Old petrol

[florence]

For the first time in years, my bike is resting in the workshop because the swing arm bushes are wobbly and the MOT ran out at the end of October.

How long can they stand before the fuel starts to gum up the carbs? 

I keep meaning to start it up but never seem to get the time, let alone fixing the swing arm.  The weather just hasn't been pleasant for riding and chainsawing, welding the Land Rover and recording in the studio seems to eat up the whole day.

[kendo57]

I have never had a problem with 'old petrol' personaly. I have a couple
of bikes in the garage with petrol over a year old and they start no problem .
I took the floats of my RGV recently and they were spotless inside even
though it had sat for months.
I tend to shut the petrol taps and run the engine until it stalls though before
putting away, or you could just remove the drain screws on the floats and drain them.

[matthewmosse]

500/4 carbs are quite tolerant of old fuel. 550k3 ones as currently fitted to my 500/4 are more economical but are really bad with old or dirty fuel.

[SteveD CB500K0]

I've just sold a GS850 that had stood for 13 months. I added some fresh fuel and she started up after a few minutes on the button (using a car battery to jump it...)

Having said that, a bottle of fuel stabiliser from Halfords is quite a small investment.

[K2-K6]

Florence, just start it and let it get warm then turn petrol off and run it dry. Should be ok all winter at that.

I didn't feel that old fuel was a problem in the past but more and more current experience seems to confirm it now is.

The volatile aromatic stuff that you can smell easily with fresh petrol is the first to dissapear, leaving the heavy base that is harder to ignite. This is why is smells different when old.

The difference in the tank is a slower oxidation/evaporation of a much larger volume than in each carb which is vented directly to air with a very small volume to affect quite quickly.

[Bryanj]

Forget the wobbly swing arm, just take a grease gun to the testing station and pump it up before you wheel it in!!

Also good idea to tap the pin 6mm and fit threaded nipples

[florence]

Bryan, I like your thinking, I will book it in.

I'm sure if it stands too much longer the gremlins will decide to inhabit and then it will decline and become a 'project'.  It's already starting to become a 'shelf'; on it there's a toolbox, a chainsaw helmet, and some rags.  Waliking past it the other day I stumbled into the back of it and managed to snap the number plate in half.  This is why bikes were never designed to live indoors.......arrgh!