Been Sitting - Clean or work on?!?!

[Kanatana]

I just bought a 2001 Katana. It is mint condition EXCEPT it has not been cranked in 2 or 3 years. I put in new plugs, oil, and gas. I can crank it with the throttle (now) and can drive it (now) but it still will not idle on its on. While riding, you have to keep the rpm's above 2000 or wit will go dead. When I first got it, it ran really rough. I have put a little more than a can of SeaFoam in it and have been riding it up and down my neighborhood to run it through the carbs(which Im sure the neighbors are loving...). I have held it steady at diff rpm's and also opened the carbs all the way up at times to let it work through. It has gotten much better but still will not idle on its own and must use the choke to crank it at times.

Should I keep running SeaFoam thru it or just get the carbs cleaned??? or is there something else someone can suggest??

Thanks in advance..

[RossW]

I'd pull off the carbs and give them a good run-through. It's pretty easy and if nothing else it's good peace of mind. Also make sure there's no rust in the tank.

[ITS_NOT_A_KNIFE]

did you maybe try adjusting the idle? i second the carb cleaning? also from sitting those little holes by the butterflies could be clogged, that would cause an idle issue

[Mikey Dank]

If the bike was sitting that long without being started i can almost guarantee your pilot jets are clogged, causing your bike not to idle. pull the carbs and pilot jets and spray the crap out of them with carb cleaner, should fix your problem.

[Wild-Bill]

Like they said...

I let my Kat sit for about 4 months and that was enough to almost clog one of the main jets and completely clog the pilot jets. 2-3 years can't be any kinder to a bike. Once the pilots are completely stopped up the SeaFoam can't get through them to clean anything out. You're going to have to open those carbs up and do it the hard way. Take a good, hard look at all the o-rings, too. Sitting dry isn't good for them. Any that have cracks or have hardened up on you will give you a vacuum leak and there goes your idle again! Just me but I'd rather pull the carbs once than twice...

[Goblin414]

I have a 93 750 that I bought in 2004 with 7,600 mi on it so it had been sitting for quite some time. I had the same problem. I needed to clean the carbs ans I just replaced the jetswith stage 1's and every thing ran great once I got the carbs sinced.

[The CyberPoet]

I've always found Techron was better than seafoam for such situations (i.e. - primarily dried fuel residues); for something that hasn't run in a year and won't idle well, it typically takes me a tank to get it to idle and a second tank to clear out the remains... BUT if it's that bad, cleaning the pilot jets manually is really called for (and a lot faster). If you get them out and find you need new pilot jet screws/spring/seals for your 98+, drop me a PM...

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

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[Kanatana]

Thanks for all the insight. I failed to mention that I went completely through Carbs 101 and decided Im not up for that task. As always, a simple fix is always preferred but I guess Im going to have to go ahead and have the carbs pulled and cleaned. Since the local shop isnt that much, I think it will be worth it in the long run to know they are completely clean and ready for the riding season.

This forum is a great wealth of information. Thanks to all.

[Kanatana]

Well I took everyones advice and had them pulled, cleaned, and re-sync'd. Good thing I did. They said that they were so bad that they had to put them in the vat twice to get them clean....YUK!

So now it runs great ! Full of spunk and spirit !

[The CyberPoet]

Well I took everyones advice and had them pulled, cleaned, and re-sync'd. Good thing I did. They said that they were so bad that they had to put them in the vat twice to get them clean....YUK!

So now it runs great ! Full of spunk and spirit !

Do yourself a favor and stick to high detergent fuels for at least the next ten tankfuls or so (Chevron, Shell, Texaco, BP). And if you're not going to be riding it for more than a week at a pop, stick some Stabil fuel-stabilizer in when you tank up...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[CT_KAT]

And if you're not going to be riding it for more than a week at a pop, stick some Stabil fuel-stabilizer in when you tank up...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

Is there any downside to the frequent use of Stabil? Also, does Stabil have a shelf life? I've had some sitting in my garage for a couple years and I was wondering if it's still any good or should I toss it?

[The CyberPoet]

Is there any downside to the frequent use of Stabil? Also, does Stabil have a shelf life? I've had some sitting in my garage for a couple years and I was wondering if it's still any good or should I toss it?

I know it's shelf-life once-in-gasoline is supposed to be one year, and I suspect the manufacturer has a shelf-life on the product in general, but I don't know what it is... send an email to [email protected] and ask.

FYI: I highly recommend using Stabil MARINE in motorcycles rather than standard Stabil. It's specifically designed for our type of use (unsealed gas tanks), will hold the fuel stabilized better, will counter the effects of ethanol better, has four times the fuel-system cleaners of regular stabil to prevent gumming/residue formations and double the rust-preventers. Easy to spot -- the fluid is blue/green instead of red.

Stabil's website: http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/products.aspx

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[CT_KAT]

I know it's shelf-life once-in-gasoline is supposed to be one year, and I suspect the manufacturer has a shelf-life on the product in general, but I don't know what it is... send an email to [email protected] and ask.

Stabil's website: http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/products.aspx

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

Good reference CP, they actually had the info I was looking for on their FAQ page.

Q: How long will STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer keep fuel fresh?
A: For 12 months when mixed into fresh gasoline. Doubling the dosage will keep fuel fresh for up to 2 years.

Q: What is the shelf life of STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer?
A: 2 years after the bottle has been opened, provided it has been tightly capped and stored in a cool, dry place.

Here's the link to their FAQ page in case anyone wants further details.

http://www.goldeagle.com/brands/stabil/faq.aspx#top

[The CyberPoet]

I just called the local AutoZone to find out what they get for the Marine (because they are listed as a full-line dealer), and they have the smaller bottle on the shelf for just shy of $10. Figuring that it treats 80 gallons, that's about 12.5 cents-per-gallon, which is worth it to me to not have to deal with gas-tank rust or carb-cleaning on anything that doesn't get ridden at least a couple times a week (I need to put some in the Kat that's for sale!).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[katana600Frider]

a few years and your having problems like this...wow i caint wait to see what i am in store for the 92 kat 600 i just picked up has been sitting for the better part of 5 + years.good luck on the carbs