Petrol shelf life
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Petrol shelf life
In recent years I have bought and sold a few cylinder lawnmowers. I know it's got nothing to do with AJS or Matchless but please bear with me!
I refurbish them for resale.
The first thing I do when I get a non runner (most of them), is to drain the fuel and strip the carb. Nine times out of ten the reason they don't work is when people lay them up over Winter without draining the petrol. The petrol goes off and the carb generally is gummed up and corroded.
A couple of years ago I purchased one which had been run from new on Aspen 4 Alkalyte lawnmower petrol. The mower was over 15 years old.
I stripped the carb and it was spotless inside and out, almost like new, with no corrosion. The jet wasn't blocked and even the O rings were soft and malleable.
Since them I have run my lawnmowers and strimmer on this. I never have had a problem with non starting after over a year between seasons, even though I never drain them.
It has a shelf life of 5 years,as it is ethanol and benzene free.
There are other brands, Viking for example.
I know it's about £20 for 5 litres and it'd be far too expensive to run on it, but it'd save hassle of having to strip a laid up motorcycle after the Winter. Just add a drop and run it before you hibernate. Modern petrol goes off so quickly.
Just a thought.
I refurbish them for resale.
The first thing I do when I get a non runner (most of them), is to drain the fuel and strip the carb. Nine times out of ten the reason they don't work is when people lay them up over Winter without draining the petrol. The petrol goes off and the carb generally is gummed up and corroded.
A couple of years ago I purchased one which had been run from new on Aspen 4 Alkalyte lawnmower petrol. The mower was over 15 years old.
I stripped the carb and it was spotless inside and out, almost like new, with no corrosion. The jet wasn't blocked and even the O rings were soft and malleable.
Since them I have run my lawnmowers and strimmer on this. I never have had a problem with non starting after over a year between seasons, even though I never drain them.
It has a shelf life of 5 years,as it is ethanol and benzene free.
There are other brands, Viking for example.
I know it's about £20 for 5 litres and it'd be far too expensive to run on it, but it'd save hassle of having to strip a laid up motorcycle after the Winter. Just add a drop and run it before you hibernate. Modern petrol goes off so quickly.
Just a thought.
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Re: Petrol shelf life
Hi
The subject of fuel 'going off' seems to come up quite a lot but it's something I've yet to experience. I have quite a selection of petrol powered machinery, two and four stroke, kept in an unheated garage and only used seasonally, it all starts easily after the 5 month winter lay up despite the fact that I don't take any precautions and use basic supermarket fuel.
I wonder why some have issues and others not.
Regards Mick
The subject of fuel 'going off' seems to come up quite a lot but it's something I've yet to experience. I have quite a selection of petrol powered machinery, two and four stroke, kept in an unheated garage and only used seasonally, it all starts easily after the 5 month winter lay up despite the fact that I don't take any precautions and use basic supermarket fuel.
I wonder why some have issues and others not.
Regards Mick
- Rob Harknett
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Re: Petrol shelf life
Same here Mick. Perhaps after some 5 years unused. Just make sure points and plug OK, Give the bike a shake to mix petrol, give the carb a good flooding. Bike starts. Unless the plug oils up and I need to drain sumped oil. I do use additive in petrol. Also my dirty old engines must be quite lead friendly.Mick D wrote:Hi
The subject of fuel 'going off' seems to come up quite a lot but it's something I've yet to experience. I have quite a selection of petrol powered machinery, two and four stroke, kept in an unheated garage and only used seasonally, it all starts easily after the 5 month winter lay up despite the fact that I don't take any precautions and use basic supermarket fuel.
I wonder why some have issues and others not.
Regards Mick
- ajscomboman
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- Location: HAMPSHIRE UK
Re: Petrol shelf life
Only time I have issues with petrol failing to fire up a bike easily is on the high comp motors. My standard twins and low comp singles are fine firing up readily but the high comp CS's and CSR take a few more hefty swings to get them fired and I need to flood a lot more fuel through to get them to think about firing. That's despite being in a fully insulated/heated garage!
- Peter Morris
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Re: Petrol shelf life
My G15CS suffers stale petrol problems.
I filled it with several months old petrol from a can I had lying around, it popped through the carbs and wouldn't tick over. I drained the tank and filled it with fresh petrol and all was fine. Maybe it is as Rob says.... a high C.R. thing.
I filled it with several months old petrol from a can I had lying around, it popped through the carbs and wouldn't tick over. I drained the tank and filled it with fresh petrol and all was fine. Maybe it is as Rob says.... a high C.R. thing.
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Re: Petrol shelf life
I've fortunately not had a problem with stale petrol. It's usually something else.
I do try to leave the tank as full as can be if I won't be riding for a while.
Johnny B
I do try to leave the tank as full as can be if I won't be riding for a while.
Johnny B
- Rob Harknett
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Re: Petrol shelf life
Car I had suffered from pinking when 100 / 101 octane fuel was dropped years ago. Nothing much I could do to cure that. Later models the manufacturers de tuned them to run OK on 97 / 98. So if anyone happens to have a circa 1988 Reliant and wonder why it Pinks, check the rocker box cover. If it's Red it has highly tuned carb / engine. If Yellow it should run OK on 97.
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Re: Petrol shelf life
I think it's great if you don't have problems leaving old petrol in.
My main point is the carb looked like new when the mower was run on the Aspen-no crud, moisture or corrosion.
My main point is the carb looked like new when the mower was run on the Aspen-no crud, moisture or corrosion.
- spookefoote1956
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Re: Petrol shelf life
I find it best to store it in a can as it just drips off the shelf.
Hail Joe Lucas ............ Prince of Darkness!
All my bikes are original........ to me!
"Creativity is your intelligence having fun" Albert Einstein
All my bikes are original........ to me!
"Creativity is your intelligence having fun" Albert Einstein
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Re: Petrol shelf life
spookefoote1956 wrote:I find it best to store it in a can as it just drips off the shelf.