Valk going to sit awhile

[Kilroy]

Hi All,  Unfortunately I had a little mishap in a driving thunder storm here in Florida and injured my ankle pretty badly.  Surgery went well and I should be able to get back on the bike in about 3 months.  My question is this:  What should I do to make sure she will be running well when I am up and ready to go?  My thought is to put some Sta-bil in the gas and let it go at that, any additional thoughts.
Thanks for your advice
Kilroy

[Ricky-D]

Doing that will not insure against fuel related problems.

Drain the gas tank and each carburetor individually.

Use the gas in your car!

The only sure way to avoid problems.

***

[Chrisj CMA]

Sorry bout yer mishap.............stuff happenes though

I had the same situation (hurt my back)  You dont need to drain it......I was supposed to be off it for 3 months as well.  So, I put a strong dose of seafoam, then I had a friend of mine roll the bike outside so I could start it......with the petcock off at first, ran it until it started to die, then turned on the fuel and ran it about the same amount of time more.  the fan never came on but it was deffinetly at operating temp.

Then I let it sit for two months and I think once in that two months I rolled it out and started it again just to make sure the battery got a pump up......(I dont have a battery tender)

I ended up cheating and shortly after two months started taking the Valkyrie out for short rides, but Im sure it would have made another month easy.  It ran better after sitting for 2 months with strong seafoam in it than when I put her up!

The reason I wouldnt try draining the gas......its very hard to get all the gas out of the tank.  so with a sloshing left in there that small amount of gas will turn bad faster than a full tank

[keepinon]

I wouldn't drain the tank, too easy for rust to develop in a dry tank. I'd follow Chris' suggestions above.

One caveat, I have had better luck keeping fuel & carbs good using Pri-G or Star-tron. Both developed for humid climates & marine applications. Both are usually available at marine supply stores, Star-tron is also available at Wally World, in the boating section, not automotive.

Good luck which ever way you go, get well soon.

[Jess from VA]

I really think this stuff** is good to counteract the full tank of 10 ethonal gas (if that is what you have available). A little goes a long way.

I use it with seafoam and marine grade stabil in sitting bikes (cause I am way too unskilled to pull and fix a carb bank)

Ethanol / E10 fuels increase the amounts of water and sludge in your fuel tank.
Star Tron breaks down this excess water and sludge to sub-micron size allowing it to be safely burned away during normal engine operation.  Star Tron prevents phase separation and fuel gelling, eliminating ethanol fuel problems.

**http://mystarbrite.com/startron//content/view/93/123/lang,en/

[jer0177]

I wouldn't drain the tank, too easy for rust to develop in a dry tank.

Good luck which ever way you go, get well soon.

+1.  Don't drain it if you like the inside of your tank rust-free.  Top it off and add the stabilizer of your choice.  Then run that down through the carbs as described.  Add a battery tender and you'll never be able to tell it was parked.

[pacowboy78]

I'm definitely a believe in Star-Tron.  I've managed OPE dealers before and dealt with equipment sitting in storage over the winter.  Before we started treating with Star-Tron, it was a huge time/effort investment to get them all up to speed in the spring.  After using Star-Tron, it was a walk in the park.  I actually use it in every single tank in my Valk (and my bikes prior).  It keeps it running much more smoothly.  Just $.02 from the new guy.

[Patrick]

My take.. Sea-foam.. Use a good dose [At least 1oz./gal], full tank with Sea-foam well mixed, run it long enough to get plenty of fuel into/thru the carburetors.. Thats it..

[tank_post142]

get a friend to drive it every couple of weeks. or send it to a friends for a visit. pick me , pick me!

[old2soon]

get a friend to drive it every couple of weeks. or send it to a friends for a visit. pick me , pick me!

   I was gonna suggest gettin her up here to the Ozarks and i'd be glad to wrin-er ride her very carefully for you so you won't have those fuel issues from settin around.  Get yerself better and afore ya knows it you'll be back on the fat girl where you belong.  RIDE SAFE.

[Steve K (IA)]

Put a half can of SeaFoam in the tank, fill it to to top, have someone ride it at least 3 miles to get the mixture into the carbs, turn off the gas valve and forget about it. 

