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preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 2:39 pm
by Ed Chait
My 2003 KLR has always had a tendency to gum up it's low speed carb circuit
when not ridden for as little as a couple of weeks.
Before you tell me to ride it more, I have more than one motorcycle and I
like to ride all of them, so that's not the solution.
The problem improved significantly when I turned my idle screw out from its
stock position, but it still happens to some degree.
The best thing I have found to clean out the carb without actually taking it
off and stripping it down is Berryman's B12. It costs a lot less than Sea
Foam and I have found it work much better. Sometimes it will clean things
out in one ride and sometimes it will take a few rides, but it has always
worked.
I have used both Stabil and Sea Foam in my gas tank in order to prevent the
carb from getting gummed up, but it still happens if I don't ride the bike
for a couple weeks.
Would draining the fuel bowl or letting it run dry after a ride be a good
thing to do? I know that a small amount of gas will go bad sooner than a
larger amount, and you can't drain all of the gas from the jets, etc, so I
don't know if it would be worse to drain the bowl or leave it full.
Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
ed
A17
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 3:18 pm
by ocpianoman
When you use Stabil or SeaFoam do you run the bike long enough to get
it in the carb? I've left my GS450 idle for as long as three weeks and
don't have that problem. I've use both the above mentioned products.
The Stabil is more of a preservative and the SeaFoam is more of a
solvent to dissolve deposits. Maybe the brand of gas makes a
difference. I use Chevron with Techron as much as possible...
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Chait" wrote:
>
> My 2003 KLR has always had a tendency to gum up it's low speed carb
circuit
> when not ridden for as little as a couple of weeks.
>
> Before you tell me to ride it more, I have more than one motorcycle
and I
> like to ride all of them, so that's not the solution.
>
> The problem improved significantly when I turned my idle screw out
from its
> stock position, but it still happens to some degree.
>
> The best thing I have found to clean out the carb without actually
taking it
> off and stripping it down is Berryman's B12. It costs a lot less
than Sea
> Foam and I have found it work much better. Sometimes it will clean
things
> out in one ride and sometimes it will take a few rides, but it has
always
> worked.
>
> I have used both Stabil and Sea Foam in my gas tank in order to
prevent the
> carb from getting gummed up, but it still happens if I don't ride
the bike
> for a couple weeks.
>
> Would draining the fuel bowl or letting it run dry after a ride be a
good
> thing to do? I know that a small amount of gas will go bad sooner
than a
> larger amount, and you can't drain all of the gas from the jets,
etc, so I
> don't know if it would be worse to drain the bowl or leave it full.
>
> Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> ed
> A17
>
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 5:18 pm
by C COOPER
Just curious... do you have an in-line fuel filter?
On 10/2/07, Ed Chait wrote:
>
> My 2003 KLR has always had a tendency to gum up it's low speed carb
> circuit
> when not ridden for as little as a couple of weeks.
>
> Before you tell me to ride it more, I have more than one motorcycle and I
> like to ride all of them, so that's not the solution.
>
> The problem improved significantly when I turned my idle screw out from
> its
> stock position, but it still happens to some degree.
>
> The best thing I have found to clean out the carb without actually taking
> it
> off and stripping it down is Berryman's B12. It costs a lot less than Sea
> Foam and I have found it work much better. Sometimes it will clean things
> out in one ride and sometimes it will take a few rides, but it has always
> worked.
>
> I have used both Stabil and Sea Foam in my gas tank in order to prevent
> the
> carb from getting gummed up, but it still happens if I don't ride the bike
>
> for a couple weeks.
>
> Would draining the fuel bowl or letting it run dry after a ride be a good
> thing to do? I know that a small amount of gas will go bad sooner than a
> larger amount, and you can't drain all of the gas from the jets, etc, so I
>
> don't know if it would be worse to drain the bowl or leave it full.
>
> Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> ed
> A17
>
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:41 pm
by Ed Chait
----- Original Message -----
From: "ocpianoman"
To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:18 PM
Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: preventing carb problems?
When you use Stabil or SeaFoam do you run the bike long enough to get
it in the carb? I've left my GS450 idle for as long as three weeks and
don't have that problem. I've use both the above mentioned products.
The Stabil is more of a preservative and the SeaFoam is more of a
solvent to dissolve deposits. Maybe the brand of gas makes a
difference. I use Chevron with Techron as much as possible...
oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Yep, I add it when I gas up so it will mix well and then I go for a ride
before parking the bike.
I just switched to using Chevron with Techron, so maybe that will help.
thanks,
ed
A17
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:41 pm
by Ed Chait
----- Original Message -----
From: "c cooper"
To: "Ed Chait"
Cc: dsN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:18 PM
Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] preventing carb problems?
> Just curious... do you have an in-line fuel filter?
>
Nope, no in-line fuel filter.
ed
A17
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 7:54 pm
by C COOPER
Easy to put one in. Cut the fuel line between the petcock and carb fuel
inlet and slide the filter in. You can get an inexpensive see-through one
for about $2 from Cycle Gear. Will save you a **bunch** of grief.
