Winter storage

[RGP750]

Hi All
Not been on here for a while.
Fed up with carbs clogging up through lack of use.
Do you winter store with carbs  and tank empty or just carbs
Cheers Rich

[Nurse Julie]

Carbs and tank empty on ours Rich. Before that though, run the engine with a bit of 2 stroke oil or Redex in the fuel to help keep everything oiled whilst in storage.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Are we against just firing the bike up once a fortnight & letting it run for 5-10 minutes?

[Nurse Julie]

Are we against just firing the bike up once a fortnight & letting it run for 5-10 minutes?

Not when some of the bikes are stored in the house Ted 😂😂😂. Also, joking aside, that means you need to keep the tank and carbs full of fuel, not ideal with high Ethanol content.

[royhall]

The stock answer to that Ted is it corrodes the exhausts from inside out. It needs a really good run to get the exhausts hot enough to boil off the water. You may notice that your 400/4 sometimes drips from the header to silencer joint, that's the water. Best plan is to drain tank and carbs completely and swill some diesel around the tank whilst it's off to stop it corroding. These days Ethanol will attract water from the atmosphere which will sit in the bottom of your tank and rust it. Difficult thing storing bikes for any length of time with the shite that poses as petrol these days.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

The stock answer to that Ted is it corrodes the exhausts from inside out. It needs a really good run to get the exhausts hot enough to boil off the water. You may notice that your 400/4 sometimes drips from the header to silencer joint, that's the water. Best plan is to drain tank and carbs completely and swill some diesel around the tank whilst it's off to stop it corroding. These days Ethanol will attract water from the atmosphere which will sit in the bottom of your tank and rust it. Difficult thing storing bikes for any length of time with the shite that poses as petrol these days.

I guess one should ideally do the oil & filter change when you overwinter to avoid any corrosion from oil that has picked up sulphur & water during use?

[RGP750]

Thanks All
Carbs back on tomorrow and go for a decent ride . (I hope)
Redex, diesel and drain down .
Thanks  Rich

[kevski]

I never winter store my bikes, I use them and keep them running year round, though less in the winter, I have used a fuel stabilizer for years, I do drain the carbs and tank off once a year then straight back on and run as often as I can during the winter.

[royhall]

What's the fuel stabiliser you use, and does it work okay.

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[SPR]

I just keep filled with Esso premium which round here has zero ethanol ... I do use mine over winter on odd sunny dry days  .... other than that it is kept in a big carcoon system or the lounge

Simon

[kevski]

What's the fuel stabiliser you use, and does it work okay.

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I use oregon fuel stabilizer it comes in 5ml pippetes, been using it for around 15 years and never had any problems.

[Johnny4428]

What's the fuel stabiliser you use, and does it work okay.

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I use Frost Ethomix.

[PHILIP2908]

Hello all,
I've been using ASPEN pure petrol whilst the bike is stored so I can start it up periodically and keep the oily bits inside the engine lubricated.
There is no Ethanol in this and will last a couple of years in the fuel system without going 'off' and not eating pipes and alloy bits.
Its available from Garden Centres in the main as you can keep it in your lawnmower, strimmer or whatever - not cheap though = £25 for 5 litres.
See;
https://aspenfuel.co.uk/where-to-buy/

[Dave]

Aspen here also.

Fuel additive to offset the effect of ethanol? My personal view is it's snake oil. But it's your bike and your £££...

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I use Wynns Dry Fuel in our old Merc - I also used it every winter in my Yamaha XJ900F for over a decade - never had a carb issue even though she only did 400 or so miles a year in the later years of ownership. My first petrol tank pin holed after 5 years - the replacement tank was fine for 10 plus years until I sold it.