Bad fuel or what?

mdbauer62

Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2007
Messages
185
Location
South Lyon, Michigan
I ride a bone stock 02 Viper ER, my buddy rides a stock 01 SXR 600. We have ridden together for years, and the sleds are kept at his place. We both take good care of the sleds and store them well, and only use premuim fuel. We both pull our carbs after season and drain bowls, and the fuel system.

Welll this year we both had trouble with sleds not running quite right, and dropping cyinders at idle. Also loss of performance on top end.

We found what we think is the trouble. When we pulled our carbs, we both found what looked like (for lack of a better word) a booger in at least one of the jets. I have attached a picture of my carb (notice they are VERY clean) and circled the jet I found the booger in. I think it is the pilot jet. It was the clutch side cylinder. The other two carbs looked good.

The engine seem to run OK at speed but idled poorly and didn't have good low end.

Is it bad fuel? Seeing lots of burned engines this year...
Note: We fueled up seperately....
 

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  • Carb goo.JPG
    Carb goo.JPG
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yes thats bad fuel crapinal (ethinal) is culprit must drain whole system totally even tank dry dont leave any fuel in tank at all and start over, do you leave fuel in tank over summer with lottery juice(stabil) in it? if you do dont ! on last tank of the year run sea foam in it siphion it out of tank run until dies make sure there is no fuel in tank and fog how ever you do
 
No we drain the fuel system completely, and I leave the cap off the tank for a day or two in the spring with a thin rag over it let it evaporate dry. Never sure when we'll get back up and I don't really trust stabil. Draining the carbs and tank has always been my policy......

Is Seafoam OK in a Viper? If so how much? The can has different directions for 2-stroke and 4-stroke, and I'm a little afraid of fuel additives in a 2-stroke. I use it in my 1980 Goldwing and it is a lifesaver !!
 
I had the same problem, lost the cylinder close to the clutch , thought it was a coil but took the carbs off and had more of the same white gooish , weird , cause enough problems , she runs good now but it was the pilot jet clogged. I want to let you know your not alone . Ive had to clean the carbs twice this year .
 
we havent had any problems here in MI by me with gas,i run all 89 cleaned carbs in the fall and so far so good. :dunno:
 
The supposed bad gas would have come from pumps in Kalkaska, Gaylord, or Atlanta MI. We rode all three areas in 2 weekends and the problem popped up somewhere in between on both sleds. Could it have been moisture? No...it would have melted in the heated garage when I pulled the cabs....

Oh well. I drained the entire fuel system, dropped the carb bowls, and emptied the fuel pump. Hopefully it doesn't come back....

Thanks for all the comments !!!!!
 
I'm in northern mn and I have not had any problems with gas or dirty carbs yet in 4 years with my srx.....I do clean the carbs as a precaution but have never had a problem. I also only run good high octane gas that is used often. I also never really winterize my sled. In the summer run it once every month or two to prevent gas problems. I will even run the old gas from last year...but i am jetted real rich and I ride it very gingerly for the first tank of the year!!!!!!!!!I have done this so far and haven't run into trouble. I always let is warm up and run for a long period of time:) I NEVER use stabil....I hate the stuff but I do use seafoam on my motorcycles and trucks and other engines and the stuff is great!!!!!!!Good luck.......
 
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It sounds like you got some water in your gas, when it mixed with the oil it turned to white slim in your carbs.... run some dry gas thru your system.. it should clear it up!
 
It is a good idea to clean the carbs every year before starting them up. Sea Foam is great stuff for these engines, but if they aren't cleaned that is exactly where the junk gets lodged (pilot jet). That said Sea Foam likely would have dissolved water based goo.

Do you drain your carb bowls every year? If you don't, the gas will evaporate and any junk left will stay in there. If you drain them, a lot of the junk will come out with the gas.
 


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