Seafoam and other fuel additives

I have read that it is a good idea to store your scoot with seafoam or other additive in the tank, and I've seen some discussions that the ethanol in gas causes problems in general. If you are riding regularly, is it recommended to put an additive in every tank fill up? What do the experienced riders do? Thanks for the suggestions.

Hi Mason,
I've never used any sort of additive in mine but I tend to use it regularly throughout the year. I suppose if you were planning on laying it up for a few months then an additive such as you mentioned would be a good idea.
Ethanol in the uk tends to be in fairly low levels (I'm not sure but 5% sounds familiar). It may be higher in your neck of the woods so I would wait for advice from someone who rides regularly in Texas as to whether it's a good idea from that perspective.
In the meantime take it out for a nice ride and do a bit of bonding - you'll love it

Being that we live in igloos here for half a year i always store my bikes wih a fuel additive. Never an issue with restarting and running correctly the next year. I never use additives during the riding season, but i do use high octane gas at every fill up to avoid the ethanol related problems. Could be just psychological but feels better putting in the higher octane gas even though it costs more!

Hi Mason, I don't use Seafoam during the riding season but when I put her to bed for the season I put Seafoam in for her long winter nap.

I also put Seafoam in my gas cans too for my lawn mowers and snow blower. They are all 4 stroke engines and sometimes the gas will be used over a 3 or 4 year period. It all depends on how much snow we get and how well my "weed" lawn grows. Our "soil" is sand so it doesn't do much good to try to grow any grass. At least weeds are green. :lol!:

Yes, if storing your bike a month or longer, especially in a cold environment, you should add a Seafoam or Techron additive --and store with a full tank too. Ethanol blended fuels then to seperate, stratify and may turn to a syrup-like viscosity in the cold. A fuel additive will reduce that propensity.

Storing with a full tank will prevent condensation from forming in the air space of a less than full tank.

I also add a bit of Techron to one tank during the summer (we just might get a week of summer this year) when I am going on a trip -- 4 oz per tankfull. It helps keep the injectors clean.

IMHO Using high octane fuel is just wasting money. The SW engine is designed to operate on 87 octane fuel --and it does so quite well.

Tim

PS: And yeah to what Hi Yo says below...

David, for that week or so of "winter" when you can't ride you might need an additive. Otherwise, just keep the fuel flowing and enjoy the ride.

I use Stabil for winter storage, approx.4-5 months. I never had issues with starting up again in the riding season. During the riding season, I use Seafoam , about 20-30 ml every month or so to clean the system. I don't think you need premium fuel , but I do use it for storage, not running.
My 96 yr old neighbor used to cover his cedars in the winter. Suddenly, a couple of years ago, he stopped. He told me that a professional gardener had told him that covering the cedar was making him feel good,but it did absolutely nothing for the cedar and they did not need covering to begin with.
The SWing runs perfectly on regular gas; that's all I use in mine. Ethanol is a problem for small engines like lawnmowers, snowblowers, etc. I have that on good authority from an small engine mechanic.

Thanks for the advice. Here in Texas, I plan to pretty much ride year round, so won't bother with seafoam.

I figure if the low grade fuel is damaging to a small engine then using it in the swing with its high revving engine isnt helping it either. I'll stick with the cleaner burning high octane in my bikes for the little extra it costs!

I use non-ethanol fuel whenever possible and always for winter storage - Seafoam added for storage.

Have had expensive experience with ethanol fuel - car fuel injectors, boat engine carburetor and fuel tank, motorcycle carbs and snowblower. Also use non-ethanol for all my small engine needs.

Rick V

Oil, tires and fuel choices are all based on personal preferences as long as they are within reasonable tolerances for the vehicle. My choices are based on my limited personal experience and what I gather from the guys I ride with. My buddies all cringe but I fill up with regular gas during our group rides. I haven't had any problems with it in my 750 ACE, VT 600 or the SWing.

