Stored My NH for the Winter Yesterday, a Couple Questions?

[1986cb450sc]

So I posed a few weeks ago about how I should put my motorcycle away for the winter, and got some good responses. Here is what I did yesterday to put it away. First, I had maybe 1 gallon of gas left in my tank (3.2 total) prior to going to the gas station to fill up. I put the required amount of gas stabilizer in the tank plus a tad more for good measure, rode to the gas station filled to the top and took about a 3-4 mile ride around to get the stabilizer to work in. I did NOT drain the carbs, after lots of research and talking to a bunch of people who feel that draining the carbs will not allow me to get every last drop of gas out and could clog the jets, so I decided to leave the gas in the carb bowls. The second thing I did was take the battery out, and jacked it up the bike so that the tires are off the ground.

So this brings me to my 2 questions. First, was it stupid of me to leave the gas in the carbs? Second, should I have put some motor oil in the sparkplug holes to prevent rust?

[detdrbuzzard]

to both questions no it will not be hibernating that long. some carbs ( like my goldwings ) are more sensitive to having gas left in them, if you have a problem with the carbs from leaving gas in them this winter then drain them next winter

[ExTex]

Sounds OK to me. 
Next spring, when you get ready to ride, add some Sea Foam or other gas additive to the gas tank. That should insure  clean carbs for your 2009 rides.

Don't forget to trickle charge the battery every month for a few hours.

Have a safe winter.
 

[onarian]

I agree with what was said on draining the carbs as many school of thoughts exists. If you use oil, use a premix oil not engine oil and don't go over board with the amount you use, you should only need around a 1 to 2 table spoon. Once you put in, leave the plugs out and put the bike in a gear that allows you to spin the motor to coat the walls and put the plugs back in.  Don't turn the engine over as you have gas in the carbs and will put air/gas mixture in the cylinders. Premix burns better and quicker than engine oil so it wont smoke that much when you get it out for the first time. This process is the standard for jetskiies..
Huff

[onarian]

O,  as it doesn't read right, don't turn the engine over using the starter..

[1986cb450sc]

O,  as it doesn't read right, don't turn the engine over using the starter..

Do i need to "flogg" the cylinders or is it ok to leave them as they are for the few months?

Also how do i turn the engine over without the starter? Do i just put it in gear and turn the rear wheel?

[Hondo]

If it was me, I would add 1/2 of a can of Seafoam to the fuel tank, top it off, and start the bike once a week through the winter.

Let it run for 10 minutes or take a short ride if possible. This will move the fuel through the carbs and allow for a charge of the batteries.

If you can't run it because you have to make the bike inaccessable, then either drain all of the fuel out of the bike or add the Seafoam, run the bike so that it gets into the carbs, and park it.

[onarian]

Do i need to "flogg" the cylinders or is it ok to leave them as they are for the few months?

Not sure of the term flogg.  But if your talking about a fogger that you can get at the auto parts store, using premix almost does the same thing and is cheaper.  Actually you don't need to do this at all but it does help prevent any rust or other related issues.  If the bikes were a 2 stroke then I would say you should do this to protect the main bearings as they don't sit in oil like 4 strokes do.

Also how do i turn the engine over without the starter? Do i just put it in gear and turn the rear wheel?

Put the bike on the center stand, put it in OD and spin the rear tire. Or put the bike in gear and push it.  Depends on how big/strong you are as to the method..   So how big of a boy are ya??  as they say on the comedy shows.. 

Hope this helps!!
Huff

[dantropolis]

Do NOT start the bike until it's out of storage for good. Starting without riding for 25+ miles or so will only create moisture in the crankcase that won't evaporate but will cause rust / goo.
Fuel stabilizer is your friend, run it into the carbs. Store with full stabilized tank.
At the start of the season burn the stabilized fuel asap or drain and add to your car's fuel tank.
Again, do NOT start your bike weekly. That will only create bad oil, fouled plugs, and dead batterys.
Use "Battery Tender" type device at least every three weeks until green light illuminates.

[Jay]

There's doing what is good for your bike, and there is overboard. I picked up a cb750 that had been sitting since 2000. Threw the charger on it, cranked, and it started. Same gas, same oil, same battery. Runs like a champ, you'd never know it other than a few minutes of blowing smoke, that it sat for as long as it did. It was also 15F when I cranked it. It took a few minutes, but did get going. Preventative measures help, but if you do it all and miss one or two things, I wouldn't kill yourself over it.

