HEET/GasDry, winter riding and frozen jets

[Spunout]

the first time my bike quit running during a snowstorm, i'd assumed snow/slush got sucked up into the carb.

today, there wasnt snowfall from the sky and it quit.

my father-in-law is a airplane mechanic, and this is what he told me:
the gas in the carb is already cold. during extreme cold, it can evaporate (making carb even colder) and the remaining moisture will amass in the venturi. so...plugged jets.
with the bike still outdoors, we took a heat gun to the carb and after a few minutes it started right up.

he said HEET or other gasoline dryers (methyl alcohol) should do the trick.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Fo'sho', just don't use too much.

This is one time that "too much is never enough" doesn't apply.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

You can get "carb icing" in any engine, not just aircraft. I have had it happen on a motorcycle (Honda 700SC) I was riding it to work when it was around 38 degrees, and it just crapped out. It was warm enough that after the bike sat for a few minutes, it fired back up.

When you ride and it's high humidity, even if it's in the 50's it can and does happen.

 

[Finfan]

Could the oil in the fuel mixture get viscous enough to gum up the carb when it's that cold?

 

[NEAT TIMES]

Yrs Ago Snowmobiling In Northern Wis. Ran A Lot Of Heet Thru My Engines. Was Always Told It Would Ruin Carb Diaphram And Gaskets Etc. For Yrs I Never Had Any Problems. But I Sure Had A Bellyfull Of Working On Other Riders Machines, Out On The D*m Cold Trails. Those Engines Are Covered By The Hood So May Be Warmer. I Think It Was Mainly Water Or Snow In The Gas, 2 Cycle. One Time A Friend Was Mixing 5 Gals Gas With Oil. He Poured A Quart Of Oil Into The Empty Can, Then Filled It With Gas. I Told Him He Should Have Like A Gal Of Gas In The Can Then Add Oil And Shake It Good, Then Fill Can. He SaiD That Wasn`t Needed. Later When He Poured The Gas Into The Snowmobile, The Oil Came Out Last!!! He Did It THE RITE Way After That.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

Could the oil in the fuel mixture get viscous enough to gum up the carb when it's that cold?

Not likely.

 

[Spunout]

Fo'sho', just don't use too much.

This is one time that "too much is never enough" doesn't apply.

i have a 3/4gal tank, so i figger just a couple capfulls

 

[offroad]

so would it help to run the engine hotter by putting some strategic covers on the engine to make it hotter in cold times of the year?

 

[NEAT TIMES]

It Might, Although It Is Sucking The Air In From The Rear, Some Snowmobiles Did Also. Have You Tried It With The HEET Added. Maybe NOT Enough With The Heet??

 

[2door]

Okay, I'm going to get arguments here but I'm only passing along what I was told by the mechanic who comes to service the emergency generators where I work.
I noticed he had several cases of windshield washer fluid in the bed of his service truck, five cases, four gallons to a case, and asked him why he carried so much. He told me they put it in the fuel tanks to evaporate the moisture from the deisel fuel. He said it is the same as HEET, and cost a lot less. I asked "what about gasoline engines?" He said same same. The alcohol in the washer fluid evaporates and takes the water with it.
Okay, I'm ready for responses on this one. and it's not my opinion. The guy works for Onan, a big manufacturer of generators and other engine powered equipment.
Tom

 

[NEAT TIMES]

2 DOOR, I CAN`T ARGUE THE POINT (WINDSHIELD WISHER FLUID) AS I DON`T KNOW. IT MAY WORK. WATER CAN BE ADDED TO WASHER FLUID TO MAKE IT GO FARTHER, DEPENDING ON TEMPERTURE DROP. I BELIEVE IT EMULSIFIES THE WATER, MIXES WITH IT AND LETS IT BURN WITH THE FUEL. ORIGINALLY, YRS AGO I THOUGHT HEET EVAPORATED THE WATER. IF MEMORY SERVES ME RITE, I THINK RUBBING ALCOHOL WORKS ALSO, EMULSIFIES THE WATER. ONE MIGHT MIX WATER AND ALCOHOL IN A GLASS (CLEAR GLASS ) LATER MY FRIENDS... RON

 

[Spunout]

Okay, I'm going to get arguments here but I'm only passing along what I was told by the mechanic who comes to service the emergency generators where I work.
I noticed he had several cases of windshield washer fluid in the bed of his service truck, five cases, four gallons to a case, and asked him why he carried so much. He told me they put it in the fuel tanks to evaporate the moisture from the deisel fuel. He said it is the same as HEET, and cost a lot less. I asked "what about gasoline engines?" He said same same. The alcohol in the washer fluid evaporates and takes the water with it.
Okay, I'm ready for responses on this one. and it's not my opinion. The guy works for Onan, a big manufacturer of generators and other engine powered equipment.
Tom

who volunteers to be the first to try? not i, said the toenail.

yes, i tried the HEET today. and rode all over ****'s half-acre. didnt freeze up.

