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The TTR250 FAQ web pages -> TTR250 -> Carb stuff -> The effect of storing a tank with fuel in
Post Info TOPIC: The effect of storing a tank with fuel in
TTRfan


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The effect of storing a tank with fuel in
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I had put a spare tank on my 325 to use whilst I put a new set of decals on the original.

The tank had a new fuel tap on so I didn't bother to take it out for inspection.

I actually got around to stickering up the original tank today so decided to drain the spare tank of fuel before taking it off. It seemed odd that I couldn't get the petrol out the bottom of the tank as nothing came through on the tap's reserve setting confuse

I removed the tap to fully drain the tank and it became obvious that the old petrol left in the tank had really made a mess of the fuel tap!

The photo below shows the reserve opening full of gunge.

Blocked fuel tap 1.jpeg

 

Quite a lot of greyish goo came out, this was just the first helping.

Blocked fuel tap 2.jpeg

Not only was there a thick crust of crud around the bottom of the filter tubes but when I started to clean them up I just touched the reserve filter and it fell apart no The plastic mesh just crumbled. I now understand when people describe the effects of modern fuel on plastic components!  The filter on the main feed being taller was out of the stored fuel and is perfectly OK.

Can anyone suggest a possible fix for the filter???? 

Blocked fuel tap 3.jpeg

 

If a carb is left unused for a long time with fuel left in it then I can understand how difficult the subsequent clean up would be.

Brian

 



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pug


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Nasty stuff in it today not like the old days never seen it do that though is it a brass screen or the same plastic as the pipe.........

Pug

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TTRfan


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Hi Pug

Plastic screen.

The tap switch face that goes against the rubber seal had a coating of lacquer on it and it was interesting that carb cleaner wouldn't touch it. I had to use a fine grade wet & dry paper to get it off no

Brian



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JOHNYBOY


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how long that fuel been in brian

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TTRfan


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At least a year or so disbelief



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BM Steve


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I've been lucky so far and haven't got any bad fuel but this will prompt me to ditch the little plastic sock and get a proper in-line filter

Thank I'll go onto fleabay right now and order a couple

 

..

 



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2004 TTR250 - Highway Dirtbike Hand Guards, 38mm Bar Risers, D606 Front & Rear, Opened up Airbox with Twin Air Filter, Re-jetted Carby, B+B Bash Plate & Frame Guards, DIY 3mm Alloy Tail Tidy, 14/47 Gearing.

 
Paul C


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I don't use my Guzzi over the winter. Normally I leave the fuel in. I just check it over in the spring, fire it up and on the first ride it spits and grumbles when I open the throttle. After a run it's fine.
This year I've ended up giving both carbs a thorough clean. Accelerator pump were gunged up badly. Plus crap in every nook and cranny. The only difference I can think of is petrol. This November I'll be draining the tank and carbs. The TTR and BMW stay on the road so no problem. However, when I got the TTR it had stood for over four years and the carbs needed a significant amount of cleaning before it ran properly. I never checked the tap though!



-- Edited by Paul C on Sunday 24th of July 2016 08:46:25 PM

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pricey


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How about screens from another bikes' fuel taps? My old DR650 had metal screens instead of the plastic. If you measure yours (length of entire component and radius/width) I can see if the DR screens would fit - I have a spare DR fuel tap in the shed. Just eyeballing the photos the DR screen looks like it would go damn close smile



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TTRfan


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Thanks for that Pricey. It prompted me to do a proper Google sarch and I found these https://www.mikesxs.net/parts/yamaha-xs650-pet****-fuel-filters-pk-2-70-77

 



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fourelms


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A few things I have picked up from modern (and old) fuels.

Plastic tanks leach the lighter hydrocarbons out thru their skins which doesn't help with fuel stability (and cold starting)...metal tanks are better in this respect.

Petrol and oil mix as in my old SWM trials bike is a more stable mixture than just petrol on its own due to the stabilising effects of the two stroke oil it self.

I now use Fuel Stabil fuel stabiliser, its cheap enough to use (fleabay) and I use this in my lawn mowers, two gsxr's and my track day car and never have any issues even after a winer lay up. I fill the tanks to the top, run them for a while to get the fuel into the carb float bowls, then top off again and thats it. Works for me OK.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STA-BIL-Fuel-Stabilizer-Keep-Stored-Petrol-Fresh-Lawn-Mower-Generator-engine-/161818640544

 




Fuel stabilisers have been used in the US since...well at least the mid 70's in my knowledge, in part due to the very cheap but low quality fuels available, compared with UK market fuel. The US market also went over from unleaded in the mid 70's due to the use of catalytic convertors as a 'stop gap' measure to reduce emissions but low lead fuel would of happened anyway due the toxity issues that had been raised long before serious emissions limits. The Japan market had unlead since 1971 and low lead before that hence why Japanese bikes and cars were OK with unleaded from the get-go...the 'lead' (tetra-ethyl lead) also had a small stablising effect (never did know why?) on the fuel but obviously this was a side effect from its primary use of an anti-knock additive.

hope this helps

-- Edited by fourelms on Saturday 13th of August 2016 11:56:41 AM



-- Edited by fourelms on Saturday 13th of August 2016 11:57:19 AM



-- Edited by fourelms on Saturday 13th of August 2016 11:58:27 AM

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