[AntiAndy]

I'm talking about those "concentrated cleaner liquids" that come in a bottle.

I guess this is another one of those opinion threads, like tires and helmets, but maybe someone can back an opinion up with some facts, perhaps personal expieriences?

personally i just used some of thise stuff, bought a 12 oz bottle and used half a bottle over two fill ups. If nothing else it really helped cold starts, since it recently started getting cold in LA, if i happened to be at a friends house until it got late and cold, when i would be ready to go, id try and start the bike it would turn over , sound like its about to start and die, would take a couple minutes of turning over to get her going, after using this stuff, it has gotten colder but it has startd up every time except once (it was VERY cold that night and it only took about 10 secs of turning over to get her going)

not sure what it was..i believe it was the chevron techro-something stuff, 8 bucks i think.

Ideas,advice,flames?

 

[fog]

Normally I'm very down on such "Snake Oil" remedies. But in this case for the EX,(not the stuff) because the pilot jet or fices are very tiny (.012 dia) even a slight bit of effluvia attaching it'self to them could be bad. Something like injector cleaner might be of some use. Probably not cost effective for constant use. .

FOG

 

[MrSciTrek]

Google "chevron techtron" & lots of motorcycle & car groups have discussions on the stuff. The ones I scanned seemed to like it... but most run fuel injectors. Chevron's gasoline has it (did they get bought out by BP?) but several folks are writing that a more concentrated amount is better for actually cleaning the system. The gas is apparently meant to keep a clean system clean. A bottle of the concentrated stuff is available at car parts places... just read the mixture instructions carefully.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322005

Consumer's Reports had nothing on it.

 

[birdmove]

I've heard good things about a product called Sea Foam.Its supposed to clean the carb, and clean carbon deposits from the pistons/cylinders.Apparently the 800 Vulcan engines like to build carbon deposits, so owners of that bike seem to love the stuff.

jon

 

[AntiAndy]

Google "chevron techtron" & lots of motorcycle & car groups have discussions on the stuff. The ones I scanned seemed to like it... but most run fuel injectors. Chevron's gasoline has it (did they get bought out by BP?) but several folks are writing that a more concentrated amount is better for actually cleaning the system. The gas is apparently meant to keep a clean system clean. A bottle of the concentrated stuff is available at car parts places... just read the mixture instructions carefully.

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=322005

Consumer's Reports had nothing on it.

yeh thats the stuff i ran, in a 12oz bottle, on the back it bassically says 12 ounces for a 12 gallon tank (most mid size coupes and sadans right?) i figured pouring the whole thing in at once would be too much since we only carry 5 gallons, so i split it into two sessions.

another question reguarding this, after you run this stuff through your system, and say it does clean some grime off your carbs..where does that dirt, gunk, etc go?

 

[Red-Leg]

It gets burned off during normal combustion.

I have also heard very good things about SeaFoam and plan on using it in the first few tanks through the '89 EX I just picked up.

 

[MrSciTrek]

My car tuner website had a thread on Seafoam that you might be interested in reading through:

http://www.teamzx2.com/index.php?topic=14603.msg190880

 

[AntiAndy]

My car tuner website had a thread on Seafoam that you might be interested in reading through:

http://www.teamzx2.com/index.php?topic=14603.msg190880

I dont think you linked the right thread ??? ??? ???
their talking about modding and repainting a "seafoam" green car..

either way i would agree with the repainting, [email protected] color.

 

[MrSciTrek]

Dang... my mistake, sorry. Imagine a seafoam COLOR?

Here's the site:

Topic- Fuel system cleaner
http://www.teamzx2.com/index.php?topic=14780.0

 

[AntiAndy]

i think ill throw a carb cleaner into my system every now and then, include it in my regular maintenance, maybe every oil change, when it warms up, every other.

 

[MrSciTrek]

Chevron's site on their stuff:
http://www.chevron.com/products/prodserv/fuels/techrongas/faq.shtml

And if you want to earn an advanced degree...
http://www.ethanolrfa.org/objects/pdf/AboutRFA/Gasoline.pdf

 

[Guest]

I got a can of aerosol Sea Foam "Deep Creep", and I'm wondering if I might be able to remove the air filter and just spray the fluid through the air intake for the carbs. Any input or advice?

 

[longhaul747]

I have had pretty good luck with Seafoam!!

