also, the original fittings usually seal if soaked in fuel for an hour as they dry out during the rebuild. Now, back on subject, I live in a hot humid climate and ethanol free fuel with stabil is good for at least 6 months. We ride year round so it's not from experience with the bikes but my generator is only used if we have a power outage during hurricane season. Every six months, I drain the fuel, replenish with treated pure fuel. I run it for 15 minutes and then change the oil. Might be overkill but that thing needs to be ready if we are without power for several days. The drained fuel is used in my truck and mixed with 20 gallons.

 

[chuck hahn]

Well maybe Jeff Saunders will see this thread. I automatically strip off Z1 orings and put Roberts on...lesson learned and mistake not to be repeated here.

 

[KEITH KRAUSE]

Thanks for the replies. I hope I won't gum up the carbs again and I won't have to deal with this again. I've had the bike 39 years and I don't doubt I'll still have the bike another 20 years (if I live that long). As long as the Z1 aluminum fittings last, I'll be good.
Chuck, same here. If ever again, I'll automatically order some of Robert's O-rings again (if he lives that long).