I use non-ethanol fuel in my cars or scooters when I don't plan on riding or driving for more than a month. I use and regular grade gas with 10% ethanol in whatever I ride daylily or even weekly. I've never had any fuel related problems on any of my Silverwings using regular grade gas with 10% ethanol.

i use only real gas ,no ethanol when ever possible , if i have to use alky gas i buy the highest grade , i ride in the winter, but i still use stabil cause i don't ride as often , i regularly use lucas FI cleaner to keep the injectors clean , even a little ethanol will wreck carbs and injectors quick .

hotwings wrote:

I figure if the low grade fuel is damaging to a small engine then using it in the swing with its high revving engine isnt helping it either. I'll stick with the cleaner burning high octane in my bikes for the little extra it costs!

I think,(weird things happen when I think) what you are saying is in Ontario non-ethanol fuel is high octane 92 and low grade fuel is a blend of gasoline and 10% ? ethanol with an 87 octane . And if that is what you're saying it's the ethanol in the fuel that's damaging to a small engine. Correct?

Or are you saying that low grade 87 octane with-ethanol fuel that's damaging to a small engine? And the high grade 92 octane with-ethanol fuel is not damaging to a small engine because the "higher octane" prevents damage to a small engine?  
     

moonshiner wrote:

i use only real gas ,no ethanol when ever possible , if i have to use alky gas i buy the highest grade , i ride in the winter,  but i still use stabil cause i don't ride as often , i regularly use lucas FI cleaner to keep the injectors clean , even a little ethanol will wreck carbs and injectors quick .

Are you saying that high grade 92 octane with-ethanol fuel is better for our scooters than low grade 87 octane with-ethanol fuel? What are the benefits I can expect if I start using a higher octane rating?
I fill my tank between two to five times a week so my fuel doesn't sit long enough to go bad.
Today I road with four members from our local Meetup group to get fish and chips. We went to a restaurant named "Rod and Reel Pier Restaurant" that sits at the end of the pier over the water on Anna Maria Island in the Gulf of Mexico. Link to some pictures of the restaurant We stopped for gas twice. We stopped at a gas stations that were convenient for five older men. After 1½ hours even if you don't "NEED" to stop for gas your body will appreciate getting off your scooter. It's a good time to fill my cup full of ice and top it off with water**.
I've probably used non-ethanol fuel for maybe 5,000 or 10,000 miles of the 54,400+ miles I've put on my first 08 Wing and I've never had and fuel related problem.
.
.
**I'm one of those stereotype Americans that insist on having a cup holder. If I have to have a cup holder I'm darn sure going to use it.

The higher octane fuel unfortunately still contains 5% ethanol in Canada since 2010. The lower octane fuel contains 10% ethanol. I copied the following from the website for the gas station i use most, this is the fuel i use:
SuperClean™ is Petro-Canada's premium 91 octane gasoline. It's designed for vehicles that need a higher octane gasoline for maximum performance. Plus, it offers an environmentally responsible choice in gasoline.
Tests conducted by an independent laboratory show that after just five consecutive tanks of SuperClean gasoline, an engine with
deposits can experience:

a 15% reduction in emissions
improved vehicle performance
quicker and easier starting
less hesitation and smoother acceleration
Long-term use will continue to ensure your engine performs at its best.

hotwings wrote:

The higher octane fuel unfortunately still contains 5% ethanol in Canada since 2010. The lower octane fuel contains 10% ethanol. I copied the following from the website for the gas station i use most, this is the fuel i use:
SuperClean™ is Petro-Canada's premium 91 octane gasoline. It's designed for vehicles that need a higher octane gasoline for maximum performance. Plus, it offers an environmentally responsible choice in gasoline.
Tests conducted by an independent laboratory show that after just five consecutive tanks of SuperClean gasoline, an engine with
deposits can experience:

a 15% reduction in emissions
improved vehicle performance
quicker and easier starting
less hesitation and smoother acceleration
Long-term use will continue to ensure your engine performs at its best.

+1 . thanks hotwings for saving me all the typing , i would add the thanks to your thanks counter but i don't know how ?

i suspect the the same is true in the US , that the high grade has less alky in it , my bike runs better and gets more mpg on the supreme grade .

moonshiner wrote:

+1 . thanks hotwings for saving me all the typing , i would add the thanks to your thanks counter but i don't know how ?

Look in the upper right hand corner to see a +. Click on it to send thanks to those who have posted a message that you are thankful for. There is also a -, but we don't need those. Think positive.