Every 3 months or so I dump a 1/4 to a half can of Seafoam in the gas. I do this to help keep things clean and help dry out any moisture in the gas tank if any. Not sure if its really doing anything but then I never have carburetor or fuel injection problems either. Also the bikes seem to just run better and smoother with the Seafoam treated gas.

Last year I tried Seafoam as a fuel stabilizer. Because the winter was really harsh last year my bikes sat for a long while. In the spring they fired right up and actually ran better and stronger with the 6 month old Seafoam treated gas then it did with the fresh tank of gas. So Seafoam works good as a fuel stabilizer as well. Probably even better then Stabil.

Only problem with Seafoam is finding the stuff. Schuck's Auto Supply now has it but they only get a case or 2 in every so often and its gone as soon as it shows up. Sometimes I get lucky but often they are out. Napa also has it and usually gets enough to keep it in stock but they sometimes run out as well. Especially in the fall. This year I could not find any so I had to use a different winter recipe this year.

This year for winter I have my gas treated with Stabil and a shot of Marvel Mystery Oil. The Marvel Mystery oil in theory puts a light coating in the tank to prevent corrosion. I doubt its enough to make any sort of difference but it can't hurt.

 

[ninjamon]

Last winter and with my last tank fill this winter, I've used Sta-bil. However, I continue to ride through the winter whenever road conditions and temperatures are OK. Is it really necessary to use the fuel stabilizers if you continue to ride year round?

 

[knightslugger]

Not in my experience, even if you don't ride. Stay-bil is overrated. I've gone for storage on all kinds of gasoline engines ranging in cars, trucks, tractors, lawn mowers, lawn tractors, snow blowers, air compressors, quads, weed-wackers, and chain saws never using a fuel stabilizer for years and i've never had a fuel related problem once. matter of fact, i stored my EX last year over winter with nothing but a full tank of gas and it fired right up in the spring.

But does it hurt to use it? no. the way i see it, if you're going to have a ulcer thinking about it, and if it would put your mind at ease... use it. your health is more important than the bike.

 

[Administrator]

Well, it depends on how fast you're going through your tank. I think the rule of thumb is 30 days being all you want your gas to sit for, but I also think that modern gasolines are stable for longer than that.

 

[longhaul747]

Since I have 5 bikes and live in the NW I tend to fill all my bikes with Stabil or Seafoam treated gas all year. Around here you never know when the weather will get bad and the bikes will end up sitting. Gas formulations should be stable for 90 days but believe it or not gas will start to degrade in as little as 2 or 3 weeks with some of the fancy formulations they have now days. So running with a fuel stabilizer is really a smart idea regardless of how much you ride.

 

[bitzz]

Well, it depends on how fast you're going through your tank. I think the rule of thumb is 30 days being all you want your gas to sit for, but I also think that modern gasolines are stable for longer than that.

Nope. Gas is getting LESS stable. New gas starts to break down in less than two weeks.

Fuel additives in a carburated engine is snake oil. There is NO REPLACEMENT for care and maintanence.
In Canada they put an additive in Sunoco Gold that will eat clearcoat. Bastards, had to repaint my Norton tank twice before I figured it out.

 

[AntiAndy]

Well, it depends on how fast you're going through your tank. I think the rule of thumb is 30 days being all you want your gas to sit for, but I also think that modern gasolines are stable for longer than that.

Nope. Gas is getting LESS stable. New gas starts to break down in less than two weeks.

Fuel additives in a carburated engine is snake oil. There is NO REPLACEMENT for care and maintanence.
In Canada they put an additive in Sunoco Gold that will eat clearcoat. Bastards, had to repaint my Norton tank twice before I figured it out.

i completely agree there is no replacement for care and maintenance, when you ride a bike, lack of maintenance is downright stupid becuase its a sure fire way to get seriously injured or killed, not to mention possibly hurting someone else, but as i said, i use carb treatments ALONG SIDE regular maintenance

 

[knightslugger]

KnightSlugger what kind of tractor you got that runs gas ??? Nearly all tractors made after the 50's or 60's uses diesel . And all chainsaws use 2 stroke which has oil in it.Just curious...maybe you know something I don't , see that I work on John Deere tractors.

Actually, it's a 1940-something Ford. it was the first tractor i learned how to operate. it does a mighty find job at bailing hay. works good! looks a lot like This one pictured here. Not all tractors made since the 50's are diesel though.

But the chainsaws and weedwackers (and one quad)... Yeah they're two stroke, but so what about it? the mixed oil doesn't do anything for stabilization of the gasoline that i've noticed. if it does, then ya-hoo.