To trade or not?

I just cleaned my carbs and tank for the 3rd time in a year. No easy chore, and I'm seriously considering trading Connie in for a new girl due to her issues. Each time it has happened the bike was not started for close to 2 months. Last go around I strictly ran non-ethanol gas afterwards to no avail. With the kind of work I do the bike sitting is unavoidable for me. So, if I got a fuel injected bike, would it solve this problem?

Have you tried sea foam??

I tried running some seafoam through it before I pulled the carbs this time. It didn't fix it, but put on one hell of a smoke show for me. Or are you suggesting a maintenance routine?

Ya know I run my boat less than my bike, but always pull the gas line and let it run out of gas when before I park it. Have never had any trouble out of that thing.

even the newer FI bikes have issues with ethanol gas.

I constantly read about fuel pumps, regulators, and cheap rubber lines having to be replaced, tank varnish is another issue too.

even using Sta-bil ethanol treatment only limits the amount of damage the gas does after sitting awhile.

Turn the gas off & drain the bowls before you let it sit. It's even better to turn the gas off & run the bowls dry. Your not supposed to do that with FI. It's not good to put air in the fuel rails.

well, if FI has issues too guess thats an expensive idea I can drop.

There may be a way to rig those bowls up, but as is- it's a nightmare trying to access all 4 drain screws. My bike also has a vacuum petcock, so running it out of fuel would require pulling and plugging that line.

Just put a cut off line below the petcock and turn it off with the bike running. That should get the gas out of the carbs. That is what I alway done with my outboard motors

^ sounds like a good idea. I'll give it a try. Will see if I can find a valve this weekend.

jpg0511 wrote:Just put a cut off line below the petcock and turn it off with the bike running. That should get the gas out of the carbs. That is what I alway done with my outboard motors

stay with the carb bike you can do so much more with them and a fuel injected bike has other things to worry about like fuel pumps that goes out