Sat for 2 months, now it won't idle??

[ssanderson1]

Finally had time today to try the seafoam. I only had about a gallon and a half of fuel in my tank....I added about half of the seafoam can. It started right up with the choke all the way out. Still wouldn't let me give it any throttle until it was warm, at which point it would only let me give a little throttle w/ the choke all the way out.

Finally got it moving, but it still wouldn't idle, or even stay running if I let off the throttle. If I completely let off the throttle while moving (3rd gear, 40mph) it would pop/back fire. It would pop/backfire again when I gave it a little throttle. As I continued to give it more throttle, the engine did nothing until ~ 1/2 throttle, as which point the RPMs would take off. Pretty difficult to ride, since the engine would die every time I tried to stop unless I kept the RPMs above 4500.

Looks like I'm pulling the carbs...........bummer.

[nejeff]

Finally had time today to try the seafoam. I only had about a gallon and a half of fuel in my tank....I added about half of the seafoam can. It started right up with the choke all the way out. Still wouldn't let me give it any throttle until it was warm, at which point it would only let me give a little throttle w/ the choke all the way out.

Finally got it moving, but it still wouldn't idle, or even stay running if I let off the throttle. If I completely let off the throttle while moving (3rd gear, 40mph) it would pop/back fire. It would pop/backfire again when I gave it a little throttle. As I continued to give it more throttle, the engine did nothing until ~ 1/2 throttle, as which point the RPMs would take off. Pretty difficult to ride, since the engine would die every time I tried to stop unless I kept the RPMs above 4500.

Looks like I'm pulling the carbs...........bummer.

Pilot jets are plugged almost certainly. I like Seafoam as a semi-regular additive but for this job I would have done the Berryman's. Its very tough stuff.

[sedelen]

Finally had time today to try the seafoam. I only had about a gallon and a half of fuel in my tank....I added about half of the seafoam can. It started right up with the choke all the way out. Still wouldn't let me give it any throttle until it was warm, at which point it would only let me give a little throttle w/ the choke all the way out.

Finally got it moving, but it still wouldn't idle, or even stay running if I let off the throttle. If I completely let off the throttle while moving (3rd gear, 40mph) it would pop/back fire. It would pop/backfire again when I gave it a little throttle. As I continued to give it more throttle, the engine did nothing until ~ 1/2 throttle, as which point the RPMs would take off. Pretty difficult to ride, since the engine would die every time I tried to stop unless I kept the RPMs above 4500.

Looks like I'm pulling the carbs...........bummer.

Now that you got seafoam in your carbs, letting it sit with it in might allow things to loosen up. I'd give it another run before ripping out the carbs.
What's the worse that could happen? it doesn't work and you pull your carbs.

[tom203]

Now that you got seafoam in your carbs, letting it sit with it in might allow things to loosen up. I'd give it another run before ripping out the carbs.
What's the worse that could happen? it doesn't work and you pull your carbs.

I agree, nothing to lose by being patient. Bike will run poorly until most of Seafoam is consumed.

[sedelen]

I agree, nothing to lose by being patient. Bike will run poorly until most of Seafoam is consumed.

I have used Seafoam in the past, I now use StarBrite StarTron. I also have some marine Stabil but haven't used it yet, and I may never, I need to read up on it to make sure it has a cleaner, otherwise I'll stick it in the lawnmower or something. I know that StarTron treats the gas for ethanol, but it has a cleaner in it also. So far, so good. But I learned that if I'm going to put gas in it, I either need to put the StarTron in it first or ride it a bit after I put gas in it and StarTron later. Reason being, I need to ensure that whatever gas sits in those carbs has the StarTron in it. Simply putting gas in it, then riding it for a spell, then putting the conditioner in the gas only to let the bike sit will treat the gas, but what about what's already in the carbs? That conditioner won't get to the carbs unless you run out some of that fresh gas.

