Winterizing?

Hey all,
It's about the end of the riding season here in Alaska.

I was wondering if anyone had any practical advise on winterizing the XJ. It will be stored in a heated garage for the duration of the winter, and it will be up on its center stand so I think the back tire oughta survive.

Should I give it a full tank of gas? empty? I figured a fresh oil change and filter wouldn't hurt. Additives? Spray the carbs down with something?

Thanks everyone.

Also, now I get to jump into my Midnight Transmission Rebuild project. yay.

-Ben

 

You need the battery to stay charged, so you will either need to start the bike and let it warm up every couple days or pull it and put it in the house on a battery tender.

you need to drain the gas out of the tank and run the engine dry of gas, if your going to leave the battery out all winter. if your leaving the gas in the tank then you need to add about 1/4 bottle of gas treatment and fill the tank with hi octane, and START THE BIKE AND LET IT WARM UP EVERY COUPLE DAYS. to prevent the gas gummies...

I would also do an oil change and new filter, so that your oil pump isnt fighting grime and sludge and dirty oil when cold...VERRRRY BAD JUJU..


ANYONE ELSE GOT ANY TIPS FOR WINTER STORAGE ?

 

Full tank. Fuel stabilizer in it. Run long enough to be sure carbs have stabilizer in them then top off tank. High octane has no benefit.

Change oil and filter.

Unplug TCI. Remove spark plugs. Spray a shot of fogging oil in each cylinder and crank it over. I get fogging oil at the boat places. Also spray tips of plugs. Reinstall plugs and TCI.

Check/set battery electrolyte level and charge. Either remove from the bike and re-charge every 60 days or so or keep it on a maintainer. Harbor Freight usually has automatic battery maintainers for under $10.

Inflate tires to 40PSI. If you're not going to lift the front tire up be sure and rotate it a bit every couple weeks. Don't want a flat spot to set into it.

Take a rag with a little wd-40 and wipe down anything that might rust.

Throw an old cotton sheet over it to keep the dust off.

It'll be ready to go when the weather breaks.

 

What you said sounds good Yankee, except I wouldn't leave the tank dry. Empty tank equals rust on a bike. Full tank with a quarter to half of a bottle of Seafoam is fine. Start engine and let it run for a little bit to make sure that the Seafoam/Gas mix is distributed throughout the system. Even with them added, I usually always drained my tank at the beginning of the season on my boat and refilled with the fresh stuff. I add a bit of seafoam to the crankcase as well that way the oil is a bit thinner at the beginning of the season and ready for a quick change before riding out again for the first time. Final step is to make sure your engine is going to stay lubed and not get rust deposits from sitting. Engine fogging oil (which can be purchased from any boat place) works perfectly. Spray it in through the airbox while the engine is running, then pull your spark plusg with the engine is off and spray a bit in there to lubricate the cylinder walls. This will foul your plugs at the beginning of the season most likely, but spark plugs are cheap. Much less expensive than a seized engine or a top end rebuild from premature engine wear.

 

in case anyone is wondering, the full tank of gas helps to prevent condensation INSIDE the tank which then results in WATER in the tank. it will sink to the bottom (being heavier than the fuel) and will be the first fluids into your carbs upon start up...

i wouldnt bother changing the oil until just before Springerizing unless you use synthetic. dino oil will oxidize the moment you open the container. thats the reason they recommend changing after certain number of miles OR 3 months (or 6 months whichever it is). once oil is oxidized it will fail to lubricate and results in the build up of sludge and varnish. those arent my words those are from the industry (specifically Alcan Smelters and Chemicals)...

 

I'm planning on storing my tank full, but wonder about Seafoam vs. Sta-Bil. I just found out about Seafoam about a month ago and ran some thorough the system, but am now wondering what the general consensus is around here for using Seafoam for winter storage instead of a different fuel stabalizer.

Thanks!

 

Old oil contains acids and other nasty stuff. I always change the oil and filter just before they go down for the winter, then just the oil again in the spring after about 500 miles. That's what I've done with the Norton (in addition to everything else Carl listed) for the last 34 years. Except I SPRAY it down with CRC or WD40 before the bedsheet goes on.

 

Hack, Seafoam simply prevents your gas from gumming up your carbs. I've used it and I've used Stabil in my boat. I don't know about the cleansing properties of Stabil, but I don't think it does anything other than supposedly it keeps the octane rating of your gas from deteriorating over time to a minimal amount. Personally, the couple of seasons I used Stabil, my boat ran like crap through it's first tank. Stabil will keep gas good for a while, but not long enough for me personally. With Seafoam, you're getting the benefit of your gas not gumming up your carbs, plus you've got extra left over to run through your tank in the upcoming season to keep your carbs and engine clean. With a bike, dumping the gas is very easy and I wouldn't use two or three month old gas regardless of whether it's Seafoam or Stabil or anything else in there. It's a little cheaper than Stabil as well and for me, a better value because of it's extra uses.

 

The Yamaha Dealer says to fill the tank, Add fuel additive, Change the oil, Drain the carbs remove fuel line and plug. Put a battery maintainer on and a good coat of wax on your painted parts, Chrome polish on the chrome of course. Check your tires and put the proper amount of air in, Last but not least fog your cylinders with fogging oil and Put the plugs back in and put the wires back on. Lube your cables with cable lube.

Say Good Night Gracie see ya in the spring

 

OK these are all the tried a true methods
I understand that filling the tank is to prevent condensation.
What if you remove the tank and store it, inside empty, were it is warm?
Cap open so it can breath.
With the ethanol in gas now draining the bowls would drain the carbs completely so no damage done to rubber parts right?

 

It's not just to prevent condensation, though that is part of it. Rust forms in warm and cold temperatures. Fill the tank and winterize it properly!!!

 

If I were going to drain the tank (which I wouldn't) I'd put fogging oil in there too.

 

Many years ago, I found this writeup by an Adam Glass on winterizing, and I found it very thorough. YMMV.

Winter Storage Guide for Motorcycles

 

Many years ago, I found this writeup by an Adam Glass on winterizing, and I found it very thorough. YMMV.

Winter Storage Guide for Motorcycles

 

Nice guide!

 

For thirty plus years now I have used the same formula. One, tank must be full, indoors or out, any temp change will cause condensation inside the tank above the liquid line. (means entire tank if empty) This will cause rust to form on the inside of the tank and rust flakes will cause serious problems with the carbs. A small amount of water settled to the bottom of the tank will only cause a little rough running in the spring for the first couple of miles.
Two, some sort of fuel stabilizer, in the old days I used my grandpa's formula "a touch of kerosene". These days I use Stabil or Seafoam or whatever is handy. Run the engine long enough to get it all the way through the carbs and engine (my usual procedure is keep it in the last two or three tanks before you park it).
Three, pull the battery out and keep it warm, charge it at least once a month.
In the spring I just put the battery in and start the bike, run the first tank of gas out and then refill and change the oil.
My XS11 is thirty years old, has had this done every winter, sat through some weather at -60 degrees, has almost 260,000 miles on it and still runs extremely well, never had the engine open.