Running bad #2

[lnewlf]

So called FJR "misfire" sounds like the expected result of cam timing, lift and duration to me...kind of how a radical high lift Crane made my 340 Mopar sound..

 

[kman09]

One could overlook the lope if it had high lift cam IE 340 Mopar.

The bike only has 22k on it,and has had all maintenance work performed prior too.

Pulled tank and heat shield,no obvious damage,no loose vac-um hoses,no loose wires,and no loose connectors look's good.

Going to pick up some sea-foam later today.

Thanks for the support...

 

[Fred W]

So kman, does yours sound much worse than the one in my video?

If not, you aren't going to fix it cause they all do that.

 

[BikerGeek99]

Outta curiosity, how much water woulda had to of been in that half-tank to make the bike IMMEDIATELY run like shit? Kinda seems to me like you'd need a LOT of water in there in order for this to be such an issue, and wouldn't it take time for the water to find its way from the tank and into the intake?

Just kinda wonderin' if a plug got fouled or something.

 

[Geezer]

I think that the fuel being added would mix readily with the stuff already in the tank, especially while being pumped in at pressure. If it contained water or other contaminants it could show up immediately.

 

[ionbeam]

Gas floats on water; water settles to the bottom of the tank. When dispensed from a pump at any pump rate the two will be mixed with the water in suspension, only with time will water separate out. A gas 'dryer' actually contains alcohol (don't let bust' or odot read this) which rounds up the water and suspends it in solution. Go look at the pump -- 15% alcohol? The gas is already has the water suspended. Time to look at something else...

 

[Geezer]

I remember asking this question a few years back and someone answered, but I didn't quite get it at the time.

Since there is alcohol in most gas these days, and alcohol mixes readily with water, wouldn't there already be water in suspension with the alcohol in most gas? I mean the water that condenses in the tanker trucks and the storage tanks and such. And isn't there a saturation point where too much water overwhelms that alcohol's ability to suspend it all?

 

[SkooterG]

I remember asking this question a few years back and someone answered, but I didn't quite get it at the time.
Since there is alcohol in most gas these days, and alcohol mixes readily with water, wouldn't there already be water in suspension with the alcohol in most gas? I mean the water that condenses in the tanker trucks and the storage tanks and such. And isn't there a saturation point where too much water overwhelms that alcohol's ability to suspend it all?

Well I would think so. Bad gas is bad gas. It does happen. Thought not as often as some would think.

I think mister smarty-pants might be off on this one, but I am sure he will be putting the spank-down on me shortly.

 

[Chuck35]

if it walks like a duck....

 

[kman09]

For those of you who suggested Seafoam, that was the ticket.

Put it in with a half tank of the same gas from fill-up at Chevron.

Rode thru the canyon's with a lot of side to side moves,by the time I

returned home. It's running good and idles perfect.

Plan on repeating the same with full tank of new fuel.

.

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts and ideas,

Kman09

 

[SkooterG]

Glad to hear!

 

[escapefjrtist]

Good deal!

I run a SeaFoam treated tank full through the bike every couple months. Hasn't hurt anything yet...

--G

 

[Mihalis fjr]

It sounds very good!

But what is the ''SeaFoam''??We don't know this here..

 

[RaYzerman19]

I remember asking this question a few years back and someone answered, but I didn't quite get it at the time.
Since there is alcohol in most gas these days, and alcohol mixes readily with water, wouldn't there already be water in suspension with the alcohol in most gas? I mean the water that condenses in the tanker trucks and the storage tanks and such. And isn't there a saturation point where too much water overwhelms that alcohol's ability to suspend it all?

Well I would think so. Bad gas is bad gas. It does happen. Thought not as often as some would think.

I think mister smarty-pants might be off on this one, but I am sure he will be putting the spank-down on me shortly.

I'll spank......... ethanol fuel is prone to "phase separation" meaning the water and the ethanol separate and the water sinks to the bottom. IIRC, around 4% water is the threshold. Usually takes a couple of weeks, and that's why you hear about bikes running poorly if left sitting for a while. But if you filled up at a station where the tanker just left or is still sitting there, you may have instantaneous problems. Etha and Metha alcohols do not dissolve or dissipate water as good as isopropanol, thus, the isopropanol in Seafoam works. The naptha in Seafoam helps dissolve varnishes and buildups in your fuel system, but is a gentle solvent.

I've had water in my fuel a few times, thus carry a bit of Seafoam with me for these occasions.

 

[LAF]

StarTron is the snizzle for water in fuel. I use it and Ring Free at every fill up. Premixed in a Stabil bottle 1 oz treats my gas with StarTron and RingFree. I have used many products including SeaFoam and Stabill Marine and IMHO StarTron is the best for water, Ring Free for Carbon and Varnish.

 

[kman09]

All good things to know. I will be using Seafoam at least once a month or more depending my riding habits IE miles.

So glad it wasn't anything major!

Going to put all this info., in my FJRforum folder.

Thanks to SkooterG and the rest of you for your input.

Ride safe all........

 

[BikerGeek99]

Interesting.

Among the various motorcycle forums I peruse, among all the "suddenly running like shit" threads, this is the first one where the cause actually was bad gas.

kman - glad yer running smooth again.

And speaking of bad gas... This one time, my wife bought this organic cat food for one of the kittehs. You wanna talk aboot bad gas... That cat could clear a room like NObody's business. Seriously.

 

[SkooterG]

I remember asking this question a few years back and someone answered, but I didn't quite get it at the time.
Since there is alcohol in most gas these days, and alcohol mixes readily with water, wouldn't there already be water in suspension with the alcohol in most gas? I mean the water that condenses in the tanker trucks and the storage tanks and such. And isn't there a saturation point where too much water overwhelms that alcohol's ability to suspend it all?

Well I would think so. Bad gas is bad gas. It does happen. Thought not as often as some would think.

I think mister smarty-pants might be off on this one, but I am sure he will be putting the spank-down on me shortly.

I'll spank......... ethanol fuel is prone to "phase separation" meaning the water and the ethanol separate and the water sinks to the bottom. IIRC, around 4% water is the threshold. Usually takes a couple of weeks, and that's why you hear about bikes running poorly if left sitting for a while. But if you filled up at a station where the tanker just left or is still sitting there, you may have instantaneous problems. Etha and Metha alcohols do not dissolve or dissipate water as good as isopropanol, thus, the isopropanol in Seafoam works. The naptha in Seafoam helps dissolve varnishes and buildups in your fuel system, but is a gentle solvent.

I've had water in my fuel a few times, thus carry a bit of Seafoam with me for these occasions.

Yeah, I get that. So what if the fuel in the station's tank has been sitting there for a while and has already separated? And I can imagine other scenarios that could cause issues - like putting the wrong fuel in the wrong tank - mixing diesel with gasoline, mixing E85 with normal blends.

I know it's rare, but 20 years ago I had a 'bad gas' episode with a car, and I know a local guy who had a 'bad gas' episode not too long ago with this brand new K1600GT where it had to be towed.

 

[Spud]

I once got a letter from my car insurance company with tips on gas. They said if you pull up at a station and the tanker trunk is re-upping the fuel tanks, go somewhere else as it stirs shit up from the bottom of the tanks and you're more likely to have shit in the gas. Don't know if it's true, but I've passed on some gas stations before after reading that.....

 

[odot]

Gas stations don't have filters that the gas runs through. Just a sump pump that pumps the gas from the bottom of their tanks and into your car/skoot/moped device. You are always getting the bottom of the barrel.