Winterizing your scooter, Drain gas or use Stabilizer

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bowdwin
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Winterizing your scooter, Drain gas or use Stabilizer

Post by bowdwin »

Hi, I have been reading two things. I currently own a Roughhouse R50 Tit that i got this summer.

Option 1:
I have read either drain all the gas out and carburetor

Option 2:
Fill tank and add a fuel stabilizer

Is one of these better than the other or will either bring good results come next spring?
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teamhurst
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Post by teamhurst »

i have always filled up the tank and added stabilizer never had a problem. dont forget to pull the battery . i put mine on a shelf in the basement.
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Post by k1dude »

If you do the fuel stabilizer method, make absolutely sure you run the scooter for a few minutes to make sure the fuel stabilizer has worked its way through the entire fuel system.
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Post by GregsBuddy »

And fill the tank to the top so no water accumulates.
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Post by ucandoit »

I fill the tank with gas because it's a metal tank. I might add Stabil. But I also empty the carb. of gas by opening a drain screw that is difficult to reach. It takes a long screwdriver. I remove the battery and make sure it stays fully charged during the winter.
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ravenlore
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Post by ravenlore »

On the last day before it's forecast to snow and stay:
Go for a long long ride.
Pick up green Sta-bil along the way. (Substitute red Sta-bil if you don't use non-ox as described below)
Plan your ride so that you coast on fumes into the station that sells non-ox.
Put 1oz Sta-bil in before you put in gas.
Fill with non-ox, putting another 1oz Sta-bil in when you're done.
Ride directly home.

This should be sufficient to get treated gas into the carb.

Heck, my ride is fuel injected, and I complete this ritual every year.
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ModernMike
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Post by ModernMike »

ravenlore wrote:Heck, my ride is fuel injected, and I complete this ritual every year.
Just me, but if I owned a scoot with a carb I would drain the gas and get all I could out of the carb. I do this with my weed trimmer and lawn mower. IDK. Maybe I'm old school.

Fuel injection is a completely different animal. I have a 170i. Fill the tank and add Seafoam. Change the oil ( regardless of mileage) Battery tender and it ready for winter
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Post by bowdwin »

great thanks!
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Dooglas
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Post by Dooglas »

I also fill the tank with non-alcohol gasoline (rec gas) and treat with Stabil. And you do not need to remove your battery unless you store your scooter outdoors with no electrical outlet. If you store it in the basement or garage, leave the battery where it is and hook up a battery tender.
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kmrcstintn
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Post by kmrcstintn »

ran high octane gas on 2 fillups prior to storage, added my preferred stabilizer, topped off with mid octane gas, ran engine for a few minutes prior to parking for the season; slightly overinflate tires, attach battery tender, lock it up, cover it up, and said a sad 'later gator' til spring! do this for 2 motorcycles (previously had scooters)...they all fire up in the spring with little or moderate difficulty! after the initial startup/idle I spike the gas with K100 and allow it to mix with the gas before the next ride...almost instantaneous fire up! stored with K100 MG+ this year & hoping for less difficulty on springtime startup...

fuel stabilizers I have used in the past/current...Sta-Bil red, Sta-Bil marine, Lucas, StarBrite StarTron, K100 MG, K100MG+
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ucandoit
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Post by ucandoit »

what is the difference between red and green sta-bil? Is green for marine use? And why would I use green Sta-bil with non-oxy gas?
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Syd
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Post by Syd »

What's winter? :lol:
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Post by babblefish »

Syd wrote:What's winter? :lol:
Lol, that's true. While our weather isn't quite as temperate as yours, I can at least ride year round.:)
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Post by babblefish »

ModernMike wrote:
ravenlore wrote:Heck, my ride is fuel injected, and I complete this ritual every year.
Just me, but if I owned a scoot with a carb I would drain the gas and get all I could out of the carb. I do this with my weed trimmer and lawn mower. IDK. Maybe I'm old school.

Fuel injection is a completely different animal. I have a 170i. Fill the tank and add Seafoam. Change the oil ( regardless of mileage) Battery tender and it ready for winter
True this. I don't know where the fuel pump for the injected Buddy or Hooligan is, but it's usually a bad idea to completely run an injected engine dry for a couple of reasons: 1) it might damage the fuel pump by running it dry, and 2) any sediments on the bottom of the fuel tank will get sucked up and pushed into the injector thereby clogging it up.
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Post by avescoots1134 »

I like to take it a step further when draining a carb and shoot some carb cleaner back up the drain hose to flush any leftover corn gas out of the jets.