I would NOT drain the tank or the carbs.  That's my 2 cents.

[JaysGone]

Been there done that.
I was out of commission for 18 months 4+ years ago myself.
Played Superman and flew over the handle bars.
My landing was a 1 out of 10. I was told.
But 1 was back on the bike after 9 months.

Just fill the tank a little stabilizer of choice.
And a battery tender.
If able, start it up once in a while.
Refill tank if needed, no rust will get you at all as long as it full.

Get well first by the way.
The bike will be there when your ready for it.

[NITRO]

I wouldn't drain the tank, too easy for rust to develop in a dry tank.

Good luck which ever way you go, get well soon.

+1.  Don't drain it if you like the inside of your tank rust-free.  Top it off and add the stabilizer of your choice.  Then run that down through the carbs as described.  Add a battery tender and you'll never be able to tell it was parked.

+1. Many if us up north do this for 3-4 months every year. Not a big deal, I've had zero problems using this method.

[sugerbear]

I wouldn't drain the tank, too easy for rust to develop in a dry tank.

Good luck which ever way you go, get well soon.

+1.  Don't drain it if you like the inside of your tank rust-free.  Top it off and add the stabilizer of your choice.  Then run that down through the carbs as described.  Add a battery tender and you'll never be able to tell it was parked.

+1. Many if us up north do this for 3-4 months every year. Not a big deal, I've had zero problems using this method.

same here. just not as far north. 

[whitestroke]

If you can find Aviation Fuel in your area, fill it and run it through carbs.  I think you'll be good till next summer. 

[Westsider]

Ankle surgery...owch....that could be a while..i like the aviation fuel with some good stabilizer idea, I found my valk with 8k miles on it , in the corner of a garage covered, up here in Tx, (garages get reeeealy hot in the summer here) the orig owner had not moved it for 3 yrs,,we put a new battery in and she fired right up,, I did have to cleanout the carbs and tank,, , after i rode it for a month or so,,the tires had flat spots it hadnt moved so long,,,so a few months or so should be no problemo,,take it easy on the ankle...

[Ricky-D]

Well, I feel that all the fuel related problems related to storage are due to ethanol enriched gasoline being used.

There are many reports of problems (still) from employing gasoline additives. You can search for those right here in this forum. The problems still exist and happen regardless of the additive chosen.

The only foolproof way to insure against problems is to drain the fuel from the system.

I cant recall ever seeing a rusty inside of a gas tank so I do not subscribe to all the scare talk about that particular subject. If that would indeed be a worry, leave the tank full!

But to drain the carburetors is an easy thing to do, and I would strongly suggest to do it.

Keep in mind that you are the one who will have to deal with any problem that could arise, there is no one here on this forum that is willing to guarantee the outcome of what they suggest to do. It's all conjecture and assumption.

***

[Tundra]

Dave, I would be happy to take care of this for you, being laid up and all.
You have my #.
-Doug

[Madmike]

Stabil worked for me... you will want to make sure either that it gets to the carbs or that the carbs are drained of the current fuel so the the bowls stay relatively clear.

 Mine sat for two full years with a dry tank and there is no visible rust in it.  We live in a dry climate though.  Also the carbs had been run dry when it was parked.  When I first got it going it ran a bit ragged but cleaned up fairly fast then it sat for another year and was only run briefly then sat for another almost year.  It runs well now and I haven't had the carbs off of it. 

I have been using it some this summer and we do have good gas here as it has a long storage tank life because of the location I live, IMHO this helps and has likely helped with the cleanup of teh carbs.

[PAVALKER]

Put a half can of SeaFoam in the tank, fill it to to top, have someone ride it at least 3 miles to get the mixture into the carbs, turn off the gas valve and forget about it. 

I would NOT drain the tank or the carbs.  That's my 2 cents.

I agree... do not drain tank or carb bowls. Not a fan of Stabil... it didn't work for me as advertised.  Seafoam is what I use during the winter months up here when the snow starts flying.  Fill up the fuel tank with fresh gas, add 1/2 to 3/4 can of Seafoam (depending on if you have a Standard/Tourer or Interstate... bigger tank, more Seafoam).   You don't have to take it for a ride... but start it up and let it run a few at idle and throttle it a few times as well, for a few mins.... it will work it's way there.  If you can get to it and start it up now and then... do so.  Also, recommend a Battery Tender/Trickle Charger to maintain the battery.  If you can change the oil before you put it up.... all the better as well.

