TOPIC:

Fuel-varnish is perhaps the bugger of all buggers ! Solid debris; you can deal with that with thorough cleaning, rustproofing, filters, etc. But that golden candy-colored shit that is a by product of fuel today is an issue that defies a remedy. Twice now this year I've developed start-idle issues for no apparent reason. Initially; the bike starts easily enough but takes a few seconds to smooth out on the idle. Over a period of as little as 2 fill-ups, this condition worsens to where it is difficult to keep the engine running at start-up and trying to do so with the choke is harsh ! I was forced to come to terms with this last night when I wanted to go for a ride. Over the past few weeks the rough start and worse idle symptoms have become intolerable. To the point where I had no other choice but to pull the carbs. Other than keeping the bodies on the mounting-rail and without disassembling the chokes or the "enrichening" assembly, I stripped everything out. Diaphragms, jets, emulsion tubes - everything.

i'll point out that this past winter i did the same thing I do every year. A complete disassembly and cleaning. As some may note by the '79 rebuild tutorial - I'm thorough! Within three to four fill-ups the problems started. VARNISH ! once cleaned - no problems ! Several weeks ago the issues started again.

So last night, a careful look at the idle-jets revealed the same problem. Two idle-jets were blocked with this"Gas-Candy". What is disappointing is the fact that I treated the last fill-up with "Sea-Foam" ! The previous tank-full was treated with 2oz of lacquer-thinner.
Despite this - VARNISH !
After cleaning the two culprits: Start/no choke and a wonderfully smooth idle ! Got an hour ride in after all.
As anyone will attest - "When they run properly-They run smooth and awesome". When "it's not quite right" -they run like a "Bag-o-Crap"!

For our Canadian members - My fill-ups are at a local ESSO. The "odd" fill-up is at a local "Petro-Canada" station.
Not pissing on either - perse. Just "stating" the two sources.

The progression of the deteriorating idle was noticeable, unmistakable and very "linear". This is reflective of the quick build-up of the varnish in the idles-jets. I'll mention again - only two and both in the same carb. (right) Before the conspiracy theorists start in I'll also mention that the bike is ALWAYS parked on the center-stand (although I've got over-flows on each carb) and the fuel is ALWAYS turned OFF.

The "problem" arises (aside from the crappy gas) from the fact that the idle-jet port is SO tiny ! A fart will plug it !

It seems I can no longer go a full season without two cleanings and by any standard that is completely unacceptable ! I'll be filling elsewhere !
The only aspect of this that is positive; I can remove, tear-down, clean reassemble and reinstall the carbs in 1:20 to 1:30. When I first started doing this years ago - it was almost a full day !

Perhaps this will serve notice to others who are having undefined issues.

Probably can't do too much about the idle -jet port being so small but the gasoline maybe- but it costs.

Over high driving summer months Shell oil has poured huge resources into promoting their new V-power nitro plus. Sebastion Vettel as the Canadian Formula one GP......

"The Shell V-Power Nitro+ race fuel that powers and protects my Scuderia Ferrari car contains 99 per cent of the same types of compounds as the new Shell V-Power NiTRO+ for the road."

In Medicine Hat .AB regular gasoline is $1.10/liter - the V-Power about $1.40
Guaranteed no ethanol.

Might help.

The internet is a wonderful thing. You can ask it anything and it will provide you with an answer, but half the answers are probably wrong, hence the saying "with a grain of salt"
I Googled "ethanol gasoline varnish carb" and stumbled on a site with some interesting info regarding older equipment with carbs and the "new" gasoline with ethanol. It's short and worth a read.
It reinforces what Scotch has seen and helps explain why ethanol gas is worse than the old gas. Also following the post is a response section which members have thrown in info on fuel stabilizers which are designed especially for ethanol gas and which ones they feel are working.

saturdaymechanic.com/ethanol-issues-varn...-the-right-additive/

So if Ethanol is causing us grief, then where do we find ethanol free gasoline? Check out this site for suppliers who sell ethanol free gas.

pure-gas.org/?stateprov=FL

Here in Oregon eight or ten years ago we had a governor by the name of Kulangoski, that's long for Putz. He decided that the citizens of Oregon should pay something forward. In plain words he decided that all our gas should have alcohol in it even though our vehicles would get poorer mileage and be subject to greater fuel system corrosion. Not to mention how much the cost of food would rise. After much bitching and whining he relented, part way, and allowed non alcoholic fuel only if it was high test. Today there's only one business that sells this Boutique fuel in Bend. It costs at least $1.00 a gallon more that the alcoholic crap. Prior to his mucking around in the market place non-alcoholic high test sold for about $0.25 more than regular.
Thanks for Nothing Mr. Kulangoski!

Bill

So are you suggesting Kawboy that the post I recently made is "probably wrong".

tackelhappy wrote: So are you suggesting Kawboy that the post I recently made is "probably wrong".

Hell no , You're on the money!! Shell V power is non ethanol based gasoline according to the list. This ethanol goop is varnish like but different. Varnish gum can be easily handled with a number of different cleaners but this shit that the ethanol makes is more difficult to deal with. Some stabilizers will help but not all stabilizers will deal with it. If you can find a source of non ethanol fuel then use it before you use fuel with ethanol in it.

And lets not forget that a lot of you out there have O-rings in your carbs that are not made of Viton 75 and those orings will absorb the ethanol and start to deteriorate. Then when they dry out they shrink. I've seen the oring on the carb float seat shrink so much that when I removed the clip that holds it in place, the seat fell out of the carb. A seal that loose will pass fuel around the seat and could be a cause for flooding of the carbs.