I hope this goes in the Service section.


Two tanks ago I had taken a long day ride to visit some friends. In the evening I filled up the tank, and immediately the bike began riding rough, but it was more than rough. The bike hesitates, hiccups, stalls, chokes itself and various other nasty things such as get 75% of the normal gas mileage.

I've ridden through most of that tank and filled it up again. Towards the end of the first tank it appeared to be running better, but after filling it it got worse.

One thing that has gone away is the choking. Before, when I gave it gas, it might actually slow down. That happened to me once in my old truck when there was water in the fuel filter. But Vstroms don't have fuel filters - and that has gone away.

Now, if not warming up or twisted throttle the bike stalls very quickly. I'm getting towards the bottom of the second tank. Should I just empty it? How will I know if the bad stuff is gone? How can I drain it?

Any other advice? This has become very annoying, and I'd like to get my old bike back.

Thanks in advance.

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All Bikes _ / _ The Wee

Check the boots on your throttle bodies...

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2007 Aprilia Tuono (black) 20k
2005 Suzuki V-strom (black) 53k, still going...

notice a trend?

Yes they do.

Try some fuel injector cleaner.

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DL1000K6

There is a two stage fuel filter in the tank. It's part of the fuel pump.

I've been through a couple of tanks of bad gas in the last half dozen years. The best fix is to drain the tank. That's what I did the second time. The first time I bulled my way through it like you are doing.

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-Tom (DL650AL2) (KA1TOX) (E-I-E-I-O)

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Dump some Sea Foam in with some fresh gas and ride it. The stuff is magic.

I've considered that, but will it actually help? What does Sea Foam do?

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All Bikes _ / _ The Wee

I'd recommend that you drain as much fuel from the tank as possible.
How?
Siphon, pump, etc.
Add 1/2 a bottle of Seafoam and fill with good, fresh unleaded gas from a reputable station.
Run it, and repeat.

What does Seafoam do?
See the post just before you asked that question.
Of course, it's not really MAGIC, but it sure seems like it.





.

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L2V -- she's a stocker!

I'm out of town until next Monday. I'll drain the tank and put in some seafoam when I get back.

What's the best way to drain it? Turn it over? Doesn't it have an electric fuel pump? Last time I took the tank off very little gas came out.

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All Bikes _ / _ The Wee

Sure sounds like water in the gas. You might try some HEET or similar water-remover (the maker claims that "Iso-HEET" is better). Many of the fuel treatments remove some water from the fuel system, but HEET-type products take out more water and probably do less of the other good stuff. Actually, they emulsify the water so it goes through the engine in such small droplets that there's enough gas in the mix for the engine to keep running. When that tank of water & gas is gone, refill with good gas.

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Rooster today
Feather duster tomorrow

One of the claims of Sea Foam is that it is a gas dryer. I would add it now and let it sit while you're gone and just ride it. I've had Sea Foam work wonders on bikes with old gas and gummed carbs...at the same time. It doesn't work instantly but it does work.

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06 DL-650 Wee-Twin Baby!!
86 XL-600R Old School Adventure!
74 XL-100