*Stabilizer and run the bike to get stabilizer into the fuel line and filter
*Drain carb
*Remove battery and charge it every couple weeks
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Post by ravenlore »

babblefish wrote:
ModernMike wrote:
ravenlore wrote:Heck, my ride is fuel injected, and I complete this ritual every year.
Just me, but if I owned a scoot with a carb I would drain the gas and get all I could out of the carb. I do this with my weed trimmer and lawn mower. IDK. Maybe I'm old school.

Fuel injection is a completely different animal. I have a 170i. Fill the tank and add Seafoam. Change the oil ( regardless of mileage) Battery tender and it ready for winter
True this. I don't know where the fuel pump for the injected Buddy or Hooligan is, but it's usually a bad idea to completely run an injected engine dry for a couple of reasons: 1) it might damage the fuel pump by running it dry, and 2) any sediments on the bottom of the fuel tank will get sucked up and pushed into the injector thereby clogging it up.

oh gosh, no. I don't run it DRY, i go until the low fuel light come on, and then I go to the gas station.

And why wouldn't a person add Sta-bil to non-ox? Non-ox goes bad if left.
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Post by ucandoit »

Which Sta-bil to add to non-oxy? Red or green (Marine). What's the difference?
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Post by Dooglas »

ucandoit wrote:Which Sta-bil to add to non-oxy? Red or green (Marine). What's the difference?
I use Stabil fuel stabilizer which is red. Here is what the manufacturer says -

- STA-BIL® Fuel Stabilizer is designed for use during STORAGE of any gasoline equipment or vehicle stored for 30 days or more, or used infrequently. It will keep gas fresh for 12 months, and help prevent corrosion, and gum and varnish formation. It is effective in all gasolines, including Ethanol blends, including E-85.
- Marine Formula STA-BIL® Ethanol Treatment was designed for use at every fill up for marine engines (boats, jetskis) to protect against the damaging effects experienced when using Ethanol blended fuels -- including corrosion caused by water attraction, and fuel system plugging caused by deposit loosening.
- New STA-BIL Ethanol Treatment is designed for use at every fill up for all gasoline automotive and small engines for protection against these same problems.
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ravenlore
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Post by ravenlore »

ucandoit wrote:Which Sta-bil to add to non-oxy? Red or green (Marine). What's the difference?
Dude at the local shop told me to use green last year specifically because i use non-ox. i did, bike still runs. i dunno.
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Post by BoulderBud »

I have a can of seafoam in the garage. Would that be as good as stabil for this purpose? Also, should I be using it regularly during the year? Tanks!
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Post by PeteH »

SeaFoam is a good cleaner, but I don't know if it has stabilizing properties. Check the manufacturer's specs to find out for sure.
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Post by hpage3 »

I just run mogas (airplane fuel) in my scoot. It contains no ethanol or water. It should be good for the 6-7 months of winter storage in my cargo trailer left outside. After all airplane owners do not drain the fuel from their tanks in the winter. I will take the battery out and keep that charged up indoors where it's warm.
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Post by EvilNerdLord »

ride anyway!
stud those tires...
ski the front...
GO FOR IT!
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Post by giddyup98 »

I use Star-Tron fuel stabilizer in all my scoots. Both my dealer and motorcycle mechanic recommend it.
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Post by BigDaddy SnakeOiler »

Since I keep the Stella in the house for the Winter, I drain all gas and oil out of it, then remove the carb and gas tank and all hoses. I put them in bags and store them in the basement.
Otherwise the house smells like gas.
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Post by EvilNerdLord »

despite my previous post (my stab at humor...) stella is in the garage, battery charger, fuel off, engine has been run until the carb is empty and there she sits until my part order(s) come in for fixes/upgrades (damn flasher went out, trying to decide to get OEM part or LED upgrades)
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Post by Whimscootie »

teamhurst wrote:i have always filled up the tank and added stabilizer never had a problem. dont forget to pull the battery . i put mine on a shelf in the basement.
This or put the battery on a tender junior and cycle the electrical input on a timer.

I use Sea Foam.

I even go over and start it up once a week and let it run or idle for 10 minutes on the center stand.

Probably more me loving to hear the scooter run!

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