Ethanol Issues Again

[Guest]

I have a 83 1100 ES w/ 11K Excellent condition . Over the last 3 years this will be my 2nd rebuild on the carbs. The mechanic I use has always set this bike up perfectly and its runs great. The last year I have used Marine Stabil with some Sea foam in the tank.
Does any one use or recommend a small mix of AV gas with street gas? I have also heard some really good reports from using Startron Additive the help with some of the Ethanol issues. Over the last year if I have not used the bike in any given week I have always ran the motor for at least five minutes.
I am just trying to avoid having another garage full of fuel on the floor.
According to my mechanic it looks like a Gorilla glue substance in the carburetors. Thanks for your comments

[mike_of_bbg]

Since I tend to put mine up over the winter once the snow falls I'll drain the carb bowls. I've left gas in the mowers before and had to spray out some gunk but nothing that wasn't still quite liquid. My Briggs motor always starts right back up actually but the Honda is picky (though the Briggs will drink what I drain from the Honda). This site was referenced in another thread:

http://pure-gas.org/

identifies stations selling non-Ethanol gasoline. Found a local station selling the good stuff, so I'm putting that in my carbureted motors now. Might want to see if you have one nearby.

[tas850g]

I have heard good things about Startron. I use it when the bikes sit for any period of time, usually from November to March/april. No problems firing the bike up for the first time in the spring.

[Big T]

Is your gas tank lined?

It could be coming off with the ethanol

The ethanol itself does not cause a glue like situation

[jodee95]

Gas tank is not lined. Bike is all original stock condition.

Thanks for the non Ethanol list none in NJ but I would consider the hour plus ride to PA.

Would anyone know it the avaition fuel mixed with the regular pump gas work well.

I understand it has a very long shelf life?

[rustybronco]

It's just my opinion but, I can't think of any issues you would have blending 100LL and regular pump gas.

[Baatfam]

Sounds like you have some other issue...
We've been using E10 in the Chicago area so long I can't remember not using it...
Since the days when it was called Gasohol...70s or 80s....?
I just throw some SeaFoam in the tank before winter and run it a bit...my bikes start and run fine come spring....

[49er]

Don't mix avgas with your fuel unless your bike is used daily. Avgas has a very short shelf life and oxidises any shiny steel very quickly (causing rust). It has a great attraction to moisture, and must not be stored once the drum has been opened.

I nearly required an engine rebuild on a mazda rotary engine when I left the car on some ramps elevating the rear of the car. The carbs flooded allowing fuel to run down into the engine. The car was left for only 3 weeks, but the compression seals became rusted to the rotors and the engine had no compression when I went to start it. A 2 km towing session gradually allowed the seals to free up with heat and crisis was averted.

Adding Seafoam is probably your best option for long storage periods.

[Loki]

You could install an clear inline filter and see what comes of it. If it clogs up quickly may indicate issues in your tank. Av gas has a much longer "shelf " life than auto gas, about double given the same storage circumstances. Using a bit of sta-bil or seafoam should take care of it.

[Road_Clam]

Since I tend to put mine up over the winter once the snow falls I'll drain the carb bowls.

The one time I tried draining the fuel system complete I had issues with the carb inlet needle stuck after 5 months of storage. I opened up the carb, and sure enough the famous E10 yellow fungus. All's I do now is leave the fuel system full, and religiously add Startron to all my engines that will sit for extended periods, and have not had a single issue in the past 6 years. I swear by Startron !

[Dave8338]

Sounds like you have some other issue...
We've been using E10 in the Chicago area so long I can't remember not using it...
Since the days when it was called Gasohol...70s or 80s....?
I just throw some SeaFoam in the tank before winter and run it a bit...my bikes start and run fine come spring....

Ditto. Though I do try to use the non-oxygenated fuel for the winter storage. Don't even drain the fuel bowels.

[OldVet66]

That Startron sounds interesting. That little bottle treats over 300 gallons of gas and they claim 2 years of fuel stabilization. I think I will try it.

[kirkn]

Here's my experience, FWIW:

Several times, now, I've experienced a problem where ethanol will dissolve older, long-dormant varnish and send it on down the line right through in-line filters, where it can plate out in carb throats, on carb throttle slides, on intake tracts, and even on valve stems.

On my mom's motorcycle, a '74 CB200, it had sat for years and years and the carbs varnished up solid. Well, I disassembled the carbs and got 'em squeaky clean, but I only did a half-assed job on the tank. I just basically dumped out the old smelly gas, dumped in a large handfull of pointy 1" drywall screws and some diesel fuel and shook it 'till my arms were gonna fall off. Dumped that mess out, and flushed some new gas through the tank. Put it all back together again.

Well, for about 45 minutes, the bike ran great, but I began to notice the carbs acting like the throttles were sticking. By the time I limped home, they were, indeed, sticking.

I pulled the carbs and found a uniform caramel-colored coating from the throttles on downstream. The coating was sticky to the touch, but over the next few hours, it set up HARD, to the point of holding valves open! I had to soften it up with acetone to get it cleaned out.

I did the right thing and cleaned the tank properly, and never had that particular problem on that bike.

So, make sure there's no old varnish hiding in the nooks and crannies of your tank, cause ethanol will find it and do bad things with it.