Do you run your bowl empty ?

[Dirt Dud]

So one of the guys I ride with says it will build deposits by turning off your petcock and running your carb dry ? I have been doing it ater every ride since I run race gas and feel that it will affect my carb by leaving it in . What do you think and do ?

[cbutler]

I just shut it off and load it up. Pump gas with ethanol I don't believe the hype, buddy bike started first kick after sitting for 3 months.

But then again I do a lot of things your not "supposed to do"

[husley]

I have had a clogged pilot jet twice, both times I failed to run the bowl dry. We run it dry every time and know where on the trail to turn off the petcock so the bike dies just as we are pulling up to our destination.

[Jacob 'Berg]

Originally Posted by Dirt Dud

So one of the guys I ride with says it will build deposits by turning off your petcock and running your carb dry ? I have been doing it ater every ride since I run race gas and feel that it will affect my carb by leaving it in . What do you think and do ?

You are less likely to run into issues with race gas left in the float bowl and/or fuel tank. It is the ethanol in pump gas which is likely to gum up your jets/carb. If you are riding every weekend I wouldn't sweat it. If you are running pump gas and the bike is sitting for weeks at a time, I would drain the bowl and the tank.

I just turn the fuel off after the ride. When I forget to do this there is a puddle of pre-mix in the bed of the truck when I get home. So I figure that whatever is left in the float bowl will drain out on the drive home when the petcock is turned off.

[Zman]

I will run the fuel down if the bike is going into storage for an extended period of time. Otherwise I shut it off and load them up like Chris said.

On a related thought, the only way you can drain the bowl "near completely"is to rev the engine to suck fuel from the main jet after the fuel level drops below the pilot jet. This is less than ideal because you don't want to scream an engine while running it lean.

When you clean out the pilot jet what are you seeing in your float bowl?

[Dirt Dud]

My carbs look clean as long as I am using the bike . I had a long time off the bikes this last winter and one of my trials bikes carbs was real gummy almost as if the race gas ate it up . It was a great reason to spend money on the bike so now that one has a Smart Carb . My wife is the Best

[hadfield4wd]

I only run dry and drain when I know something isn't going to be ridden. Other than that I just turn the fuel off.

I needed our KDX buddy bike last weekend. (Sold my sons bike and haven't picked up his new one yet). Its been in my buddies shed. When I put it there a year ago i drained the tank, ran dry and drained the bowl. Moved all the wood and got it out of the shed. Started first kick. Although the float needle doesn't seem to be sealing and I have to keep the petcock off, but the bike ran fine and no issues. Before I moved I had an ethanol free station 5 miles from the house. Now its 20. And we're burning a lot more gas as somebody seems to be riding everyday. So I'm back to normal gas.

[muddertrucker]

A KDX that starts on the first kick!!! There has to be something wrong. All KDX's I've ever seen or heard of usually start on the second kick when cold.

[Dirt Dud]

Muddertrucker it is he air in Canada cause KDXs were one kick bikes most of the time to . Matt your sons new bike is in a heated shop lookin good , waiting to ride some epic Pa single track !

[hadfield4wd]

Originally Posted by Dirt Dud

Muddertrucker it is he air in Canada cause KDXs were one kick bikes most of the time to . Matt your sons new bike is in a heated shop lookin good , waiting to ride some epic Pa single track !

Awesome. Can't wait. Hope my shoulder holds up.