Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
#1
12-11-2006 | 03:43 PM
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 353
From: Saint John, NB Canada
Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
Well it's winter and I don't get out on the bike as much due to ice on the roads, but I still go out to the shed and fire up the bike at least on the weekend and let it run for a bit. But with up and down outside tempertures ranging from -10 to +3, and the bike sitting in an unheated shed, there is a lot of condinsation. To help keep condinsation from building up inside the steel gas tank, I keep it filled up, but even by doing this I have to open up the drain screw for a few seconds and empty out the bowl in order for the bike to start up. If I don't drain the bowl the bike just cranks with no hint of starting, soon as I drain the bowl, fires right up. Now what may have made my sitituation worse is a couple weeks back I had left my tank with hardly any gas in it (didn't realize it, oooppps) so I may have had a lot of moisture in the gas at that time, so it may be better now.
Anyway, that's my little story, just thought it may help someone out if they're having problems starting there bike in similar evironments.
Anyway, that's my little story, just thought it may help someone out if they're having problems starting there bike in similar evironments.
#3
12-11-2006 | 05:05 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,106
From: Misawa Japan
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RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
I think what you're describing is typical of modern gasoline. It gels after awhile and the process is helped along by cold temps. Even mild gelling inside of the tiny pilot and passage leading to it is enough to bring things to a halt. I don't think moisture is an issue at all in this situation.
ORIGINAL: markturbo
Well it's winter and I don't get out on the bike as much due to ice on the roads, but I still go out to the shed and fire up the bike at least on the weekend and let it run for a bit. But with up and down outside tempertures ranging from -10 to +3, and the bike sitting in an unheated shed, there is a lot of condinsation. To help keep condinsation from building up inside the steel gas tank, I keep it filled up, but even by doing this I have to open up the drain screw for a few seconds and empty out the bowl in order for the bike to start up. If I don't drain the bowl the bike just cranks with no hint of starting, soon as I drain the bowl, fires right up. Now what may have made my sitituation worse is a couple weeks back I had left my tank with hardly any gas in it (didn't realize it, oooppps) so I may have had a lot of moisture in the gas at that time, so it may be better now.
Anyway, that's my little story, just thought it may help someone out if they're having problems starting there bike in similar evironments.
Well it's winter and I don't get out on the bike as much due to ice on the roads, but I still go out to the shed and fire up the bike at least on the weekend and let it run for a bit. But with up and down outside tempertures ranging from -10 to +3, and the bike sitting in an unheated shed, there is a lot of condinsation. To help keep condinsation from building up inside the steel gas tank, I keep it filled up, but even by doing this I have to open up the drain screw for a few seconds and empty out the bowl in order for the bike to start up. If I don't drain the bowl the bike just cranks with no hint of starting, soon as I drain the bowl, fires right up. Now what may have made my sitituation worse is a couple weeks back I had left my tank with hardly any gas in it (didn't realize it, oooppps) so I may have had a lot of moisture in the gas at that time, so it may be better now.
Anyway, that's my little story, just thought it may help someone out if they're having problems starting there bike in similar evironments.
#4
12-11-2006 | 05:29 PM
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Senior Member
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Saint John, NB Canada
RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
This is the first bike I ever had to do this with. I've had many different ATV's over the years and all of them started fine in cold weather after sitting for a week.
#6
12-11-2006 | 06:05 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,106
From: Misawa Japan
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RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
Well, I'm afraid that we are stuck with a carb that is more suseptable it. If you've ever looked a the passage leading to our pilot valve while you had the float bowl off, you will see the crazy route the fuel travels to get to the jet. The are plenty of chances for the fuel to jell a anywhere along that route.
You could try cheating a bit by opening your fuel screw another 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Another thing to experiment with is possibly putting the air lid on just long enough to see if it starts easier that way. This would be a quick way to see if your jetting is a bit lean.
Good luck.
You could try cheating a bit by opening your fuel screw another 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Another thing to experiment with is possibly putting the air lid on just long enough to see if it starts easier that way. This would be a quick way to see if your jetting is a bit lean.
Good luck.
ORIGINAL: markturbo
This is the first bike I ever had to do this with. I've had many different ATV's over the years and all of them started fine in cold weather after sitting for a week.
This is the first bike I ever had to do this with. I've had many different ATV's over the years and all of them started fine in cold weather after sitting for a week.
#7
12-11-2006 | 06:10 PM
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Joined: Nov 2005
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RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
Same here in Dallas. Our crappy EPA gas sucks water out of the air very quickly. I notice my usually reliable Honda lawnmower has the same issue now. It's gone from a first pull starter to a 10-20 pull starter since the latest switch in our mixture here.
The KLX has to have the float bowl drained if it sits for more than a week or it won't start.
The KLX has to have the float bowl drained if it sits for more than a week or it won't start.
#8
12-11-2006 | 06:21 PM
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Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,106
From: Misawa Japan
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RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
I'll give that halleluya if someone else will give it an amen. Any fuel that keeps a Honda from strarting easily has got to be pretty bad.
ORIGINAL: bmwhd
Same here in Dallas. Our crappy EPA gas sucks water out of the air very quickly. I notice my usually reliable Honda lawnmower has the same issue now. It's gone from a first pull starter to a 10-20 pull starter since the latest switch in our mixture here.
The KLX has to have the float bowl drained if it sits for more than a week or it won't start.
Same here in Dallas. Our crappy EPA gas sucks water out of the air very quickly. I notice my usually reliable Honda lawnmower has the same issue now. It's gone from a first pull starter to a 10-20 pull starter since the latest switch in our mixture here.
The KLX has to have the float bowl drained if it sits for more than a week or it won't start.
#9
12-11-2006 | 09:31 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 25
RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
I'm not totally convince it's the gas. My DRZ400 starts all the time and it sits in the same garage as my wife's KLX250S. I bet you right now I can go into my garage and start my DRZ with little effort but the KLX will not start without draining the carb. This is the first bike I've seen do this.
Dave
Dave
#10
12-11-2006 | 09:52 PM
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 966
From: Ottawa, Ontario
RE: Bike sits for a week, I have to drain the bowl
I put some Stabil fuel stabilizer in my gas tank, and have been able to start my bike without draining the float bowl. (There's some cold starting issues, but so far it doesn't appear that I'm having any "jelling" issues.