Best way to store a car over winter?

UsernameAlreadyExists

forgotmyname wrote: »

If its got an electric fuel pump let that run for a bit to help flush the old fuel out. Even if it only runs for a few seconds. Switch off and let the pressure drop then repeat.

Huh? where's the fuel going to go then?

Strider590

Dont need to run the car at all, just put the battery on a maintenance charger. In fact all you'll do by running it at idle for a few mins, is push fuel into the cylinders, wash away the oil around the pistons and contaminate the oil.

Get all the fuel out if the tank, stick in your daily runner, the fuel is a major issue. I've just removed a load of water from inside a pair of Weber carburetors on my kitcar, the fuel was 2 months old, the carbs fully stripped and rebuilt earlier this year and I knew nothing about E5 fuel until recently.

UsernameAlreadyExists

What is all this nonsense about fuel? I've had the same tank of cheap supermarket (mozzers) crap sat in an old Fireblade in my garage for about 5 years now. I've started it up about every 6 months or less and it's absolutely fine. It's sat on an Optimate trickle charger and I 100% "expect" it to start (and it does) faultlessly every time. This is an old carb'd one (not injected).

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If you look at e228, the spec for UK pump petrol, you will find that it can be contaminated with upto 5% ethanol (and 3% methanol, 10% IPA, 10% IBA, 7%TBA, 15% ethers and 10% "other oxygenates"- I don't think there has to be much actual petrol in there really) this is done to pacify the tree huggers, and to raise the octane rating.

In The Olden Days, you could buy Cleveland Discol to put in your 3.8 MK2 Jag which was an octane boosted alcohol blend: it never hurt my late fathers car (was like Triggers broom that car, over 250,000 miles on 2 engines, 3 gearboxes, 2 back axles and about 1/2 a tonne of weld).

Anyway, fuel does seperate, it used to gum up the carb jets (tip- get some Profi Fuel Max if this happens, it really does clean the jets whilst running, in fact it is the only magic fluid in a can that I have found to do what it claims in nearly 40 years of motoring). If you strip the carbs, frequenly the bottom is stained as if you have had water in the fuel- I thought that this got in when you filled the tank in the rain, or through the cap (despite the "waterproof" filter at the fuel tap), now I'm not so sure. If you get enough water in the carbs, the engine won't run slowly, as water won't come out of the jets, which is why dropping the fuel in the float chambers "to get fresh fuel in" frequently fixes running problems after storage. I wonder if the profi is really anhydrous methanol, and it is picking up the water in the fuel and allowing it to burn?

Maybe your 5 year old petrol (I bet it is bright yellow by now) was well down on the alcohol content.

I always used to drain the carbs before storage, now I cant get at the screws without stripping the 'bike, so I don't bother.

Strider590

^^ I didn't say it wouldn't start.

Phase separaration is a FACT, the fuel on the top layer will have a very low octane rating, making it unstable. It'll start, but your ignition will have to retard massively to compensate. That's provided you don't have high compression ratios, else Itll just misfire like a b*tch when you try to give it some beans (under load, not standing still).

UsernameAlreadyExists

I'll have a look next time to see if it's yellow and report back (it's stored elsewhere). Re injectors ... I had to clean up some in an old Merc that had failed an MOT on emissions. The ends were clagged up with oily/slimy gunk which was interfering with the spray. Ironically I cleaned them with crap petrol (and a pin).

Strider590 wrote: »

^^ I didn't say it wouldn't start.
... Itll just misfire like a b*tch when you try to give it some beans (under load, not standing still).

Fair point, I haven't actually tested it. I've just run it up to temp for a while each time.

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Strider590 wrote: »

the fuel on the top layer will have a very low octane rating

As they added ethanol to raise it in the first place

Strider590 wrote: »

Itll just misfire like a b*tch when you try to give it some beans (under load, not standing still).

Exactly what I experience after the winter: light throttle no problem , try to pull away and it won't go, I find that the profi helped a lot, then after a couple of tankfuls of fresh fuel I'm running sweet again.

In The Olden Days it was gum literally that blocked the jets. took some soaking out with thinners or whatever solvent you could get.