Thoughts of fuel stabilizer for the winter?

[Rob Canadian]

It is getting cooler here and my '83 200X is going to sit for a bit. I heard keeping the tank filled. There is no rust in the tank now.

My garage is not attached to my Igloo and is unheated. I have fresh oil and everything is lubed up. Plan on putting it up on my ATV lift so the wheels are off the ground.
Any issue with stabilizer in the fuel for the winter. I still want to take it out and have some fun once the snow comes. :naughty:

[yaegerb]

Filler up and and use a fuel stabilizer. I Just winterized the aquatrax and I use a marine grade stabilizer in that and regular sta-bil in the quads/trikes.

[Rob Canadian]

Filler up and and use a fuel stabilizer. I Just winterized the aquatrax and I use a marine grade stabilizer in that and regular sta-bil in the quads/trikes.

Ya. Going to drain out all the fuel. Mix up stabilizer with some fresh fuel and fill them up. Have a streetbike, Dirtybike, ATC. Plus do my lawnmower. Next stop getting my 2 snowblowers ready. :)

A guy at work has a Aquatrax. Not sure what year. Loves it 1200CC turbo. Ya baby. :)

[Toaster556]

Be sure to put high octane in. I also recommend the Lucas stabilizer, its good stuff.

Also, don't point the exhaust at your igloo door, those things take forever to carve.

[Hopper055]

I always change the oil and fill up the tank. Just be sure you turn the petcock off and drain the bowl. So no gas is setting in the carb for long periods of time.

[Rob Canadian]

I always change the oil and fill up the tank. Just be sure you turn the petcock off and drain the bowl. So no gas is setting in the carb for long periods of time.

I was always worried about this. Dry or wet in the carb... I have always done my carb wet as it will not dry out the seal on the needle.

[Hopper055]

I haven't had a problem storing things this way yet. To be honest I never put a lot of thought into it. That is just how I was taught to store small engines. The way I see it everything is stored dry in the package. Why would dry in the carb be different? Maybe there is a coating in the package I'm not aware of? I honestly don't know which way is better. Either way good luck and I hope it all goes well for you.

[briano]

Here's what I do, and it's been working great for years. Nothing. I run premium gas only, all of my toys and yard equipment gets premium. I never ever use stabil or other additives, never turn my gas off, and all of my stuff fires right up in the spring or fall. Once in a while I grab a can of Sea Foam and put a little in the toys that are out and running and that's it. I've always had good luck doing it this way. Just make sure your metal tanks are full to help prevent condensation.

[redsox]

i vote wet carb. full tank. sta-bul. make sure you run the sta-bul into the carb. its cheap, and it works. the gas around here SUCKS. thats been my policy on mowers and blowers for years. anything thats gonna be sitting around.

[ctk]

I vote dry carb, full tank and I use star brite fuel stabilizer

[oldskool83]

I use carb/fuel injector cleaner in ever fresh tank in my toys. been doing it for years with no issues. If a bike is going to sit more then 2 weeks then I add stabil. Today gas will break down in 2 weeks. However most people still fail to run good fuel filters and clean their carbs properly. Metal tank no fuel filters I do not care what you do your carb can get plugged up.

When bikes are going to sit after riding mt carbs empty. Little harder with fuel injected bikes to do that.

[RoscoW]

Little fact that seems to help me is The Shell premium gas, I think it's V power or something, has no ethanol in it, in Canada at least. That's all I run in my small engines with Sta-bil in every gerry can I fill up. I never know when the last I'll use any given engine so I just use the stabilizer all the time. Watch for it on sale at Canadian Tire.

Ross..

[Thorpe]

I say keep riding, and forget stabilizer

[Rob Canadian]

Little fact that seems to help me is The Shell premium gas, I think it's V power or something, has no ethanol in it, in Canada at least. That's all I run in my small engines with Sta-bil in every gerry can I fill up. I never know when the last I'll use any given engine so I just use the stabilizer all the time. Watch for it on sale at Canadian Tire.

