Dealership soapbox rant. Non-aviation. Motorcycle

[Mcstealth]

Took my dad's 2003 Harley Davidson trike to the dealership. Every once in a while, I start it up to blow the cobwebs out so it won't stagnate till it's time to sell it. Long story short, it stopped starting. I fussed over it for a while and assumed no fuel pressure. Not wanting to deal with it, I took it to the dealership. They confirmed no pressure. Only 4000 miles on this bike. They stated that both injectors were bad and that you can not clean HD injectors. 4000 miles only. Did I mention that? New pump, New injectors, New 'Y' tube? and fuel filter kit. Oil and filter change, brake bleed and flush. $800 parts. $800 labor. 

I just shake my head first at my laziness, and then at the cost of goods and labor at a dealership. 

I guess I'm kicked out of the CB club....

[N201MKTurbo]

I’ve noticed that modern auto fuel systems don’t like to sit unused. The fuel turns to crud and plugs everything up. I had it happen on the father in laws bass boat and my wife’s scooter. I was able to resolve both of them, but a lot of work.

[Z W]

I buy ethanol-free premium gas and add fuel stabilizer to it for everything that doesn't run every day.  Boat, jet ski, snow blower, chainsaws, old jeep.  Necessary these days and way cheaper than replacing fuel system parts. 

The ethanol-flavored stuff is sold with the idea that it will be used shortly after sale and can turn to green goo in carburetors and other fuel systems if it's not.  Fuel lines and other components manufactured prior to somewhere around the year 2000 may not even be compatible with ethanol and can dissolve.  In a 2004 bike I doubt you'll have that problem though.

100LL works too by the way.  No stabilizer required.  Supposedly can lead to lead deposits on your plugs and in small engines but I've never seen it.

[Hank]

5 hours ago, N201MKTurbo said:

I’ve noticed that modern auto fuel systems don’t like to sit unused. The fuel turns to crud and plugs everything up. I had it happen on the father in laws bass boat and my wife’s scooter. I was able to resolve both of them, but a lot of work.

How do you dispose of the old fuel? I have this old boat . . .

[N201MKTurbo]

3 minutes ago, Hank said:

How do you dispose of the old fuel? I have this old boat . . .

I started putting some of it in the truck, 5 gal in a full tank, but it made the truck run bad, so I finally took it to the city hazardous wast disposal day. They have them 3 or 4 times a year.

[Pinecone]

If there is a race track nearby, there are ethanol free race gas also.  It lasts much better than the normal pump gas

 

[M20F]

Given it is a 2003 I am surprised they even agreed to look at it.  

[EricJ]

As mentioned, automotive fuel goes bad after a while and turns to goo or varnish.   It'll kill injectors and fuel pumps and carburetors and other things.    Been there many times with vehicles or engines (e.g., lawnmowers) that sat too long.   Cars rescued from junkyards with the tank intact or barn finds usually have to have the tank cleaned out, which is a very nasty process (BTDT).

As far as what to do with old gas, burning it in a non-fussy motor like an old generator or lawnmower, or some folks use it as weed sprayer.    At our airport we have recycle stations for tires, batteries, oil and "solvents", and often old or contaminated gas finds its way into the solvents tank.

 

[GeeBee]

Most marinas unless prohibited by state law sell "Rec 90" which is 90 octane no ethanol. If you got a nearby lake, give them a call.

 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, M20F said:

Given it is a 2003 I am surprised they even agreed to look at it.  

I was going to say, be thankful they had parts and people to do the work.

[Fly Boomer]

2 hours ago, GeeBee said:

Most marinas unless prohibited by state law sell "Rec 90" which is 90 octane no ethanol. If you got a nearby lake, give them a call.

Half the gas stations around here sell 87 octane with zero ethanol.

[Shadrach]

11 hours ago, Z W said:

I buy ethanol-free premium gas and add fuel stabilizer to it for everything that doesn't run every day.  Boat, jet ski, snow blower, chainsaws, old jeep.  Necessary these days and way cheaper than replacing fuel system parts. 

The ethanol-flavored stuff is sold with the idea that it will be used shortly after sale and can turn to green goo in carburetors and other fuel systems if it's not.  Fuel lines and other components manufactured prior to somewhere around the year 2000 may not even be compatible with ethanol and can dissolve.  In a 2004 bike I doubt you'll have that problem though.

100LL works too by the way.  No stabilizer required.  Supposedly can lead to lead deposits on your plugs and in small engines but I've never seen it.

Buying high octane fuel for vehicles that don’t need it is silly. The extra expense is not hard to stomach it’s the feeling like I am doing something dumb that I don’t like.  Ethanol free is indeed the way to go if you can get it.  If you can’t, separating the alcohol out from small engine quantities is not hard but is a PITA.

[GeeBee]

33 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Half the gas stations around here sell 87 octane with zero ethanol.

Yes, we have that too but a lot of marine engines (like mine) require 89 minimum. Hence REC 90. It is all I use in all my off road equipment. Some gas stations near my lake have REC 90 instead of 87 non-ethanol as well, mostly Valero. 

 

[Z W]

Yeah I would buy low-octane ethanol-free gas if anyone sold it around here.  Premium is just the only option without ethanol near me.

[Shadrach]

4 minutes ago, Z W said:

Yeah I would buy low-octane ethanol-free gas if anyone sold it around here.  Premium is just the only option without ethanol near me.

Interesting. All of the ethanol free gas in our area is low octane unless you buy racing fuel which is at least double the price.

[LANCECASPER]

A good website to fine ethanol-free gas:

https://www.pure-gas.org

[M20F]

If it’s a toy and you want power E85 is the way to go.

[A64Pilot]

Ref car gas going bad, I’ve stored my Wife’s CTS-V for years at a time, it’s a sealed fuel system, that is no air interface except what’s in the tank, I do use STA-BIL and think that helps, it’s the carbureted engines that get gummed up bad as the fuel can evaporate and does turn to varnish.

Put car gas in my 140 all the time, it will go bad in it because the fuel caps are vented, and it’s carbureted.