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nklr: running a bike that sat idle for 3 years
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 3:26 pm
by Mike Frey
I volunteered (nice guy that I am) to clean up and get in proper running
order a friend's 2000 Ninja 250 with only 400 miles on it. The bike sat
outside for 4 years under a tarp. It's a shame, because the bike is
immaculate other than some corrosion on the bolts and pipes.
Cleaning it up and getting it started was no problem, but it was only
running on one cylinder at first.
I took the carbs off - easy but time consuming. You have to take off the
rear wheel, the rear fender assembly, then the airbox, and finally the
carbs. With the carbs upside down, bowls off, I saw that the offending carb
had a stuck float valve. I cleaned that up, and now the bike will run, but
idles poorly and stalls. (At high RPMs it's fine). I'm sure the carbs are
still dirty, but am lazy and don't want to take it all apart (again).
Anyone have any recommendations for a fuel additive combination that I can
use and run the bike for 20 miles or so that might clean the system out - or
am I resigned to taking the carburetors apart completely? I've seen much
worse looking ones.
Mike
nklr: running a bike that sat idle for 3 years
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 4:55 pm
by Felicisimo Madarang
nklr: running a bike that sat idle for 3 years
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 5:57 pm
by Jud Jones
Try Yamaha carb cleaner, mix 50/50 with gasoline and use a pump oillcan to inject it into
the float bowls through the fuel lines. Allow to sit for 3 hours or so, or leave it overnight.
Start the bike and run it, and follow with a healthy dose of SeaFoam in the fuel.
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Frey" wrote:
> I volunteered (nice guy that I am) to clean up and get in proper running
> order a friend's 2000 Ninja 250 with only 400 miles on it. The bike sat
> outside for 4 years under a tarp. It's a shame, because the bike is
> immaculate other than some corrosion on the bolts and pipes.
>
> Cleaning it up and getting it started was no problem, but it was only
> running on one cylinder at first.
>
> I took the carbs off - easy but time consuming. You have to take off the
> rear wheel, the rear fender assembly, then the airbox, and finally the
> carbs. With the carbs upside down, bowls off, I saw that the offending carb
> had a stuck float valve. I cleaned that up, and now the bike will run, but
> idles poorly and stalls. (At high RPMs it's fine). I'm sure the carbs are
> still dirty, but am lazy and don't want to take it all apart (again).
>
> Anyone have any recommendations for a fuel additive combination that I can
> use and run the bike for 20 miles or so that might clean the system out - or
> am I resigned to taking the carburetors apart completely? I've seen much
> worse looking ones.
>
> Mike
nklr: running a bike that sat idle for 3 years
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 6:04 pm
by Rick McCauley
Personally, I have always believed that the only way to properly clean carbs is to disassemble and soak all parts in quality carb cleaner. In some extreme cases, new jets are even better. Todays carbs are so lean, that the slightest blockage will cause grief. Especially on jets as small as the pilot jets in a 250 twin.
My .02
Rick A17
Mike Frey wrote:
I volunteered (nice guy that I am) to clean up and get in proper running
order a friend's 2000 Ninja 250 with only 400 miles on it. The bike sat
outside for 4 years under a tarp. It's a shame, because the bike is
immaculate other than some corrosion on the bolts and pipes.
Anyone have any recommendations for a fuel additive combination that I can
use and run the bike for 20 miles or so that might clean the system out - or
am I resigned to taking the carburetors apart completely? I've seen much
worse looking ones.
Mike
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nklr: running a bike that sat idle for 3 years
Posted: Sat Jul 02, 2005 8:54 pm
by Analog Aardvark
Three years is awhile, but... before I tore em apart
I'd go to my friendly autoparts store, or if necessary
marine/lawnmower store, and buy a can of this stuff
called SeaFoam. You get about a pint of it and, if
memory serves, for a bike you give half the bottle to
a tank. I ran a bottle through, then added a second
and ran that mostly through... the bike was still
inconsistently running like crap, and I parked it for
a week resigned to dissassembling (this was an inline
4). When I came back, she ran great and has since.
Can only suspect that leaving the mix of seafoam in
the carbs softened up some residue that then got
coughed through. That bike was sitting a year or so
though. Certainly worth the 3.99 though, as long as
your willing to stick with it running crap that long.
Good luck.
-Luke
ugly ducklin a17
--- Rick McCauley wrote:
> Personally, I have always believed that the only way
> to properly clean carbs is to disassemble and soak
> all parts in quality carb cleaner. In some extreme
> cases, new jets are even better. Todays carbs are so
> lean, that the slightest blockage will cause grief.
> Especially on jets as small as the pilot jets in a
> 250 twin.
> My .02
>
> Rick A17
>
> Mike Frey wrote:
> I volunteered (nice guy that I am) to clean up and
> get in proper running
> order a friend's 2000 Ninja 250 with only 400 miles
> on it. The bike sat
> outside for 4 years under a tarp. It's a shame,
> because the bike is
> immaculate other than some corrosion on the bolts
> and pipes.
>
> Anyone have any recommendations for a fuel additive
> combination that I can
> use and run the bike for 20 miles or so that might
> clean the system out - or
> am I resigned to taking the carburetors apart
> completely? I've seen much
> worse looking ones.
>
> Mike
>
>
>
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> Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam
> protection around
>
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>
>
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>
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digest number 6475
Posted: Tue Jul 05, 2005 4:05 am
by scott quillen
I believe we all knew that...we were having a little fun with it ;^)
Scott
"John L. Altom" wrote:
He didn't say it lifted the wheel in fifth. He said it had more noticable
acceleration in fifth. He said it lifted the front wheel a couple of times
but, not in fifth.
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