Ross..

Yes. That is what I use. Shell premium. Picked up some stabilizer. Going to fill my gerry can this weekend (5 gallon) drain all my stuff. Blowers/3 bikes and mower and put all fresh stuff in them. All my bikes and trike have a metal tank so Ya going to fill them up. Going to go wet carb.

I appreciate everyones input. :)

[RIDE-RED 250r]

Another vote for a full tank and carb of non-ethanol fuel (if available to you) treated with stabilizer.

Bonus: If you can, start it up once every week or two and let it come up to operating temp. Keeps all of the moving engine internals lubed and limber and will help combat internal condensation.

[Jd110]

What do you do if it won't be ran for awhile? Like a year or more. I drained it all out of mine but maybe that's No Bueno. Maybe I should keep it full and start it frequently?

[Rob Canadian]

What do you do if it won't be ran for awhile? Like a year or more. I drained it all out of mine but maybe that's No Bueno. Maybe I should keep it full and start it frequently?

Yes keep it full. If it sat that long. Drain all the gas out. Pull the carb and clean and add fresh fuel.

[Degoragon]

I say keep riding, and forget stabilizer

That's pretty much what i do! Run 93 octane and ride! I ride mine all the time, year round!

[RamsesRibb]

I have had my bikes parked for two years with out draining the carbs using AV100LL with MMO at recommended dose. Started right up with old gas.

Addtn: that was 2 stroke premix with klotz techniplate at 32:1. And now that I think about it I probably did add stabil at normal recommended dose.

[bigdaddyvw185]

I fill the tank and then give it a dose of Star Tron. I was sold on the stuff when I saw 2 Honda elite scooters get pulled out of a shed from cold storage for 2 years. They had new batteries installed and they both started right up old gas and all. I have since been using it for a couple years now with no issues.
here is a link http://www.starbrite.com/item/star-tron-gasoline-additive?category_id=587

[keister]

Fill up with ethanol free gas and cap full of Seafoam.
Fire up the machine, turn off the petcock, and either let it run itself out of gas or use the carb drain screw.

But if you don't ride your ATC in the snow you are missing out big time IMHO. Snow is a 'terrain' after all.

[83ATC185]

But if you don't ride your ATC in the snow you are missing out big time IMHO. Snow is a 'terrain' after all.

An opportunity i have yet to have :lol:

Idid ride on icy pavement a few years back when the roads were closed down here, what a blast!

I normally ride mine throughout the winter...if not, it gets ridden with non ethanol 91 octane, and run the bowl out of gas when i'm done, top off the tank, left it sitting for months just doing that and it fired right up. Never used any stabilizer

I can't speak on how cold weather affects gas though. A winter week here is like "80 degrees, 22 degrees, 50 degrees, 28 degrees, 84 degrees, so usually i just ride mine on a good day.

[Dirtcrasher]

I dump in a generous amount of seafoam and a fuel stabilizer and usually have no problems.

Except for 2 stroke weed whackers...

[czac]

I use Sea Foam in all my gas run things (accept my truck...lol) and never have a problem starting any of them come spring time. I just mix it right into the gas cans when i fill them up. I forget what the ratio is supposed to be so i just dump a spray paint cap full into each 5 gallon gas can... seems to work well...lol

[czac]

speaking of, i was given an old carb for my Yamaha YTM 225 DXN from a friend and it had this ugly white, chalky coating all over it on the inside. and everything was frozen, the pin for the floats was stuck aloong with the choke plunger and all the jets and screws... stuff was nasty! I had to spray a lot of rusty bolt remover in it to take it all apart. Anyone ever see this type of thing?

[fordnut79@hotma]

http://pure-gas.org/index.jsp?stateprov=NS

list of ethanol free stations in Canada and US

[threewheelin-feelin]

I say keep riding, and forget stabilizer

thats what i was going to say...or just go out and start it once a week or so

[dmfaulks85]

I fill up my 200x with premium non ethenol and vp fuel stabilizer