What about 2 season old fuel?
- Thread starter bobt
- Start date
That’s a very good question! I pumped mine out one year put fresh in over summer not a believer of pumping dry. Used the old gas in car that took regular never missed a beat. I’m looking for an easier solution to pumping if I can’t use it up for an injected turbo 4s.
I find it very disheartening that this topic came up in the 1st week of February! My son and I got about 80 miles in this year - in Illinois! We had a good amount of snow about the same time the UP did. Couldn't get away when the UP got it, so we ran the Hennepin Canal trails where we only saw about 6 other sleds all day.
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mezz
Well-known member
For peace of mind, I would pump it out & put fresh in. I use a cordless pump called a Turbo Pump (As seen on TV). It runs on 3 AA batteries, it works great, for 19.99 well worth it, I've got 2 of them, one I use strictly for gas, I use it to transfer the fuel from my 6 gal cans to my sxs, riding mower & push mower. The other I use to transfer fuel oil into my shop tank.
DRAIN IT OUT!!!! I will never understand the hard on about e-free fuel, treat the non e-free fuel properly and no issues. We get people in my shop who bring their stuff in for service and it wont start and the first thing out of their mouth is its the "Good fuel" or "I go to Walworth for my gas" or "its e-free premium" and then when they come in and pick it up they are in disbelief when the repair required cleaning the carburetor because of stale or gummed up fuel. I'm not going to get into this one with everyone, best advice I can give you seeing what gas and yes... even the e-free gas gets like when it sits.... DRAIN IT OUT!!!!! me??......I don't waste my time seeking out the e-free fuel and I have no issues, never have. and I wont use sta-bil anything or the old "mechanic in a can" ... seafoam either. Cold weather degration of fuel is slow, its the storage over the warm months you need to be concerned with
Totally agree i don't use any of them gas treatments and i've been burned by them in the past. Everything gets drained at the end of season or run dry. Been doing this for 10 plus years and haven't had an issue.
bobt I am not hear to argue with anyone. It's not a good idea to store gas of any kind whatsoever. This as the gasoline we have today, falls out of specs very rapidly, short shelf life. No matter what kind, grade, E-gas, or straight gas. I don't like Sta-Bil, of any kinds. If you are positively sure you don't have E-gas, Seafoam will stabilize, and keep you carbs, fuel system clean for short periods, but not years. I use either Star Tron, or K-100, and with excellent results. They will work longer term, and both are designed for E-gas, and the Phase Separation issue. I don't trust the labels on whatever the gas is, contains what, or how much. Storing gas if you have to takes good management, or you'll have issues. Although it can be done. K-100 is also a Octane Boost, which I would use after a engine has been stored unused for longer periods. Now, some of the new high tech injection systems should not be stored completely dry either. Hope this helps, and good luck.
Start mine every 2-3 weeks bringing them to full operating temp, all coolers hot, all year around and haven’t had any issues since 2014 when I started doing that with fuel injection. I start them half full of gas in early spring after the last ride and add a gallon or two until full and run them when we get snow. Now I don’t pin it to the bar on the first ride until I can top off a few gallons, but knock on wood, no fuel issues.
To add, I have 7800+, 11,600+, and had the third sled rebuilt at 12,400, now with over 14,000. I do add a splash of fuel injector cleaner every 3-4 fills, but nothing else.
To add, I have 7800+, 11,600+, and had the third sled rebuilt at 12,400, now with over 14,000. I do add a splash of fuel injector cleaner every 3-4 fills, but nothing else.
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indy_500
Well-known member
Run tank below 1/4 or siphon to that point, add star tron, and off to storage… when I pull out in the fall, fill up with ~5 gallons of fresh premium before the the first startup. Add another ~5 gallons on the day of the first ride. Been doing this ~15 years without a fuel related problem. You’ll get TONS of different advice on this topic. Moral of the story, doing something preventatively is better than nothing.
Bob, bring it over to my place, I'll "dispose" of it for you...in my Ford!
Bob, bring it over to my place, I'll "dispose" of it for you...in my Ford!
goofy600
Well-known member
I buy 250ish gallons premium every December use it all winter and most of the summer in the boats and utv, fill the boats full and use the red stabil. Sleds drain most of the fuel put in a little red stabil and call it good. Have not had any problems so yes many different ways to do it. My couple sleds that have been run this year I will probably drain as much as possible refill with newer gas and run till warm and put away again.
dfattack
Well-known member
That's funny. I actually do this at the end of each season. After boat season I drain the tanks in my boats right into my vehicles. I let my truck run down to around a 1/4 tank and pump it right into the truck and use it up. Every time I fill up my boats I add sea foam so I know the gas isn't bad. I also carry a can of sea foam in the sled on the last day of the season and add it to the last tank. Like Indy I let it run down at least a 1/4 or below and that's it until next season. top off with fresh and we are good to go. No issues.Bob, bring it over to my place, I'll "dispose" of it for you...in my Ford!
Euphoric is spot on. After being a small engine tech myself for years, probably cleaned thousands of carbs..I never clean my own, don't have to.
even on fuel injected sleds, there is a small amount of fuel stored in the injector when you shut the engine off, the fuel will break down inside the injector during the long summer heat..store your sled outside in an enclosed trailer in the sun...oh boy, that's an accelerant for fuel to break down.
To each there own. I will clean other peoples carbs, but it ain't free
even on fuel injected sleds, there is a small amount of fuel stored in the injector when you shut the engine off, the fuel will break down inside the injector during the long summer heat..store your sled outside in an enclosed trailer in the sun...oh boy, that's an accelerant for fuel to break down.
To each there own. I will clean other peoples carbs, but it ain't free
toddspolaris
Member
Not to get in an argument, but even colder months fuel will varnish up... And the hard on about NON ethanol fuel is that when it does dry up in a small carb like on a chainsaw it won't leave the dried ethanol in the small fuel holes in the carb, thus needing to replace the carb. And I know for fact that all my chainsaws run much better on the Rec fuel,,, And yes the Rec fuel degrades just as fast....ALL Fuel looses octane after 30 days and keeps doing so. A completely sealed container is better but obviously fuel tanks on sleds and power equip are vented, thus allowing fuel to degrade faster or even attracting moisture from the air..., Thats why I like the Rec fuel as it doesn't have ethanol in it to attract moisture
toddspolaris
Member
Careful, I just had a fellow doing the same thing all last summer and he scored a piston, He got it to hot during the summer months. remember these sleds cool with snow onto the heat exchangers..
If you are absolutely positive there is no E-gas whatsoever in what you are treating, SeaFoam is great. If you're not sure of no E-gas use StarTron, or K-100. Both have longer term stabilizing capabilities, and prevent phase separation with E-gas. My marine dealer is adamant about this.