PETROL No, not the bloody price.......

**grego** · 13th April 2006, 19:56

It is info about the storage of petrol i am after.
Last year , coming back into the 2 wheel -fun I had a little 4cyl Honda which was forever a pig to start. The bike shop, after doing all the usual, told me what a load of crapp the petrol was today and suggested I put little expensiv orange pill into the tank everytime I gas up. Suggested that the petrol would turn into some sort of Gello otherwise, even after 2 , 3 weeks.

Just got my new bike back after being off the road for 10 weeks after crash. This time the same Bike shop reckoned the fuel in the tank would still be good.

So, what gives ????

How long is fuel ok inside yer tank if you don't use the bike a lot, just on a sunny day, ( he he he .....shudduppp!)

No speculations here guys, I need facts.

**bugjuice** · 13th April 2006, 19:58

I think fuel is ok for a month or so.. then after a couple, it starts going downhill.. 10 weeks should be ok if you ride to a gas station and get some fresh stuff in

this might help (and google it)
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gaslifepal.htm

**Motu** · 13th April 2006, 20:02

The fuel in the carbs goes off pretty quick - I either run the carbs dry before I park it,or drain them before restart.Stuff in the tank takes longer to go off,maybe 6 mths before it might give trouble.

**grego** · 13th April 2006, 20:09

Originally Posted by Motu

The fuel in the carbs goes off pretty quick - I either run the carbs dry before I park it,or drain them before restart.Stuff in the tank takes longer to go off,maybe 6 mths before it might give trouble.

when I suggested to empty the carbs the mechanic told me this would be unwise because when dry, the rubber O-rings would get briddle, shrink and /or crack ???????

**grego** · 13th April 2006, 20:15

Originally Posted by bugjuice

I think fuel is ok for a month or so.. then after a couple, it starts going downhill.. 10 weeks should be ok if you ride to a gas station and get some fresh stuff in

this might help (and google it)
http://www.alpharubicon.com/altenergy/gaslifepal.htm

I used to have a chainsaw that lived on a shelf in the shed.
Whenever I needed it, I took it down, yanked the wee string and it always started. Job done, up on the shelf she went. Used to last for years. When the new ""Stinkypoo-aromatics"" came in , the wee Husky just about leaned over and died. It was a pig to start from then on in.

**sunhuntin** · 13th April 2006, 20:32

not sure how long fuel lasts for.....should last longer than a week, at least? i filled scuffy in otaki after a run from wanganui and she sat for a week, being started once and ran sweet as sugar when time came to go home.
with the old gn, though, she was often a mongrel to start, specially when it was cold and shed been out in the weather. but there might have been crap in the tank/carbs that caused that....might be the problem with your older bike?

**myvice** · 13th April 2006, 20:50

Use race gas, should be a cheaper option in a week or so...

**Brett** · 14th April 2006, 13:45

I have been thinking that myself...time to ran race fuel. Worrie dit may damage the engine tho...

**motelbob** · 15th April 2006, 08:00

Ive left petrol sitting in my boat for 5 months and its fired up and run no worries.I think the stories about petrol gping off after 6 weeks were invented by mechanics who didnt know what the problem was and needed something to blame ,

**Jackrat** · 15th April 2006, 08:17

Originally Posted by motelbob

Ive left petrol sitting in my boat for 5 months and its fired up and run no worries.I think the stories about petrol gping off after 6 weeks were invented by mechanics who didnt know what the problem was and needed something to blame ,

Yep,same here.
Left it in the tote tank for up to 8 months.
All I,ve ever done is pull the plug,turn her over a couple of times,put the plug back an we're in bussiness.Maybe 2 stroke lasts longer

**The Stranger:Me** · 15th April 2006, 08:45

Originally Posted by grego

when I suggested to empty the carbs the mechanic told me this would be unwise because when dry, the rubber O-rings would get briddle, shrink and /or crack ???????

Hmm, My 4 stroke outboard (Honda naturally) the manual says that if the motor is to sit for any lenght of time I should disconnect the fuel line, run the carb's dry and sore it like that.

**Wonko** · 15th April 2006, 08:51

I would be more worried about the battery going flat than the gas going off. I have had cars that have been 4 months of sitting around start after being wound over for a minute. My thinking is that the petrol in th gas lines/ carbs had slowly evaporated and that it just needed gas to be pumped along the line. The bike started after 5 weeks no problem.

**sunhuntin** · 15th April 2006, 15:18

my brothers harley has been sitting since 2004....started very little....same fuel as was in there when it got stored. apparently dad started it yesterday [i wasnt home] and she must have gone ok. so thats roughly 2004 that fuels been in that tank. dunno how shed run on the road with gas that old though. she hasnt seen a road since 2004.

**iwilde** · 15th April 2006, 15:29

I left my Fairmont in the garage for three yrs with $20 in the tank. When I sold it, it fired up first time and ran perfect after the lifters got some oil!

**scumdog** · 15th April 2006, 16:38

My old iron Sportster use to spit the dummy if I left it sitting for a month or so, had to drain the tank and/or add heaps of new fuel before it would fire up, having said that it was back when they were switching to unleaded, things are better now.

But the fuel is still no good in high-comp. vehicles that use to run o.k. on the leaded super.