On my '01, which had no fuel filter when I bought it, the petcock o-rings
were deteriorating. Breaking up into tiny bits of stuff that prevented the
carb needle and seat from sealing properly. Allowed fuel to overflow through
the intake manifold, run past the rings, fill up the crankcase with fuel.
Caused problems in both the low and hi fuel circuits.
On 10/2/07, Ed Chait wrote:
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "c cooper" >
> To: "Ed Chait" >
> Cc: dsN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 3:18 PM
> Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] preventing carb problems?
>
> > Just curious... do you have an in-line fuel filter?
> >
>
> Nope, no in-line fuel filter.
>
> ed
> A17
>
>
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:46 pm
by Kimosabe
I used Stabil for years and years in my boats, motorcycles and yard
equipment but found that after 3-4 months a brown sediment / sludge
would form in the tanks and carbs. Perhaps it is due in part to the
high heat and humidity here in Florida.
Last year I substituted SeaFoam and haven't had a recurrence in any.
Call it cleaner or stabilizer, in my limited experience, SeaFoam is
far better.
Steve in Niceville
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Chait" wrote:
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "ocpianoman"
> To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 1:18 PM
> Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Re: preventing carb problems?
>
>
> When you use Stabil or SeaFoam do you run the bike long enough to
get
> it in the carb? I've left my GS450 idle for as long as three weeks
and
> don't have that problem. I've use both the above mentioned products.
> The Stabil is more of a preservative and the SeaFoam is more of a
> solvent to dissolve deposits. Maybe the brand of gas makes a
> difference. I use Chevron with Techron as much as possible...
>
>
> oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
>
>
> Yep, I add it when I gas up so it will mix well and then I go for a
ride
> before parking the bike.
>
> I just switched to using Chevron with Techron, so maybe that will
help.
>
> thanks,
>
> ed
> A17
>
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:48 pm
by Kimosabe
As a possiblity, you could have insoluble sediment that is able to
pack and block upon letting the bike sit longer. Certainly, removing
the carb and cleaning it with any cleaner would be more effective at
removing that sort of problem.
I've used the Berryman and have found it to be effective at cleaning,
but most of my experience is with the SeaFoam.
Steve in Niceville
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Chait" wrote:
>
> My 2003 KLR has always had a tendency to gum up it's low speed carb
circuit
> when not ridden for as little as a couple of weeks.
>
> Before you tell me to ride it more, I have more than one motorcycle
and I
> like to ride all of them, so that's not the solution.
>
> The problem improved significantly when I turned my idle screw out
from its
> stock position, but it still happens to some degree.
>
> The best thing I have found to clean out the carb without actually
taking it
> off and stripping it down is Berryman's B12. It costs a lot less
than Sea
> Foam and I have found it work much better. Sometimes it will clean
things
> out in one ride and sometimes it will take a few rides, but it has
always
> worked.
>
> I have used both Stabil and Sea Foam in my gas tank in order to
prevent the
> carb from getting gummed up, but it still happens if I don't ride
the bike
> for a couple weeks.
>
> Would draining the fuel bowl or letting it run dry after a ride be
a good
> thing to do? I know that a small amount of gas will go bad sooner
than a
> larger amount, and you can't drain all of the gas from the jets,
etc, so I
> don't know if it would be worse to drain the bowl or leave it full.
>
> Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> ed
> A17
>
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 9:49 pm
by Kimosabe
I forgot to mention that you may consider an in-line fuel filter to
handle the insoluble debris, but I think someone already addressed
that.
Steve
--- In
DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Ed Chait" wrote:
>
> My 2003 KLR has always had a tendency to gum up it's low speed carb
circuit
> when not ridden for as little as a couple of weeks.
>
> Before you tell me to ride it more, I have more than one motorcycle
and I
> like to ride all of them, so that's not the solution.
>
> The problem improved significantly when I turned my idle screw out
from its
> stock position, but it still happens to some degree.
>
> The best thing I have found to clean out the carb without actually
taking it
> off and stripping it down is Berryman's B12. It costs a lot less
than Sea
> Foam and I have found it work much better. Sometimes it will clean
things
> out in one ride and sometimes it will take a few rides, but it has
always
> worked.
>
> I have used both Stabil and Sea Foam in my gas tank in order to
prevent the
> carb from getting gummed up, but it still happens if I don't ride
the bike
> for a couple weeks.
>
> Would draining the fuel bowl or letting it run dry after a ride be
a good
> thing to do? I know that a small amount of gas will go bad sooner
than a
> larger amount, and you can't drain all of the gas from the jets,
etc, so I
> don't know if it would be worse to drain the bowl or leave it full.
>
> Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.
>
> ed
> A17
>
preventing carb problems?
Posted: Tue Oct 02, 2007 11:35 pm
by Ed Chait
----- Original Message -----
From: "c cooper"
To: "Ed Chait"
Cc: dsN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, October 02, 2007 5:54 PM
Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] preventing carb problems?
> Easy to put one in. Cut the fuel line between the petcock and carb fuel
> inlet and slide the filter in. You can get an inexpensive see-through one
> for about $2 from Cycle Gear. Will save you a **bunch** of grief.
>
I'm thinking of adding one, but I don't understand why the filter in the
tank would be ineffective. It has a very fine screen that shouldn't allow
any significant particles to reach the carb.
ed
A17