Gas Problem

[jeff_connors]

I have an 04 Rebel that has been sitting for about 3 years. I noticed it started leaking fuel from one of the drain lines. I put a new battery on it and it started right up but will only stay running with the choke on a little. With the choke off, it dies. It probably is a from letting gas sit in it. Should I put some new gas in it and cleaner and run it? Or take the carburetor off and clean it out? Thanks


Jeff

[Guba]

Sitting for three years with the same gas. The gasoline is bad. I'm surprised you got it to run on it. I wouldn't run the engine on it any more though. Drain the tank and refill with fresh gas, but don't fill it all the way in case you have to drain it again. And definately run some carb cleaner through it.

[windy rebel]

as a minimum remove and clean the bowl

also drian old gas, and flush entire system with clean fuel

[Big_J]

You need to remove the carb and clean everything, the diaphram, the jets/needles and the bowl. if you clean the bowl and the jets have crud in them you will be doing it again, so might as well go ahead and do it all at once. Its a comon problem on any bike that sits, but its an easy fix.

[Guba]

Isn't the carb cleaner supposed to do all that? Thats my understanding anyway. What exactly doesn't the carb cleaner get rid of? When you clean the parts what do you use?

[Big_J]

the jets in the carb have holes that cross through the length of them, the only way to really clean them is to take apart and clean piece by piece. the carb cleaners on the counter just are not strong enough to take care of the problem.

[Guba]

So now my question is, If I add Sta-bil (I think thats how its spelled) to my gas, how long would the gas be good for? Last year I rode the bike for the last time in the beginning of November and started to ride it again in April. Is that a long enough time that I have to use "sta-bil", or should I not worry about it?

[Big_J]

It should say on the bottle how long it will keep the gas good based on the amount of gas being treated and the amount of sta-bil being added. If not it could probably be found on their website. I have not used any stabilizers in anything I own so I am unfamiliar with them.