Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums General Tech Long time idle

OK, so after about 18 months on my back i can get out and start riding again. I cleaned off all the dust and spider webs and replaced the battery. Now what else should I do. Drain the tank? Drain the float bowls,, An accident caused me to leave everything sitting without prepping for an extended break.
Any advice would help
Kevin

drain the tank, drain the float bowls and shoot some carb cleaner in the jets and needle valves...pull the petcock and clean the screen,...pull the filter in the tee(where the fuel line tee's to the carb's}...replace it or take it out and replace with an inline filter that you can get to...clean all electrical connections and fuses...I think that should be it


Oh yeah...change the oil and filter...maybe new plugs or look that them

Glad to hear you are up and about after 18 months... that's a long time to be down. Ummmm, the gas in the tank and carbs is going to be bad with the likelihood of varnish and gel deposits in the fuel system. Seafoam seems to be a great product for clearing things up so you might want to give that a bash.

After you drain all of the fluids you might consider going ahead and replacing the battery, too. If it was me, I'd go for the extras and redo the brake fluid and fork oil and establish a new baseline for service intervals. Take a good look at the tires, too, a year and a half can encourage a lot of dry rot.

The 10 percent ethanol in our gas is a bugger if the bike sits for extended periods. Some of the suggestions made are OK but my experience has been that you might want to buy a couple new pilot jets and either clean the float needle/seat assemblies using brasso/q-tip or a dremel tool equipped with brash brush and make sure you clean the tip of the needle as well. I generally just replace these things in my business when the carbs have been gummed; you definitely don't want to clean the pilot jets with an abrading wire tool.

I would start it and if it runs I would just run the old fuel out. I wouldn't bother with the battery if it has juice in it but I see you replaced it already.Most important to me would be fresh oil change and check the tires.

If the tank is full you can empty it, as dog has said if it runs then throw 1/2 can of seafoam in there with it and run that through, run the other half a can through your next tank as well, that should help allot with any varnish etc in the carbs, sometimes it takes a few tanks with seafoam to clean it out, your bike will actually run on the stuff, its not uncommon to run sea foam straight hooked up directly to the fuel line. You have new battery so good, as for th fluids etc, depends on when they were last changed, you can go with the mialage or the time.

Like Oldroadie said,don't forget your brakes and brake lines.

Thanks for all the help, changed the battery, oil, and checked all the hoses, Ill run the seafoam with the new gas I put in and see how it goes.

Change the oil, if it is due or affordable and convenient. Drain the old skank fuel out of tank and carb bowls. Most importantly change the brake fluid, bad brake fluid will get you killed.