Should I drain the gas tank if the bike has been sitting for two weeks?
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Mike's 2003 YZ250
Member
- Feb 28, 2004
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I agree with Darringer. I have gone as long as 3 weeks or a month between rides, and didnt drain the tank and never had a problem. What I do when Im about to take the bike out for a quick ride after it has been sitting so long, is squeeze the front brake lever and rock the bike back and forth so the forks compress. You hear the fuel sloshing back and forth in the tank. Its like your shaking it up and mixing it again. Maybe its not doing anything, and maybe you dont even need to do this, but it makes me feel like its helping after having the bike sit so long. With my luck, Im probably just hurting my front brake and forks, LOL! :laugh: Mike :)
Mike's 2003 YZ250 said:
I agree with both of em ! I have left premix in for as long as a month also. when its been in longer than a month I drain it and dump it in the lawn equip. or the beater pick-up so it doesnt go to waste.
btw....Mike, I do the same thing and feel the same way.......dont know if it does any good...... but I do it anyways.
ohh man am I gonna get sh!t for this!!!
My kx500 sat for four months with half a tank and I decided to start it and ride it :bang: to my amazment after shaking it like crazy the beast fired right up :yikes: Yes it ran like crap but it still ran :nener: and has been fine for the past six months
I dont recommend being as ignorant as myself but I dont think a couple of weeks is gonna do very much.
Just my 2 cents,
2fast
My kx500 sat for four months with half a tank and I decided to start it and ride it :bang: to my amazment after shaking it like crazy the beast fired right up :yikes: Yes it ran like crap but it still ran :nener: and has been fine for the past six months
I dont recommend being as ignorant as myself but I dont think a couple of weeks is gonna do very much.
Just my 2 cents,
2fast
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MikeT
~SPONSOR~
- Jan 17, 2001
- 4,095
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Two weeks, Two months, Four months. Not a big deal. Yes after two months your performance will go down a little, very little. I think if I went say six months I'd drain it, but anything less than that and we'd be OK. The PROs might want to drain it but we don't need to.
Mike_socal
Member
- Oct 1, 2003
- 189
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I've used 4 month old gas and didn't seem to have a problem. I think the weedeater has used 8 month old gas and still runs. I do however use Mobil mx2t so maybe that has something to do with it.
SpectraSVT
Member
- Apr 17, 2002
- 720
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Depends on the pre-mix. I used some Rock Oil stuff and it seperated itself from the gas. After 5 months of sitting it clogged the carb. Other than this specific oil I used in an emergency once, I am pretty sure once the pre-mix is mixed its mixed-in for good. If your using 100 octane the fuel may start degrading after 3 weeks I think. Can't remember the numbers though.
Porstala F9
Member
- Jul 30, 2003
- 345
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I went abought a month with it sitting there in the tank and mine fired right up too..
Is that really true that the fuel octane goes down after a while or is it just a myth? I buy 94 pump octane gas and I let it sit in the garage shelf in the tank for sometimes 2 months. Not premixed yet, just the gas. Is this "bad"?
Is that really true that the fuel octane goes down after a while or is it just a myth? I buy 94 pump octane gas and I let it sit in the garage shelf in the tank for sometimes 2 months. Not premixed yet, just the gas. Is this "bad"?
SpectraSVT
Member
- Apr 17, 2002
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I was told that the plastic containers are porous and that octane can degrade thru those but a metal container will retain the fuels octane as metal is not a porous material.
Jeeez,
I must just love wasting my hard earned cash.
cuz whatever fuel I have left at the end of my days riding i drain and throw away.
I use fresh mix every time!!!
I must have money to burn.
for some reason I always thought fresh mix was all that 2 strokes appreciated.
Now I can start enjoying life and not spending every spare penny on fuel.
I must just love wasting my hard earned cash.
cuz whatever fuel I have left at the end of my days riding i drain and throw away.
I use fresh mix every time!!!
I must have money to burn.
for some reason I always thought fresh mix was all that 2 strokes appreciated.
Now I can start enjoying life and not spending every spare penny on fuel.
BonChance13
Member
- May 7, 2002
- 126
- 0
I usually don't go more than a month between rides,so I manage to use my pre-mix up,I have gone way over a month and have used it without worry.If you're worried about seperation,give the can a shake,just like the initial mix or grab some front brake and bounce the bike if it's in the tank.I do this everytime I add gas or ride anyway.Metal cans are definately best for long term storage,I also guesstimate my riding time and mix what I think I'll use,this way there is'nt as much leftover.
I think that gas octane can go down. If you are using a good oil separation from fuel won't be a problem. I have noticed on my CR250 that if I use fuel (I use 98 octane) that is more than 3 weeks old I start to get some detonation which indicates a loss of octane. My bike has over 200 PSI though.
darringer
LIFETIME SPONSOR
- Dec 2, 2001
- 1,029
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Even with over 210psi compression I have not had a problem with detonation because of old fuel. I run 91 octane with no problems. If there was a problem, I would use octane booster. Here in California, the quality of pump gas has been declining just as steadily as the price going up, so I am constantly watching for detonation problems. Like my friends always tell me...
"Less talking, more riding!"
"Less talking, more riding!"