 

[NEAT TIMES]

HEY SPUNOUT, GLAD YOU SOLVED THAT PROBLEM. I THINK HEET IS MOSTLEY ALCOHOL. DID YOU WEAR YOUR SHORTS OR A SNOWMOBLE SUIT!! MAYBE I SHOULD PM HIKER, TELL HIM A EMOCON WITH A SNOWMOBILE SUIT ON WOULD BE COOL. ALSO ONE WITH LEATHER CHAPS FOR FAIRRACING, RUNNING OVER THE CACTUS, LOOKING FOR FLAT TIRES. DAVID ARE YOU READING THIS??!! RON

 

[fm2200]

What about home heating oil, the storage tank in the basement rust on the bottom of the tank from water in the fuel (oil).Could this also work removing water,moisture in oil storage tanks in the basement? And is this the(non freezing washer fluid) or just the regular windshield washer fluid? Like to know fm2200

 

[NEAT TIMES]

Fm. (frequency Modulated??) I Would Think It Would Be The Non Freezing Type, The Alcohol Is What Attacks The Water. Ttbomk. Ron

 

[Spunout]

ok, well the HEET doesnt work for extremely (around zero degrees) cold temps. froze up both on way to work, and coming home.
that was Plan A.

Plan B.- what about running a flexible hose from the exhaust, straight up to the carb to keep it warm?
i'd have to block exhaust gasses from going into the intake, or reroute the intake of fresh air somehow.

EDIT: you're dang right, neat times. i wear so much insulated clothing and doubled up on gloves and face masks, that i can barely move. or see.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

If heet stopped working, so would I. But wait, I don't have a jorb.

 

[NEAT TIMES]

Spunout. I Think You Could Add A More Heet. 2 Caps Full Isn`t Much, Depending On The Size Of The Cap Of Course. If You Duct Exhaust Heat To The Carb, I Would Not Cut Into Exhaust Pipe. Just Take Heat Off The Outside Of The Exhaust Pipe. 1/2" Id Soft Copper Tube . Just Split The End And Make 2 Tabs Bent Out 90* And Clamp With 2 Small Radiator Type Clamps. Make A Nice Fit. If You Run It Rite Into Air Cleaner It May Suck In Debris From The Front Wheel. You Could Get Some Of The Muffler (small Roll??) Wrap. Maybe Wrap All The Way To The Muffler And The Tube To Carb. The Wrap Should Stop The Dirt. You May Need A Bit Of A Leak At The Exhaust Pipe Connection To Let The Carb Draw Heat. Do Not Drill Into Yor Muffler Pipe. Cars Etc Had This Type Of Set Up Years Ago, From The Cast Iron Exhaust Manifold To The Auto Choke Housing. As The Motor Warmed Up The Thermo Spring Would Relax And Let The Choke Slowly Open. The Choke Tube Was About 1/8" Id. That System Was Used For Many Years. The Carb Drew The Heat In Thru A Small Passage In The Carb.

Over 20 Years Ago The Snowmobiles That I Had, The Carb Was Sucking Air From Rite In Front Of Your Zipper. At 20 Blow Zero The Air Would Have Been Very Cold. I Always Added The Heet To The Snowmobile Tank. I`m Sure I Added 1/2 Can Or More To 5 Gal. Hope This Helps. Again, Heet Is Mostly Alcohol. It Takes Twice As Much Alcohol As Gas To Run A Motor. Maybe Someone Else Will Give Us Their Thoughts. Are You Sure This Is A Moistue Problem. Be Very Carefull Using Starting Fluid. You Can Ruin A 2 Cycle In A Hurry, It Will Not Be Getting Lubrcation. I Think The Gas Was Better Back Then. Less Moisture?? How Cold Was It When She Quit. You Need The Bike For Getting To Work?? When It Quits Is The Head, Cylinder And Block Etc Warm?? 10 Motorcycles Just Went Past My Place. Its Their Regular Saturday Morning Ride. 44* Now. Did It Restart After Sitting A Few Minutes?? Hope You Can Get It Dependable!! Keep Us Posted! Ron

 

[NEAT TIMES]

Joe, Had Any More Trouble With The Water Pipes? IT GOT DOWN TO 25* LAST NITE, MY NOSE WAS COLD, I THOUGHT MAN THIS IS DIFFERENT. I GOT UP THIS MORNING AND THE BEDROOM ROOF VENT WAS WIDE OPEN. DAH. LITTLE ELECTRIC HEATER WAS HUMMING ALL NITE. I Wonder If Anybody Is Selling Any Mab`s? Maybe In Ca! JEMMA POSTED THE OTHER DAY. HAD NOT HEARD FROM HER FOR A BIT. LATER MY FRIENDS. RON

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

How about making a crude heat transfer duct from aluminum foil? Make it go from the cylinder to the carb, just wrap some around it all?

That way you could remove it as easily as you installed it once warmer weather comes.