Stale Fuel?

[MadDuck]

How long is a wee while Ducky? Should be absolutely fine up to 6 months I would have thought if not more?

Its been at least 6 months. I kind of got busy with another task. It fired up last night and I am about to head out for a sedate hoon!

[caseye]

This of course is correct. Mr BMW put the petrol under the seat. I am not totally stoopid when it comes to where to put the red and black thingies

UH HUH@#$%!
Te he he, I knowed dat.
Well, the idea about the spider shit and cob webs might just do the trick I reckon, but otherwise a good dollop of Meths in the fuel will definitely make it start, might run like a hairy armpitted BMWubble, butt it'll go.

[AllanB]

Until the Ducati I have always popped a half cup of meths in the tank monthly to suck up any water in the system solely to avoid rust forming in the tank. Ducati has a plastic one.

I run injector cleaners through the cars every 6 months or less. Never put a injector cleaner in the bikes.

No idea if they actually do any difference as the connection between right foot and engine on the car is less than right hand/engine on the bike.

I did pour a bottle of carb/fuel system cleaner in the lads 1986 Laser - it clearly stirred up something as the slow speed jet in the carb became semi-blocked for about 40kms but thankfully corrected itself.

Or it was the suspect Mobil fuel I put in it. As a rule the fleet runs on Challenge purely as the closest three fuel stations are Challenge.

[Laava]

Its been at least 6 months. I kind of got busy with another task. It fired up last night and I am about to head out for a sedate hoon!

I like the cut of your gib young lady!

[GazzaH]

As to the clips, Red = Right nipple, bLack = Left.

[tigertim20]

So I have not ridden my motobike for a wee while. I understand the fuel goes stale and I was told to put these clip things on but I think I may have been being tricked. Does it really go stale?

Youre almost there, but the clips should be IN the fuel - something about ionizing the fuel so it remains stable and combustible long term.

Until the Ducati I have always popped a half cup of meths .

That sounds like a lot of meth, a gram usually does the trick for me.

On the bright side, summer is nearly over, and half a cup of meth means only four more sleeps till the start of next summer!

[rambaldi]

As to the clips, Red = Right nipple, bLack = Left.

Only if you are running a high voltage. For those wanting something lower and safer or just starting out I suggest testicles, they are closer together (usually) so don't need as much energy (i.e. a lower voltage rating).

[GazzaH]

Thanks for the advice, doc.

Enjoy your time at Guantanamo.

[Daffyd]

Speaking of Meths, My bike was running like shit if I missed riding for a day so I decided to try the Meths trick. Tried all over town and no-one had even heard of it. At about the last place in town a young shop assistant, who also hadn't heard of it, Googled it; lo and behold his search came up with, 'denatured alcohol'. They had dozens of bottles on the shelf! If only I'd asked for fuel for a spirit stove I'd have been home and hosed. Only thing is it's not coloured.

Did the trick on the bike, too.

[pete376403]

I always understood that meths in the fuel was to help deal with water (in the fuel) - the water droplets are too big to fit through the jets so blocked jets = baggy running motor. The meths emulsifies the water (makes the droplets smaller) which will pass through the jets. As far as 'stale" fuel goes, it would be stale as all the useful volatiles have evaporated and whats left is probably closer to kerosene. Once its got to that stage I cant see meths making any difference.

[AllanB]

I always understood that meths in the fuel was to help deal with water (in the fuel) - the water droplets are too big to fit through the jets so blocked jets = baggy running motor. The meths emulsifies the water (makes the droplets smaller) which will pass through the jets.

Yep that's what it's for. Get rid of the water.

[MSTRS:Me]

Speaking of Meths, My bike was running like shit if I missed riding for a day so I decided to try the Meths trick. Tried all over town and no-one had even heard of it. At about the last place in town a young shop assistant, who also hadn't heard of it, Googled it; lo and behold his search came up with, 'denatured alcohol'. They had dozens of bottles on the shelf! If only I'd asked for fuel for a spirit stove I'd have been home and hosed. Only thing is it's not coloured.

Did the trick on the bike, too.

Meths and White Spirits are not the same thing...

[MarkH]

Meths and White Spirits are not the same thing...

Very true, but I'm not sure of the relevance.
Daffyd is correct that denatured alcohol is what they call metholated spirits in some countries and that is what people use in spirit stoves. You definitely would not want to try burning white spirits in spirit stoves, regardless of the name sounding close.

A while back I followed internet instructions and made a spirit stove. The instructions mentioned burning denatured alcohol and I had trouble finding that product until I learnt that it was meths, suddenly I could buy the fuel damn near anywhere!

[Daffyd]

Meths and White Spirits are not the same thing...

I must be missing something... Where did I mention White Spirits? As I recall, I said that here, Methylated spirits is known as denatured alcohol.

[Daffyd]

Very true, but I'm not sure of the relevance.
Daffyd is correct that denatured alcohol is what they call metholated spirits in some countries and that is what people use in spirit stoves. You definitely would not want to try burning white spirits in spirit stoves, regardless of the name sounding close.

A while back I followed internet instructions and made a spirit stove. The instructions mentioned burning denatured alcohol and I had trouble finding that product until I learnt that it was meths, suddenly I could buy the fuel damn near anywhere!

When I was a kid my dad had a spirit stove which burned both Meths and White Spirits but it was different to your normal run-of -the-mill ones.
It had a fuel tank at the bottom with a tube coming out of the top for about 3" then a full loop and then back down to the tank, so you might say a loop and three quarters. The bottom of the loop had a small pin hole, (similar to a Primus). To light it you held a match in the loop where the heat somehow sucked the fumes up. Once it was hot the fumes lit and then it was self fuelling. Worked better than the current style.