Hi Guys,

Just wanted to give you an update; John (who didn't have time himself) had the kid he supports in racing (and who also works at a local motorcycle dealership) take the carb off the bike and clean it again. Dillion is a good mechanic and got the bike running good again, where so far it is not stalling. John also drained all the old gas from the tank and system and added fresh gas that had Star Tron added to it.

I also talked some more to some guys in our club, including a guy (Ken) who owns over 40 vintage motorcycles, many that are small single cylinder bikes. Part of the problem these days is the 10% Ethanol and the numerous additives added to gas now can cause chemical reactions with the metal parts in the carburetors when sitting for extended times. That's why some carbs you take apart today can look like they are 100 years old! The truth is, the internal parts of modern carbs should be coated or anodized to stop these chemical reactions that intern clog up the tiny jets on small 4-stroke engines. And the motorcycle and carburetor manufacturers NEED TO START DOING THIS. I am not sure what it's going to take to get them to do it, but they need to.


Anyway, I've not had a chance to ride the bike a lot but here is the plan:

1. Only buy and use premium gas in the bike. I'll probably start using my 5 gallon gas can to buy the gas in, then treat it as described below before putting it in my small single cylinder bikes.

2. Start treating all the gas I use in my small engines with Star Tron:
Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment - Star Tron Gasoline Additive
I just ordered it on Amazon: Star brite Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment Gas Additive (8 oz)
Amazon.com: Star brite Star Tron Enzyme Fuel Treatment Gas Additive (8 oz): Sports & Outdoors
(8 fl. oz. treats up to 48 gallons)

3. My friend Ken with all the old bikes also recommends adding 2-stroke oil to the gas as well. He recommends Klotz KL-300 2-Stroke oil:
Klotz Products
...this is a clean oil he says, but the idea is the oil will coat the internal parts of the carburetor and help slow down or stop the chemical reaction between the gas additives and the metal parts inside the carb. He recommends adding it to the gas at 1/2 oz. per gallon (one quart will treat 64 gallons):


I also ordered this measuring beaker from Amazon too, from the picture it looks like it goes up to 4 oz.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JN0LUE
….as Ken told me though, the only issue he has in using something like this to measure the oil and Star Tron is keeping it clean, as dust etc. in the air will stick to the oil, so wiping it out with a clean rag before/after use might be a good idea (so that dust/dirt does not end up in your carburator).


By the way, you can buy 93 octane racing gas in 5 gallon gas cans or 55 gallon drums (Ken does from Klotz I believe, as he also uses it in his race car). This gas has no Ethanol or additives. But it can cost you $6 to $8 a gallon. But 55 gallons should last you a while, even if you and a buddy split the cost of a 55 gallon drum.

We are almost at the end of the riding season, I'll try and let you know how it all works when I start using it shortly

Jeff

 

The only thing higher octane gas will do is make your wallet lighter.

 

I'm so happy to still be able to buy non-ethanol pump gas in town, from at least three stations, for only about 5 to 10 cents per gallon more than that other shlt with corn squeezings. During the winter when I go through fuel much slower, I do as you recommend by filling 5-gallon tanks and treating with a stabilizer. No problems.

 

This thread has just been great lol... wow its been goin on for a bit too, like a year!
very fun to read, some of the stuff; i tell u what, makes u giggle ... ;-)

On a serious note...
yes u can get good gas and u can get bad gas, but gas is the lightest of the crude oil next to jet fuels n such, i.e. it boils at a lower temp then say machine oils hiding at the bottom of that barrel of raw crude... every gas Barron adds there own "stuff", yes a higher octane is not related to the "quality" of the gas... but on average it does have "better" additives... so i buy it and use it in my toys when appropriate.

I have always had this weird theory that buying straight unleaded gas would be better then buying premium gas due the the fact most people buy unleaded and it is the "freshest" of all three available at the pump (just a thought, i must not believe it i guess cuz i still buy the premium for my bike n such...)

but to be honest... gas it like most anything on earth, because what rust and moths can't consume, time will
milk spoils, yea u can pasteurize it and heck it lasts quite a bit longer, and hell we can even refrigerate it and now it lasts even longer... but its going to spoil (yea i know its a funky analogy and u may think im crazy, but atleast gas and milk are both organic; so im somewhat in the ballpark lol) same with gas, stuff evaporates and stuff does some more weird stuff and next thing u know u got some weird stuff on ur carb bowl (varnish) ...
Stabil is good, it will make ur gas last longer... but i still drain my carbs every winter because i know its the best alternative, yea i know ppl argue that a dry carb can dry out and the diaphragms, o-rings, seals etc... can go bad... but o well, time i say!
because the truth is gas will monkey ur carb up nomatter what u do to it if u let it sit long enough.

I would say u most definitely had/have some issue with ur carb (maybe electrical, too hard to tell without having the bike in front of me) nonetheless... a problems a problem, simple as that, and it doesnt matter who you have work on ur bike; even if u think they are qualified, or they have done this for years blahh blahh... the proofs in the pudding... does it run or not lol
trouble shooting was made for problems like yours... best of luck