Time for the big boy to come out to play

Yep you've guessed it Kawboy!!  : )

The left bank of manifold branches make a perfect water-feature for left-side cylinder filling, the right bank a natural drainage solution!

My next task (today hopefully) is to whack the leak-off kit on there and see if I can hear any leakage  top-endy, but the money's on bendy-rods, which a depth guage through the plug hole TDC will shed some light on I think.

I did a summary of the butchered rat's state in my original newbie post, but that was soooo many months ago that we've since gone metric..!!

Funny thing is, I originally managed to get it to run (above 2K revs) after doing oils & water, rough as hell of course, but didn't realise it was only on 2 cylinders!!
It's the new 'intelligent' economy cruising mode, 400cc for better environmental compliance!

It was a cheap(ish, not in hindsight) NY import (I'm UK) but a custom mess with apehangers, single seat (velcro'd on FFS?!) cut frame rails, cut seat and lock brackets, harley rear, no OE lights or indicators, short shocks (and probably fork springs too) gutted D&G style 6-1, oh and the airbox and vacant exhaust tube were both full of sweetcorn... no doubt from a long-term rodent resident  : )

I'm so lucky I'm spoilt for choice as to which task to start next, but the biggest money-pit is of course engine, so I'll bite the bullit on that first.

It's interesting Stan, here in the UK i'm fairly ignorant of the whole ethanol thing regarding our local fuels.

I've got cars that have stood for months being repaired and just restart instantly, but maybe that's also disguised by them being injection & high-pressure pumped, rather than carbs using various stages of vac siphoning on top of low pressure supply?

Anyone in the UK confirm if we have the same ethanol thing going on?

UK has got worse regards % of Ethanol per litre: courtesy of EU mandate due to compliance with the Kyoto Protocol - bottom line more bio fuels and increased alternate energy production.  In the UK we sit on a  mountain of coal we cannot burn, so mothball our Power Stations and those we do run use (carbon neutral) wood pulp from the US and Canada to replace oil fired energy generation. Result equates to a huge increase in energy costs to each and every consumer.

Used to able to buy ethanol free fuel from certain outlets (Murco / Texaco and some Esso fuel), but very difficult now as the fuel producers have to achieve a target of 8% (I think) bio mix. There are specialist suppliers you can buy ethanol free fuel from - but its eye wateringly expensive e.g. £15 GBP a gallon. A few years ago, one winter I filled my Z900 with "Aspen" fuel (zero ethanol and high octane) - left it for 5 months. Fired up first touch of the button, Zero evaporation, clean carbs, no hardening of hoses etc etc

Ive restored a few bikes over the past decade, all have needed carb rebuilds, petcock and hose replacement or repair thanks to the impact of ethanol. 

There's no getting away from the ethanol so we need to learn how to live with it. To live with it, you need to understand what happens then mitigate to control the possible effect.
It's not the ethanol that is the real problem. It's  water in the gas. The ethanol absorbs moisture from the air to the point of saturation which then settles in the lower points in the fuel system and then corrosion is initiated. So bottom of the fuel tank, bottom of the float bowls which in our carbs is the point where all of the fuel is picked up from, be it idle, main or ckoke circuit.
So we need to stop exposing the fuel to the atmosphere so the ethanol can't react with the moisture. This is where fuel stabilizer for ethanol fuels takes over. This stabilizer creates a barrier film between the fuel and atmosphere.
Sta-bil 360 is about $13 a container to treat 200 liters of fuel. That like 6 cents a liter. So why not run the regular fuel and just spend the 6 cents on treatment per liter. Cheaper than running ethanol free fuel. End result is still the same.0

Kawboy, you mean always adding Stabil when filling up? I've never tried it. Sounds like a good idea - if that works on a day to day basis. In the back of my mind, I thought that you use Stabil only before storing a bike for prolonged period of time.
Yet, what would be the reason gas stations offer ethanol free than? Just trying to fool people and charge premiums instead of informing them about additives fighting ethanol effects? Hell, they could have a dispensing machine right there for ethanol disliking folks like me, haha

I've heard people who like to fill with ethanol free go to places catering to marinas.

I guess I will keep Stabil handy and use when not filling with ethanol free. I wonder if in the long run using Stabil will equal using ethanol free gas, and if the bike will perform equally. Adding Seafoam 'softens' the engine responsiveness a bit and can create a bit of smoke, especially on start up.

I think here in North America, at least Canada I don't really know about the rest, there is a lot of big talk about being 'green' and saving the environment, and conveniently charging extra 'carbon tax', which later gets siphoned out of the country to some far away places sponsoring dubious initiatives which just sounds great on paper and look good in photo ops. Contrary to this, from what I gather, Europe is more serious in implementing actual rules protecting the environment. There will be new emission standards enforced soon in Europe (or are they already?) and they will make such modern bikes like the new Vmax 1700 incompatible! 2018 is the last year they will be sold in Europe. Norway stops sale of any gasoline powered vehicles in 2025 I think. I think we are still very lucky living in this day and age. I have a feeling that if this was 2118 not 2018, the only KZ1300 we would be seeing would be at a museum and on youtube.

I keep meaning to ask you Guys in the US / Canada;

What the hell is Seafoam??

I see it on various forums, people sticking it in engine oil, fuel, all over the place!

What's it' composition and purpose?


I trust no snake oil is involved!   ; )