UGH: Tip-When mixing fuel on the bike...

[MyPC8MyBrain]

Turn off the fuel petcock before you put the oil into the tank!

So... my bike is almost on fumes and I know the can is empty too. I hop on the bike figuring I'll mix up a tank on the bike as well as the gas can.

I measure the oil into the almost empty tank, then mess around a couple minutes measuring the oil into the gas can. Then I pump the gas into the tank and into the can and shake both around a bit to mix it up.

When I go to leave, I notice that the fuel line is blue... very very two stroke oil blue. Uh Oh! The oil settled into the fuel line and down before I was able to add the gas in. I get about half way down the block to get home before it starts hating life then dies.

Couldn't get it restarted after 10 minutes of pedaling it around. Today's chore... drain fuel bowl and line, and clean or replace spark plug. I might add a bit of oil back into the tank too... grrrrrrr

 

[TexasDav]

Good tip. Hope you are back on the road now.

 

[jasonh]

Yeah that's a bummer when you forget little things like that and it causes issues.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

So how accurate was you mix ratio?

 

[SmokerX]

I mix with a pyrex measuring cup for measurements of oil. Then I poor it into a gallon sized plastic gas container. The container has the new nozzle with locking spill proof head. You can drain the gas back into the container from the tank when you want to work on it. My fuel petcock still leaks a little fuel down the line in the off position.

 

[HT2005]

To measure oil I use the Ratio-Rite plastic cup. It has measurements for different size gas containers and shows you how much oil to use for each ratio.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

So the lesson here is- Mix your fuel in a can, pour it into the bike.

 

[lilhog]

heres a tip guys, Buy 2 stroke chain saw oil at the automotive store and store it under your seat. It comes in tiny 3 oz bottles that dont leak until you break the seal. 3 oz is perfect for the break in period of your motor. When your on the road, add it to your half gallon bike tank with the valve turned off. shake bike, open valve, and go.

 

[Bikeguy Joe]

It's not wise to mix fuel in the tank, especially during break in. You have no idea what your mixture is that way, unless you ride the bike until the fuel is completely gone, another not-to-wise idea. It make the bike run out lean at the end.

If you really ride out a whole tank, then you are the man.....that's about 70 miles. You mean you can't get home and fill it up from a can?

If you DO ride that far at a time, take a small bottle of pre-mix with you stud.

 

[Easy Rider]

So the lesson here is- Mix your fuel in a can, pour it into the bike.

So true! Never pour oil directly into your tank because there will alway be unmixed oil on the bottom of your tank and that leads to clogged fuel lines.