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General => Technical | How To => Topic started by: wetrider on November 29, 2012, 04:41:37 AM
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I recently got a people 150 and had it sitting idle in the garage in the desert from july to oct. When I returned, it wouldn't start and I had to get carb jets cleaned. Have since learned this is a problem with the ethanol in the gas down there gumming up idle carbs. Question is the best way to store? One option would be with a full tank of gas with stabil /sea foam and star -tron, as versus draining the tank of all gas and running the engine till it stops to clear the carb jets of residual fuel. I'd really like to not have to pay a mechanic every fall to clean it out, and appreciate any thoughts / suggestions from those with more experience.
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Wet rider,
Welcome to the forum. There's a great group of knowledgable riders here.
Anyway, if you use the Search feature you'll find tons of info on this topic.
My quick recommendation would be:
1 put stabil in fuel.
2 put tricke charger on battery
3 start it once a week, if roads are dry and safe take a short ride around the neighborhood even if it's cold out.
At least do 1 and 2
KZ
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Drain the carb when you park it. Shut off the petcock while running and
wait until it dies. I do this to my generator and snow blower and it starts
right up!
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I used one of theses to store my motorcycle when I moved to Germany for two years. Not even dusty at all when I got back.
(http://a.cdnbrm.com/images/products/large/car_covers/mdm_cycle_pocket.jpg)
http://www.autoanything.com/car-covers/69A4263A0A0.aspx (http://www.autoanything.com/car-covers/69A4263A0A0.aspx)
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Unfortunately, I'm not where the scooter is from July to Oct so I can't occasionaly run it. I'm not aware of an easy way to shut off the fuel flow to the carb, other than draining the tank and running til it stops. A mechanic told me that if I do that, there will still be some fuel film in the carb nozzles and it's likely to gum up, given the ethanol in So Cal fuel - he suggested leaving it full of treated fuel. I do keep a trickle charger on the battery - that's not a problem.
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Well the gummed up nozzles is usually with fuel injection as the holes are much smaller. Any time
fuel is still in the system and is exposed to air it will evaporate and leave stuff behind, so fuel in the
carb will cause problems. There is a drain screw on the carb to drain the float bowl but it might leave
some in the jets. I see you have a vacuum petcock in there. You could add a manual shut off just for
storage. Some carbs are OK with just parking them, with maybe some fresh fuel next time you use it.
I would get a fuel injection scoot for use in this case as the system is better sealed so doesn't age as
quickly...
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Just drain the carb and treat the fuel in the tank. With an autocock the fuel won't flow into the carb unless you turn the engine over creating vacuum.
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Wet rider,
My quick recommendation would be:
1 put stabil in fuel.
2 put tricke charger on battery
3 start it once a week, if roads are dry and safe take a short ride around the neighborhood even if it's cold out.
At least do 1 and 2
KZ
In fact, if he does 3, there is no need for 1 or 2. ;D
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Unfortunately, I'm not where the scooter is from July to Oct so I can't occasionaly run it.
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You can drop it off to me and Ill ride it once a week =)
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A lone scoot parked in the desert will stay in good shape. My dad was driving across
country in an old 43 Dodge. It broke down so they found a 39 Merc just sitting out
there abandoned, they got that one running and continued on to California...
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In the uk we use a fuel stabiliser and engine cleaner called redex. Is this available in the us?