[green427]

All the other forum threads I've read in the last few years pretty much say the same thing: Do not start the bike during cold weather unless you intend to get the engine oil & exhaust pipes up to normal operating temperature for a little while. There is a bit of moisture in the oil that needs to be evaporated, and all condensation will need to be burned out of the pipes. Most say that it does more damage to do 'brief' starts than to leave the bike untouched.

My previous DL650's owner's manual stated that for long term storage, the fuel tank must be emptied and aired out, any remaining fuel in the system must be purged, battery must be removed, and the crankcase must be filled to the fill hole with fresh oil, and the combustion chambers must be filled with fresh oil as well.

Jay- Your scenario is unusual; most tanks have rusted out after a couple years, and most carbs are so gummed up they need to be rebuilt. I would say you are lucky compared to most folks' stories of barn-finds.

[Maxx]

I know old thread revival...lol.
I was away for a good 6 months due to medical reasons so I'm looking back at what I missed.

Yes not bringing up the bike to operating temps and running for awhile after does invite moisture inside the engine.

Just take a container fill it with ice put lid on and watch the moisture condense of the outside. Same with a bike engine. But in reverse the moisture builds up inside.

But taking that into the equation even burning off the internal moisture still leaves a cooling down engine to draw more moisture in.

Catch 22

[Bumblebee]

Just take a container fill it with ice put lid on and watch the moisture condense of the outside. Same with a bike engine. But in reverse the moisture builds up inside.

But taking that into the equation even burning off the internal moisture still leaves a cooling down engine to draw more moisture in.

Moisture intake while cooling down will be minimal. Try the cold glass of ice water routine with the glass in a milk jug with dry air inside and a 1/2" hole opening to the outside humid world.

The solution is to keep it at running temperature for an hour or so, shut down, then do an oil change after things are cool enough to touch.

[Maxx]

I was stating this for the ones that fire up the bike for awhile during the winter to charge battery or just move the gas through the carb.
I do this every year but don't think the added moisture to the oil (considering that it was fresh oil when put up) will create much acid. And acid is what you worry about for the bearings etc.
I was just bringing up a point to be debated...lol

Also I store my rides in a heated barn.

[Brittles]

do an oil change after things are cool enough to touch.

I like changing my oil when it's scalding hot.........feel like it clears more junk out. Just need to be careful not to burn yourself.

[Bumblebee]

I like changing my oil when it's scalding hot.........feel like it clears more junk out.

Emotionally feels like? Or actually does on a measurable level?

Colder oil is thicker thus it will hold heavier particles in suspension than hot oil will.... A really good engine purge involves a bit more effort than a simple oil/filter change regardlesss of temperature - It's not a procedure you'll find in a typical motorcycle or cage shop manual either.

Just need to be careful not to burn yourself[./quote]

Personally I have a problem with being fire hosed with boiling oil and touching metal parts that are hot enough to cause bodily injury so I avoid that risk..especially when it doesn't give a very significant measurable improvement in storage/run reliability.

[Maxx]

I would think that by the time the oil got cooler the ''Heavier'' items would have sunk to the bottom and not be suspended.
But what do I know...lol

I don't change my oil when it is hot enough to burn me.

[Bumblebee]

I would think that by the time the oil got cooler the ''Heavier'' items would have sunk to the bottom and not be suspended.

But the thicker oil would dredge them out kind of like a glacier moving rocks.

The triple flushing mothballing technique with kerocene would get everything out.

[Maxx]

I would think that by the time the oil got cooler the ''Heavier'' items would have sunk to the bottom and not be suspended.

But the thicker oil would dredge them out kind of like a glacier moving rocks.

The triple flushing mothballing technique with kerocene would get everything out.

I'm not that hardcore...lol

[fishmeister]

When you seafoam the crankcase it runs out like Niagara Falls! Boulders and all...

[Bumblebee]

I'm not that hardcore...lol

Neither am I..unless it's going to be out of service for > 2 years.

When you seafoam the crankcase it runs out like Niagara Falls! Boulders and all...

That's what the kerocene routine does. Fill that puppy up to the eyeballs and drain a few times...and don't forget to flush out the upper oil galleries while you're at it. (Just don't be doing that with an overfull crank case especially if you're silly enough to use the starter to run the oil pump)