[sugerbear]

maybe the quality of gas varies around the nation.

[Ricky-D]

That's not the only thing!

***

[Quicksilver]

I fill my tank with premium gas, 91 octane, no ethanol, and park it each winter from November to March. Run a can of Seafoam through it over the first couple of tanks in the spring. She doesn't run really smoothly until after the couple of tanks with the Seafoam. The joys of a Canadian riding season.

[Ricky-D]

That's really where the problem lay.

Ethanol enriched gasoline.

Varnish is not going to be the problem.

The problem is from petroleum tolerant organic organisms such as mold and fungus which are encouraged to thrive by the ethanol enriched gasoline.

That's the why of green and orange crud you see in the float bowls.

***

[Jess from VA]

I would not call it ethanol enriched gasoline.... I believe ethonol polluted gasoline is more accurate.

Otherwise, I agree entirely.

[IamGCW]

I would drain the tank and fill it with ethenol free gas.  Then run it so it gets in the carbs.  The stations near you can be found here.  It is likely in a seperate pump and costs a little more.

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=FL

Also star-tron is pretty good, but in Pasco can be difficult to find.  Northern Tools has it (US 19 east side north of Tarpon Springs).  Maybe you could get someone to give it a run weekly for 15-20 minutes.

Gil

[Led]

Every Winter I fill the tank and add a healthy dose of Stabil.  I DRAIN the carbs of all fuel.....

NEVER have had any problems.....my '99 Tourer runs like a Swiss watch, to this very day!!     

[Farther]

My brother, who lives in Minnesota, winterizes his VTX by putting Sta-Bil (marine grade) in the fuel and changing the oil.  Starts every Spring.

Marine Formula STA-BIL®
 •America's #1 Selling Marine Fuel Additive Brand!
•BEST Ethanol Blended Fuel Enhancer!
•More than FOUR TIMES the Fuel System Cleaner than in Regular STA-BIL® Fuel Stabilizer
•DOUBLE the corrosion preventer than in Regular STA-BIL® Fuel Stabilizer
•Prevents corrosion from moisture & water attraction
•Improves marine engine performance YEAR-ROUND, not just for seasonal storage

[John U.]

Farther, you beat me to it. There is a big difference between regular Stabil and Marine Stabil. Marine Stabil is blue green, regular is red, I have had good results with Marine Stabil. Go for a ride to get the Stabil into the carbs then leave the bike alone.
I also agree with changing the oil before winter storage and using a smart charger.

Starting and idling the bike for short periods will do more harm than good. You will get condensation in the engine and exhaust system which don't get hot enough to burn off. Condensation=corrosion

[John U.]

One more suggestion, leave the fuel tank full over winter.

[Chattanooga Mark]

When I store my bike for the winter I fill the tank with twice as much Sta-Bil as required plus a half can of Seafoam. Ride it a bit to ensure the treated gas has filled each carb. When back in the garage, top off the tank treated gas from my garage. Never an issue through Michigan or Illinois winters doing it that way for over 10 years. I absolutely leave mine full, nothing drained.

All the best,

Mark

[salty1]

Well, I feel that all the fuel related problems related to storage are due to ethanol enriched gasoline being used.

There are many reports of problems (still) from employing gasoline additives. You can search for those right here in this forum. The problems still exist and happen regardless of the additive chosen.

The only foolproof way to insure against problems is to drain the fuel from the system.

I cant recall ever seeing a rusty inside of a gas tank so I do not subscribe to all the scare talk about that particular subject. If that would indeed be a worry, leave the tank full!

But to drain the carburetors is an easy thing to do, and I would strongly suggest to do it.

Keep in mind that you are the one who will have to deal with any problem that could arise, there is no one here on this forum that is willing to guarantee the outcome of what they suggest to do. It's all conjecture and assumption.

***

Dry storage is not all bad IMO. However a possibly side effect is that rubber parts will shrink, such as fuel rail connections. When you go to fill the carbs those rails can leak considerable gas until they swell tight, if they do.