[sedelen]

Just checked and Marine Stabil does have a cleaner in it, so I'll be checking it out eventually. I generally let my wallet pick the product, which means, all things considered equal, I go with the least expensive (Cheapest!)
Pick your poison,

Seafoam

http://www.seafoamsales.com/how-to-use-our-products.html

Star Tron,

http://mystarbrite.com/startron/

StaBil,

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/products.aspx

[jammy5152]

Ole Skool
I have used ChemTool B-12 in my tank and it cleans good!!!!
Most cleaners have petroleum distillated in them ( oil dirivitive ) but ChemTool has
Toulene in it .
Jim

[jammy5152]

Old Skool
I had a friend that was a service writer for a chev. dealership and they bought ChemTool B-12 in 30 gallon containers and used this to clean fuel injectors on cars and it really cleans carbs and stuff from the tank
Most gas after sitting up trys to go to the varnish state of dormancy though so give this a try
Can't stand Seafoam...made my car and bike sputter...ChemTool B-12 also comes in a small can too
This can also be used to clean small parts
Jim

[tatu]

Old Skool
I had a friend that was a service writer for a chev. dealership and they bought ChemTool B-12 in 30 gallon containers and used this to clean fuel injectors on cars and it really cleans carbs and stuff from the tank
Most gas after sitting up trys to go to the varnish state of dormancy though so give this a try
Can't stand Seafoam...made my car and bike sputter...ChemTool B-12 also comes in a small can too
This can also be used to clean small parts
Jim

Is this the stuff, and are you saying that you tip this into the tank and run with it?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Berryman-116-B-12-CHEMTOOL-Carburetor-Choke-Cleaners-/190628875601?forcev4exp=true&forceRpt=true

Says 15 oz can. on the ebay add

[tatu]

I'm just trying to get something to dip my carbs and I cant find Berrymans carb dip anywhere, that place will post to UK. I don't know of any carb dip solvent we can get in UK, it is as you say strip it and scrub. I found a cheap Ultra sonic bath on ebay but it still needs a solvent to attack the varnish.

[jammy5152]

Tatu
yes...that is it........clean gas and half bottle in tank...run around for a while to clean
Jammy5152

[salty_monk]

Drain old gas from tank... Fresh gas, bunch of Seafoam.. get it going & ride it! Don't stop riding it till it clears! It's going to take at least 4-5 miles of riding minimum (& not at one throttle position, you have to be good at juggling the throttle to keep it going at lights etc).

My friend used to regularly have this problem with his Honda, he'd let it sit for 3-4 months at a time etc.

He also used "Gum out - Max strength" a lot, he said it was the best one but I don't think he'd tried Seafoam.

If you search on here there used to be a video (if it wasn't deleted when he was banned) of Eric running a bike that had been sitting for years on neat seafoam from a temporary tank straight into the carbs... he said it worked great for a short term fix or a "sitter" like yours. Not tried it myself.

[bccap]

Drain old gas from tank... Fresh gas, bunch of Seafoam.. get it going & ride it! Don't stop riding it till it clears! It's going to take at least 4-5 miles of riding minimum (& not at one throttle position, you have to be good at juggling the throttle to keep it going at lights etc).

My friend used to regularly have this problem with his Honda, he'd let it sit for 3-4 months at a time etc.

He also used "Gum out - Max strength" a lot, he said it was the best one but I don't think he'd tried Seafoam.

If you search on here there used to be a video (if it wasn't deleted when he was banned) of Eric running a bike that had been sitting for years on neat seafoam from a temporary tank straight into the carbs... he said it worked great for a short term fix or a "sitter" like yours. Not tried it myself.

When I restarted my 750 after sitting for 12 years with half a tank of 12 year old gas. I disconnected the fuel line, ran it til it used up the gas in the carbs. Then filled the line with carb cleaner slowly until the bowls were full and ran it again til it stalled. Up to the gas station and topped up the old gas with new. Ran that off, and repeated the procedure.
It got me on the road for a month til I got to the strip and dip. Oh yeah a whole can of Seafoam went in with the fill up.

[ssanderson1]

I've started it up twice since my last update. It'll start up no problem now. It'll idle in neutral w/ the choke out about 15%. If I want to give it any throttle I have to increase the choke to ~40%. I rode it around my 0.4 mile apartment complex 10-15 times. In 1st gear I have to stay above 10 mph otherwise it'll bog down and die. The seafoam has been sitting in the carbs for a while now....doesn't seem to be doing the trick. Looks like I'm taking the rack out. The vacuum line is attached to the petcock and rack. Not sure how anything could be wrong? The petcock only has like 150 miles on it, so it's still very new.

[tom203]

As salty monk said, after dose of seafoam, you need to ride it hard- circling the apartment complex doesn't cut it; you want to force the carbs to work and hope/pray that the seafoam dislodges gunk. When I used it on my son's 250 ninja, bike struggled at idle (and smoked) but after some riding, there was some definite improvement at low speed.