Fuel Stabilizer Fouling plugs?

Does Fuel stabilizer foul plugs?

I put fuel stabilizer in and the bike is hard to start.

When I pulled the plugs there was what looked to be an oily deposit????

Valve seals?

Help!

 

I've never heard of that happening, and I've been using stabilizers in various engines (boats, lawn mowers, tractors, bike, etc.) for years. Interesting...

Hope you figure it out, though.

 

I've got a stage one jet kit installed...Would that have anything to do with it?

I imagine it is using more fuel, obviously

 

that happened to me all of the time on my CBR. battery was also low, which didn't help much. And it did have a jet kit installed as well.

 

unlikely that it will foul plugs, as others mentioned I havent had a problem ever either (on lots of bikes and gas engines). I think the jetting, low battery and perhaps a plugged air filter would be better places to look. I also have taken to starting my bikes once every 2-3 weeks and letting them run to temperature (170 degrees or higher) helps a ton during layaway periods. Also a battery tender is a must.

 

Battery is good. Its a sealed YUASA gel. Lots of power.

I am leaning towards the jetting.

Would a weak ignition coil have something to do with it as well?

 

are you running it to temperature? do you have the correct plugs installed?

 

I am running the stock NGK BPR6...whatever..I can remeber exactly.

Should I move to a hotter plug?

 

if it was running correctly prior to winter layup, I would think the only variable to check is the jetting (perhaps a little dirty) or too rich. It's hard to diagnose without pictures etc, but it could be running rich due to too much choke, or choke on too long, not getting up to temperature etc. Unless something else changed, I would suspect long choke, rich jets etc are your places to look. If you were to ride it long enough to get to full temperature, no choke and come in an pull a plug you would get a better read. Always check the simple stuff first and richness is a function of choke, air filter and jetting given the variable set in play. It's unlikely that stabil caused this, but you could also have a duff load of gas or something in the jets. I would run to temp and do a double look at the plugs. Seafoam or a cab cleaner in the tank could help loosen "irritating" dirt in the bowls or suck stuff.

 

Dec. 30, 2009

Dave,

I have seen similar problems due to too much oil in the crankcase. It gets sucked up into the air cleaner and then the bike runs too rich.

Double check your oil level. Let us know when you finally solve this problem.

 

A weather change also effects the jetting. Could be that it's just running that way when it's cold outside.

 

cold air (ie dense air ) would allow a richer mixture not a leaner one. if the bike ran well with no problems before you put it up I doubt it's anything serious. If you fouled a plug you fouled a plug. Replace it. Was the gas fresh when you stabilized it? If not I would drain the tank, open the drains on the float bowls and fill it with fresh fuel add the right amount of stabilizer to it and put a fresh set of plugs in it. Then walk away from it. It doesn't do any good starting it up in ice cold temps if you've done the rest. It doesnt help the battery at all either unless you know what RPM the system starts charging. If you don't have a battery tender get one, plug it in and wait for spring.

 

Thicker, denser air mixed with the same amount of fuel= leaner mixture in the world of stoichiometry.

 

A couple of yeasr ago, I had a new yzf 6oor. I used Stailbil with fresh gas and would still ride the bike whenever I could weather permiting. I would top off the gas and add a small amount of Stabil each time and back to storage. After several times doing this the bike ran real weird. Hard to start and the motor would race or slow down. I had to drain the tank and clean the FUEL FILTER. After this it ran fine. Too much Stailbil = UNstabil

 

You didn't mention how much Stabil you used...or how cold the temps are at your location. My experience with Stabil has led me to believe that too much, along with cold temps, extended choke operation, short rides and infrequent operation will increase the chance of a fouled plug.

Here in central MN, storage periods are long and Winters are cold. About the last thing you wanna do is be starting your bike all the time unless you can ride it. All you're doing is 'fouling' the combustion chamber with carbon. This tends to make your bike start not as good next time.

The dealership I work at is big into used bikes. It's not at all unusual too see a fouled plug or two after an extended storage. I don't have statistics to back this up...but it seems years when we've 'just dumped' Stabil in the tanks (probably too much), it's made the problem worse. I like and use Stabil, but now I measure and use the 'infrequent' operation amount.