Carburetor/gasoline question

lragan · January 06, 2011, 02:53:14 PM

I have decided to park the red '96 until April, when my friend from Colorado will be here to ride for a few days. I ran it almost out of gas on a ride today, and turned the tank valve to "OFF", leaving it idle until it quit (an amazingly long time, by the way -- took about 15 minutes).

Will this clear the gasoline from the idle and low speed jets, preventing clogging during the long park?

Or do I need to also drain the carb bowls by removing the plugs?

Jerry G Turner · January 06, 2011, 04:55:25 PM

Most of the gas should be gone but I would drain them just to make sure.

hootmon · January 06, 2011, 05:26:18 PM

Quote from: lragan on January 06, 2011, 02:53:14 PM
Or do I need to also drain the carb bowls by removing the plugs?

You don't need to "remove" the plugs, just loosen the screws a bit and the gas will flow out. I would drain the bowls.. Also throw a little SeaFoam in the tank and slosh it around to stabilize the gas in there

Jigger · January 06, 2011, 09:06:20 PM

I put Marine Stybil in the tank then took it for a ride to make certain it got into the carbs. Then shut the fuel cock off and let it idle till it died on its own. Then put a couple of oz. of Seafoam in the tank then top the tank off it till it wa almost full. Need to leave a little room for expansion.

L J VFR · January 06, 2011, 09:29:03 PM

A simple step Honda could have taken would have been to put drain lines on the magna carbs like they did on the valk. Would have made this step alot easier and less messy.

Charles S Otwell · January 06, 2011, 10:20:26 PM

Lawrence, I don't know which is the right way or the wrong way, I just know I'm not a big fan of carbs sitting dry for any lenght of time. I would feel better with a full tank of fresh gas a little additive and cranking the bike occasionally than letting the float and needle dry out, I mean they are made to hold gas for years without deteriating. Just my little 2 cents worth

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L J VFR · January 06, 2011, 10:36:33 PM

Quote from: Charles S Otwell on January 06, 2011, 10:20:26 PM
Lawrence, I don't know which is the right way or the wrong way, I just know I'm not a big fan of carbs sitting dry for any lenght of time. I would feel better with a full tank of fresh gas a little additive and cranking the bike occasionally than letting the float and needle dry out, I mean they are made to hold gas for years without deteriating. Just my little 2 cents worth ..

This is a great point charles. I agree with this. If you could find 100% gasoline without any ethonal in it, it would be even better.

LIMagna · January 07, 2011, 06:58:57 AM

I'm with Charles here too. Put some good stabilizer in it (I use Marine Stabil since it specifically targets the alcohol in our gasoline), fill the tank and run it until everything is thoroughly combined. Turn off the manual fuel petcock and your set. If you can run it every few weeks, all the better. I don't think it's possible to completely evacuate the fuel from the jets anyway short of pulling them out of the carbs and hitting them with some compressed air. Those little passages are going to hold onto any gas they have. I have this image of the fuel drying up and leaving behind deposits ... not sure if that actually happens or not but having it stay full and wet just seems like a better idea.

Greg Cothern · January 07, 2011, 10:06:37 AM

Lawrence, I personally recommend to fire it up week and let it idle till it reaches operating temps. Of course dose it good with Seafoam (remember its a fuel stabilizer also).

I know its difficult in a busy lifestyle to accomplish this, however it is the best as it will also keep the other fluids flowing throughout there need to reach areas.

silveradocowboy · January 07, 2011, 05:58:51 PM

Having had 1st and 3rd gen Magnas I learned that when the bike was kept on the center stand I had far fewer carb cleanings. How many you ask? Zero on my V65. All the carb cleanings I did were on bikes that did not have a center stand, ie. 3rd gen Magna, Interceptor. No matter how much stabilizer(marine Stabil, Seafoam) I put in the idle jet clogged up on the #1 cylinder within 3 weeks and in most cases it was less than a two weeks.

lragan · January 08, 2011, 12:08:19 PM

Quote from: silveradocowboy on January 07, 2011, 05:58:51 PM
Having had 1st and 3rd gen Magnas I learned that when the bike was kept on the center stand I had far fewer carb cleanings. How many you ask? Zero on my V65. All the carb cleanings I did were on bikes that did not have a center stand, ie. 3rd gen Magna, Interceptor. No matter how much stabilizer(marine Stabil, Seafoam) I put in the idle jet clogged up on the #1 cylinder within 3 weeks and in most cases it was less than a two weeks.

Jeff, this is somewhat confusing. If the gas petcock is left on, won't it keep gas in all the carbs, even on a sidestand?

Not that it matters in my case -- the bikes are stored with wheel chocks in the cargo trailer, and are held vertical.

Charles and Greg, I appreciate the advice. I wonder if I have the discipline to run it every week. I plan to ride the blue bike as much as I can, so maybe if I run the red one every time I take Ol' Blue out for a ride, it will work out. I just don't get enough opportunity to ride to keep both bikes active, especially in the winter.

silveradocowboy · January 09, 2011, 08:37:14 AM

Quote from: lragan on January 08, 2011, 12:08:19 PM
Jeff, this is somewhat confusing. If the gas petcock is left on, won't it keep gas in all the carbs, even on a sidestand?

Not that it matters in my case -- the bikes are stored with wheel chocks in the cargo trailer, and are held vertical.

I don't know why it does it but it does, maybe the carb gurus here can explain it. I would guess the fuel pump or vacuum diaphram would keep the fuel from moving down to the carbs. I never turned off the petcock which is something I've done for years. It has to be something with the ethanol in the fuel these days because I never had to clean the carbs on my XR's, CB500T, or Kaw LTD which was long before ethanol came along.

Forgot to mention the carbs clogged on my CBR for the same reason. It now has a rear stand to keep it upright but it doesn't have fuel in it so I can't say if my "fix" works on it yet. May not matter on it because it will have race fuel in it.

Since you store you bikes upright you could do the same test. Just put the same fuel in each and put one on the side stand.

silveradocowboy · January 09, 2011, 08:48:42 AM

Another I have noticed is that when the carbs are drained and sit for a while(4-6 months) the gaskets dry out and will leak. Letting it sit with fuel in the carbs for a few hours will expand the gaskets sealing it off again.

Greg Cothern · January 09, 2011, 09:06:23 AM

ITs probably due to a better angle for which the surface tension to release the liquid fuel out of the tiny jet orifice.

I concur on leaving one dry and potentially creating a leaky gasket/seal.

dgc67 · January 09, 2011, 11:16:14 AM

Obviously the best bet is to start it once a week or at least month and run it to operating temp. This won't help the battery unless you actually ride it but it should save the carbs.

I let mine sit WAY too long this year and now, after a few strong doses of seafoam in 'small' tanks of gas (have run maybe 3 gallons through it a gallon at a time) it starts easily when cold. BUT if I ride it somewhere and get it all warmed up then stop for about 15 min it does not want to start. I am not sure if this is carb related or battery related. If I start it back up within 5 min it is not a problem.
Last time it did this it I tried so much to start it the battery did start getting weak. I then put it in 2nd and pushed it as fast as my short little legs will go and jump started it. It fired right up. oops, sorry to get off topic.

Carburetor/gasoline question

dgc67