For three months, I would use Seafoam and start it periodically. Don't forget the battery tender

[BF]

When I store my bike for the winter I fill the tank with twice as much Sta-Bil as required plus a half can of Seafoam. Ride it a bit to ensure the treated gas has filled each carb. When back in the garage, top off the tank treated gas from my garage. Never an issue through Michigan or Illinois winters doing it that way for over 10 years. I absolutely leave mine full, nothing drained.

All the best,

Mark

Curious about why you're mixing Sta-Bil and Seafoam.  What's the benefit?  And why not just go ahead and pour in the entire bottle of Seafoam?

[salty1]

+1 on using the entire container of Seafoam.

[longrider]

Lots of good reading here.  I live in 5 months of cold and have to put her up every year for extended periods.  The best advice I can give is use stabil or you choice of fuel preservative then fill the tank.  Shut off your fuel valve and DRAIN THE CARBS   Use a battery tender if you choose ( I personally just disconnect the battery) and you are good to go.  Once you are back in shape and want to ride there will be no fuel in the carbs.  It can take a lot of winding on the starter to pull enough vacuum to get it running so to maker it easier to start I remove the vac line off #6 and pull a vac for a couple of minutes.  Hook up the vac line and start as you usually would on a cold morning.

Hope this helps

warren

[saddlesore]

I always filled the tank and added sta-bil, then drained the carbs.  I stopped draining the carbs when I broke the bowl off of one of the carbs. I still use sta-bil and run it into the carbs.
I connect a battery tender and now when the weather lets me I take the bike out for a ride.   It clears the cobwebs from the bike and me too.  A little frostbite isn't so bad when you get it while riding.

[cookiedough]

When I store my bike for the winter I fill the tank with twice as much Sta-Bil as required plus a half can of Seafoam. Ride it a bit to ensure the treated gas has filled each carb. When back in the garage, top off the tank treated gas from my garage. Never an issue through Michigan or Illinois winters doing it that way for over 10 years. I absolutely leave mine full, nothing drained.

All the best,

Mark

Curious about why you're mixing Sta-Bil and Seafoam.  What's the benefit?  And why not just go ahead and pour in the entire bottle of Seafoam?

I use 1/2 stabil and 1/2 seafoam.  Reason 1/2 stabil is it is cheaper than seafoam per ounce.   Been doing this for 5 years no issues with the Valkyrie sitting 4-5 months every year in the wintertime as long as you fill up the gas tank with fresh gas and run it with seafoam/stabil for 4-5 miles or so and then shutoff fuel valve when come back.  Might want to take battery out but in hotter climates doubt that is necessary for only 3 months, but in the colder climates taking battery out or on a tender is a must.

[Led]

I always filled the tank and added sta-bil, then drained the carbs.  I stopped draining the carbs when I broke the bowl off of one of the carbs. I still use sta-bil and run it into the carbs.
I connect a battery tender and now when the weather lets me I take the bike out for a ride.   It clears the cobwebs from the bike and me too.  A little frostbite isn't so bad when you get it while riding.

You actually broke the BOWL off one of your carbs???  Or just broke off the drain screw head?

Which reminds me, I had bought an old Honda once. The float bowl drain screw heads were buggered up, so I went down to buy some new ones.  Well.......you just cannot buy replacement drain screws. You need to buy the ENTIRE float bowl assembly!  They were over $50 each about 15 years ago......and I wanted FOUR of them!!  So THAT idea went down the "drain" real fast.........

[Ricky-D]

That's really an exaggeration.

Screws are available at many hardware stores, take one to match the threads to be sure.

The screws most available are socket head cap screws which are a little too long.

You may have to use a washer or two to avoid causing problems. I think the main problem of too long screws are they will punch out through the top of the float bowl base.

The only other possible danger would be to strip the screw holes. The screws that are stock are special soft screws, made to avoid stripping the screw holes in the carburetor. 

The replacements are probably grade 5 or higher and so will easily strip the threads of the hole.

***

[Led]

Well......thank you for the info?

Sounds like that is sort of a "been there, and done that" scenario.......Ricky-D.........

One the REST of us, try and avoid, if at all possible!!